The Ups and Downs of Being Round

by Monica Marie Jones

The Ups and Downs of Being Round is a coming of age story about a girl who struggles throughout her life with issues of weight. Overweight as a child, Madison Jenson struggles with teasing and physical limitations until she loses the weight during her adolescent years. Just as she begins to enjoy life as a slim girl she gains the weight back during her college years. Finally, being fed up with being unhappily overweight, she loses it again as a young adult, but to her surprise she loses a lot more than just the weight and finds out that physical weight loss does not happiness.

156 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2006

About the author

Monica Marie Jones is an author whose published works include The Ups and Downs of Being Round, Taste My Soul and FLOSS. She is also a contributing author in Chicken Soup for the Girls Soul, New Directions for Youth Development and several publications and youth development training materials. She has worked as a columnist and freelance writer for the Michigan Front Page Newspaper and is an member of the Motown Writer's Network.

Monica received her Bachelors Degree and teaching certificate in Elementary Education from Eastern Michigan University. She also received her Masters of Social Work from the University of Michigan.
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Reviews

[Author Monica Marie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am the author of The Ups and Downs of Being Round. This book is a coming of age story about a girl who struggles with gaining and losing weight from childhood to adulthood. It explores how external appearance affects self-esteem, emotions, relationships and the decisions that we make.

In the end the question, "Does weight loss guarantee happiness?" is answered when we realize the true happiness can only come from within.

In the back of the novel I include a guide to how I lost 65 pounds by making a lifestyle change that includes healthy eating and excercise as opposed to dieting.

[Phoenix Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! I almost felt as if the author had peeked into my life and decided to write it down on paper. I have struggled with insecurities about my weight all my life and this book brought back some of those memories. The thing I loved about the book was that I identified with the character. The book was a good read due to the development of the character and the storyline. One of my favorites so far this year.

[K Marie]

Excellent read one of my favorite books.

[Hooskadooo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book straight out of the lives of everyone who has struggled with weight at some point in their lives. Anyone who has lived this struggle will definitely be able to relate.