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Lifting
Thirteen-year-old Asta has Crouzon syndrome, a condition that stopped her skull from growing as it should. Bullied for her looks, Asta has struggled to feel like she belongs. When her doctor suggests yet another surgery with no guarantee that she’ll look normal after it’s done, Asta feels more discouraged than ever.
Then Asta spots some girls from school lifting weights, and she can’t help but be interested. The girls look strong and confident–exactly how Asta wants to feel. When they invite her to join their group, Asta gathers her courage and accepts. Lifting weights helps her appreciate the strength in her body. Even better, the girls who invited her start to feel like friends.
But when one of her bullies confronts her and she’s forced to defend herself, her new strength gets her in trouble. Asta is suspended from school, and her mom forbids her from lifting. Will Asta be able to convince her mom that her lifting is worth supporting?
Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and age-appropriate themes, Harbor’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for tween reluctant readers. Harbor books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 10 and up.
Then Asta spots some girls from school lifting weights, and she can’t help but be interested. The girls look strong and confident–exactly how Asta wants to feel. When they invite her to join their group, Asta gathers her courage and accepts. Lifting weights helps her appreciate the strength in her body. Even better, the girls who invited her start to feel like friends.
But when one of her bullies confronts her and she’s forced to defend herself, her new strength gets her in trouble. Asta is suspended from school, and her mom forbids her from lifting. Will Asta be able to convince her mom that her lifting is worth supporting?
Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and age-appropriate themes, Harbor’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for tween reluctant readers. Harbor books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 10 and up.
160 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2025
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 28, 2025
I loved this story! I found it so relatable. I think we all feel othered growing up and this was a beautiful story of how community helps us overcome people being jerks.
August 22, 2025
A book that will go no end to provide representation for those with Crouzon syndrome – an issue with the skull being too small for the brain, where even restorative surgery can lead to an atypical face, with bulging eyes and other issues. Asta has it, and has had a nightmare of a childhood as a result, with no end of people far too quick to point out her 'bug-eyed' characteristics, and not bother with the person behind them. Worried about yet another bout of bullying, she misreads a girl from school, but the girl from school is just proud to have been spotted weight training, and asks Asta to join in lifting after class.
This was fine, to an extent. Asta's situation is very keenly conveyed – the author keen to tread on nobody's toes, and keen to get across the isolation the syndrome has caused. But I think the hi/lo aspect of this has been mishandled. The text seemed too simplistic – too readily stating the very obvious, in very obvious manner. It was just a quirk of the style, that I found to be making this too simplified, in a manner I never get with, say, Barrington Stoke or similar publishers with an eye to audiences with reading issues.
And the narrative is much more suited to the reluctant reader. It really felt too cheesy as everything built up a good feeling in Asta – the fact the weights club were her new dining companions at school, the fact one of them has a nan with one arm – the whole arc of the story was evident to all but the most inexperienced readers. OK, there are surprises, such as the first PR Day knocking Asta back before it's even happened, but all the same. More interesting to me at least was the lack of agency Asta felt over some potentially impending surgery – yet again.
Don't get me down, nothing is dumbed-down ridiculously badly, it's just this could have had more surprise and nuance. I mean, if the kids with this syndrome have a brain too big for their head they certainly have the smarts for a more complex read! All bad jokes aside, this could have been superlative, and instead I feel a touch generous giving this four stars, as I know there was room for improvement. But for the sake of getting the syndrome more known, and books about it more known about, four stars is what I'll award.
This was fine, to an extent. Asta's situation is very keenly conveyed – the author keen to tread on nobody's toes, and keen to get across the isolation the syndrome has caused. But I think the hi/lo aspect of this has been mishandled. The text seemed too simplistic – too readily stating the very obvious, in very obvious manner. It was just a quirk of the style, that I found to be making this too simplified, in a manner I never get with, say, Barrington Stoke or similar publishers with an eye to audiences with reading issues.
And the narrative is much more suited to the reluctant reader. It really felt too cheesy as everything built up a good feeling in Asta – the fact the weights club were her new dining companions at school, the fact one of them has a nan with one arm – the whole arc of the story was evident to all but the most inexperienced readers. OK, there are surprises, such as the first PR Day knocking Asta back before it's even happened, but all the same. More interesting to me at least was the lack of agency Asta felt over some potentially impending surgery – yet again.
Don't get me down, nothing is dumbed-down ridiculously badly, it's just this could have had more surprise and nuance. I mean, if the kids with this syndrome have a brain too big for their head they certainly have the smarts for a more complex read! All bad jokes aside, this could have been superlative, and instead I feel a touch generous giving this four stars, as I know there was room for improvement. But for the sake of getting the syndrome more known, and books about it more known about, four stars is what I'll award.
October 13, 2025
Incredibly cool and positive book. While I'm not the target audience, I enjoyed the story and could totally see a niece, nephew or they-phew digging it.
Our main character Asta has gotten her first chance to make her own choices regarding treatment for her Crouzen syndrome. This struggle feels relatable as a rite of passage, of the bittersweet strain of new freedom. Asta's at a turning point; the conflict of the story resides within Asta. While she's subject to bullying, this isn't just someone standing up to a bully and, at the end, slugging them while everyone claps. Real life conflict isn't solved by finally kicking the bully's ass, satisfying as such a moment is.
Asta finds inner strength while building physical strength after a cadre of girls in her grade invite her to lift with them at their homemade gym. (I visualize Venice Beach in the '80s, with Arnold pumping iron in the distance; this is my brain's stock footage for outdoor weightlifting.) I found it truly refreshing that a clique of girls is represented as kind and encouraging.
Asta loves what her body can do. She loves feeding it nutritious food so she can do more things. This, again, is a refreshing approach for discussing diet and exercise. Asta doesn't even skip leg day, the true mark of a legend.
"Lifting" kept my interest with relatable conflict and I felt a little glow of happiness when I finished it.
Our main character Asta has gotten her first chance to make her own choices regarding treatment for her Crouzen syndrome. This struggle feels relatable as a rite of passage, of the bittersweet strain of new freedom. Asta's at a turning point; the conflict of the story resides within Asta. While she's subject to bullying, this isn't just someone standing up to a bully and, at the end, slugging them while everyone claps. Real life conflict isn't solved by finally kicking the bully's ass, satisfying as such a moment is.
Asta finds inner strength while building physical strength after a cadre of girls in her grade invite her to lift with them at their homemade gym. (I visualize Venice Beach in the '80s, with Arnold pumping iron in the distance; this is my brain's stock footage for outdoor weightlifting.) I found it truly refreshing that a clique of girls is represented as kind and encouraging.
Asta loves what her body can do. She loves feeding it nutritious food so she can do more things. This, again, is a refreshing approach for discussing diet and exercise. Asta doesn't even skip leg day, the true mark of a legend.
"Lifting" kept my interest with relatable conflict and I felt a little glow of happiness when I finished it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews