The New, Improved Gretchen Hubbard

The Kids from Kennedy Middle School

by Ilene Cooper

When Gretchen's new slimmed-down figure and jazzy haircut earn her admiration from the class and an invitation for a date from a boy, she finds herself unprepared for so much attention, and almost wishes she were overweight again.

Genres: Young Adult

204 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Nadine Keels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had only read this book once, back when I was a kid. Forgot the title, the author, the series name, and most of what happened in the series.

But after all these years, I still remembered the cover art from Book Four here, and a few bits about the story. With that info, another reader helped me to finally track down this novel and the series it comes from. I'll repeat how amazing memory can be—even when it's in bits and pieces!

This story really conveys the mix of emotions one can experience after making oneself over and facing how that impacts one's life, practically and socially. Gretchen finds much to consider regarding the person she was, is, and may be becoming, inside and out.

Now, it isn't as if, back in my childhood and adolescence, I read all the middle grade and young adult books with body image themes. But I've seen an angle of the issue in some books from that '80s-'90s era, when plus-sized girl characters lose weight. The "ugly duckling becoming a beautiful swan" trope, if you will.

While there's nothing wrong with someone looking to lose excess pounds, a part of me wishes I could've told Gretchen at some point, "I see that you're working to form healthier eating habits and to get more exercise. That's wonderful! At the same time, losing weight won't make you 'become' pretty, as if you aren't already. A person can be great on the inside and beautiful on the outside whether they're thin or not."

Body positivity surrounding one's natural size, whatever that size may be for the individual, isn't exactly the message that runs through Gretchen's journey in this series.

On the other hand, this isn't a series that preaches messages anyway. In keeping with the previous books about these Kennedy Middle School kids, Gretchen's story brings up serious questions and leaves readers room to ponder them and hopefully come up with some answers of their own.

The story's ending doesn't tie everything up with a perfect bow. But you do get the sense that Gretchen (and other characters from the series) will keep on growing and figuring stuff out, and that all things considered, they'll be all right.

And, there you have it. I sure have enjoyed revisiting this bunch of long-lost middle grade novels!