Taking Up Space

by Alyson Gerber

From beloved author Alyson Gerber comes another realistic contemporary novel perfect for fans of Judy Blume. Sarah loves basketball more than anything. Crushing it on the court makes her feel like she matters. And it's the only thing that helps her ignore how much it hurts when her mom forgets to feed her. But lately Sarah can't even play basketball right. She's slower now and missing shots she should be able to make. Her body doesn't feel like it's her own anymore. She's worried that changing herself back to how she used to be is the only way she can take control over what's happening. When Sarah's crush asks her to be partners in a cooking competition, she feels pulled in a million directions. She'll have to dig deep to stand up for what she needs at home, be honest with her best friends, and accept that she doesn't need to change to feel good about herself. Booklist described Gerber's novels in starred reviews as both "highly empathetic" and "truly inspiring." Taking Up Space promises to be a realistic and compelling story about struggling with body image and learning that true self-esteem comes from within.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Sports, Mental Health, Fiction, Audiobook, Friendship

272 pages, Paperback

First published May 18, 2021

About the author

Alyson Gerber is the NYTimes and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Liars Society series and critically acclaimed, middle grade novels. A former marketing director, Alyson earned her MFA in creative writing at the New School. She grew up in New England and now lives in New York City with her family. Follow her @AlysonGerber and at alysongerber.com

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Taking Up Space is a book every young girl should read. It’s a powerful story of how the things parents do and say in front of their kids can have such a lasting impact on their behaviors and the way they see themselves. I enjoyed the relationship Sarah had with her best friend Ryan and the parts with Ethan and their cooking competition. This was hard hitting for me and I think it will be for anyone who has ever struggled with disordered eating. Highly recommend.

Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Cassandra Morris
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Middle Grade
Length: 6h 9m

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah loves playing basketball, does well at school, and enjoys hanging out with her “besties”, Ryan and Emilia. What she dislikes is coming home frequently to a nearly-empty refrigerator because her mom doesn’t hold much with eating and often forgets to buy groceries. This makes Sarah feel that she’s not important enough for her mother to shop or cook for her. And Sarah worries that when she does eat, that she is eating foods that on her mom’s “unhealthy” list. She’s confused, because the only food she has seen her mom eat lately is candy; why isn’t that on the “list” instead of mangoes and bananas?
An excellent story with lessons about finding self-worth in other areas besides how much one weighs and looks.
Trigger warning: eating disorders are discussed and addressed in different ways.

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

This is the third middle grade novel by the author I’ve had the pleasure of reading, and though all of her stories are based on her life experiences, this one has an emotional punch that makes it stand out from the others. It’s about twelve-year-old Sarah, whose body is changing and affecting her coordination and agility on the basketball court. Sarah receives mixed messages about food from the people around her, including those from her mom who sometimes forgets to feed her and who doesn’t buy enough food despite her daily trips to the grocery store. Sarah interprets the information to mean she needs to eat less, and only certain foods, to regain her status on the court. As Sarah’s food intake becomes a source of gossip among her friends (especially when they discover she hid the fact she joined the Chef Junior cooking competition and is taking cooking lessons from her health partner and her best friend’s crush, Benny) it threatens not only her place on the team and her relationship with her friends, but also her physical and mental health. Sarah is forced to seek help for her food issues and we watch her start to make sense of how to listen to her body, understand what’s happening, and take care of what it needs in a healthy way.

The author has a real gift with writing a middle grade voice, and Sarah’s relationship with her parents, friends, and teachers are conversational and honest. What I enjoyed most about this story was listening to Sarah’s internal voice, and watching how she took the opinions of others about food and morphed them into ideas that led to her disordered eating. As a reader, we could clearly see how those messages became confused and twisted, and many times I wondered about the impact of my own advice about food to my teenage daughter. Watching Sarah ask for help, communicate to her counselor and her parents, and rework her internal dialogue was illuminating and so valuable. I think young readers will learn so much from Sarah, and the adults who help her, about issues surrounding food and body image. I love that therapy is viewed positively, and Sarah’s mom recognizes the enormous impact of her own food issues on Sarah. I also love that Sarah is empowered to listen to and care for her body.

I also felt like the relationships between Sarah and her friends were so well portrayed. Her best friend, Ryan, was supportive and challenged her behavior. Her other best friend, Emilia, was hurt by her betrayal of secretly cooking with Benny, and acted out in anger. Although this led to rumors and gossip on the basketball team, there were some important lessons for Sarah about navigating friendships. Sarah’s passion for basketball, and learning new skills to help her team while her body changed, helped her stay a valuable member of the team, even when her friendships were rocky. Sarah’s relationship with Benny was also interesting to watch as she was able to communicate with him in a different way and grew in confidence from their cooking. There was a lot of typical middle school behavior throughout the novel, which made it feel like these were average kids dealing with very real issues that many young readers face today. I love the author letter that communicates teens need to realize they matter, they’re worthy of love, and there are people who can help them even when they feel their problems are insignificant.

I would highly recommend this book for middle grade collections. I read it right after STARFISH by Lisa Fipps, another amazing middle grade novel about body image, and I hope libraries will consider adding both of these much-needed books to their shelves this year.

[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know I keep saying this but these middle-grade books have been tackling some tough subjects. They're giving kids a way to see themselves or other kids their age in difficult situations. Being seen is an important part of being a healthy human being.

Taking Up Space deals with some tough subject matter that the author herself dealt with as a young teenager. The body changing and not feeling like you fit in your body anymore is relevant to puberty. Figuring out how to deal with it in terms of food can lead to eating disorders.

Besides the eating disorder that Sarah's mom has throughout the book, there is another food issue that makes for a tough situation. That is food insecurity: "the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food." Even though Sarah's family has money for the food that doesn't mean that Sarah didn't suffer from food insecurity. Her mom didn't think to provide meals for Sarah which left Sarah unsure when she'd get feed. Even her friends who come over for sleepovers witness the lack of food available to eat. And again it wasn't because of a lack of money that there wasn't food for Sarah to eat but instead because Sarah's mom suffered from her own eating disorder that she was projecting onto Sarah.

As much as this was a tough topic, this one has great potential to be a conversation starter between teenagers and adults on everything from puberty to eating disorders.

● food insecurity
● eating disorder
● body image
● puberty
● basketball
● #ownvoices

Audio book source: Hoopla
Narrator: Cassandra Morris
Length: 6H 09M

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah loves basketball more than anything and has always been the strongest player on her team. But puberty has caused rapid changes to her body and she just hasn’t quite adjusted her style of play to fit her new physique. Complicating matters is an unhealthy obsession with foods and which ones she should eat that stems from her mother’s own emotional issues connected to food. Alyson Gerber has already gifted middle grade-younger YA audiences with two books, Unfocused and Braced, that share her own experiences with undiagnosed ADD and the necessity of wearing a back brace while navigating middle school drama. Taking Up Space also stems from real life battles with disordered eating and is another “must-read” for ages 10-15. Gerber’s writing conveys Sarah’s anxiety, fears, and frustrations clearly as well as projects hope and healing into the story. Readers should walk away with new understanding of disordered eating and how it might manifest itself personally or in someone they know as well as clear ideas on what to do to help either themselves or a friend. Highly recommended. No profanity, violence, or sexual content, although body changes such as breast development and menstruation are a part of Sarah’s story. Thanks for the print ARC provided to me & arc-sharing group #BookAllies, Scholastic!

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

Sarah’s mother has an undiagnosed eating disorder and as a result sometimes forgets to feed Sarah. Her mom also sends her unhealthy messages about food. Sarah thinks losing weight will make her a better basketball player. She develops disordered eating.

TAKING UP SPACE has a lot to like—complicated friendships, crushes, parental pressure, family pressure and sibling rivalry. Alyson Gerber’s writing keeps the story moving at an even pace. I liked how she showed seeking counseling to be helpful and without stigma.

The characters are in seventh grade, but often act wise beyond their years with insight and assertiveness skills better than many adults have. Characters usually sound like Adults Teaching A Lesson when Gerber wants to model healthy ways for dealing with difficult situations, but it doesn’t feel organic to the story. Other times Gerber shows Sarah struggling with changing her thoughts in a more authentic manner.

TAKING UP SPACE is an above average book that should be in classrooms and school libraries.

[Jen Petro-Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just incredible. Gerber tackles disordered eating with a sensitive touch, portraying how family can both hurt and heal, and how inner strength is within us all. The details are realistic and warmth, heart, and hope are everywhere in this remarkable novel.

[Neha Thakkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a needed story. My mother’s voice still rings in my ear about “portion control”, I almost always only eat half of any meal, and while I’m teaching my daughter that all food is good in moderation, this book hit home. It would be great for a family book club!

[Jenna (Falling Letters) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally published 29 January 2023 at Falling Letters.

Here is another excellent book where I find myself wondering, “Why didn’t I review this right after I finished reading it?” I still remember reading Taking Up Space in nearly a single sitting, interrupted only by Sunday dinner with Grandpa. From her debut and sophomore novels alone, Gerber has a reputation for nuanced and thoughtful realistic middle grade. Taking Up Space confirms that reputation is well-earned.

Gerber’s three novels each explore a health challenge that a middle school girl has to face. In Braced , Rachel’s scoliosis has worsened and she needs to wear a back brace twenty-three hours a day. In Focused , Clea finds controlling her thoughts challenging and learns she has ADHD. In Taking Up Space, Sarah’s body is changing and so is her relationship to food and eating.

The story hints early on at what’s to come. Sarah reflects on why her home has little food but lots of hidden candy, and starts to think about her mom – “I’m pretty sure Mom doesn’t have an eating disorder, because she doesn’t fit into the categories we learned about in health class” (pg 23). The influence Sarah’s mom has on Sarah’s eating habits is a central point of the story.

(Interlude to state that Sarah’s dad is not wholly blameless, either. He is one of many adult characters in the book who demonstrate how easily a child can internalize a throwaway comment from an adult they respect, with the adult clueless of the impact of their words.)

Eventually Sarah comes to feel that something is wrong with how food is managed in her house, but it’s difficult for her to fully accept that because her mother, of course, must love her and have her best interests at heart. But Sarah ultimately begins thinking her mother doesn’t care for her. It is so valuable to see this kind of relationship between mother and daughter depicted in middle grade, right through to acknowledgement of that the steps to improvement won’t necessarily be a smooth road.

I wish I could erase certain things Mom says from my brain, because her words feel like facts, and they start to sink in and take over the way I see everything, even myself. (pg 199)

The trigger for Sarah’s disordered eating is not her mother, but puberty. Sarah’s body is changing and it’s affecting her skill at basketball. She comes to think it’s her food intake that’s affecting her skill, and that if she can manage her eating habits, she can manage her changing body – “All I have to do is stick with my plan and I can put everything right back to the way it was before” (pg 94). Taking Up Space explores various challenges of puberty. It’s not always just about your first period. It can be about a loss of balance and coordination and the impact that has on how you play your favourite sport and the different ways your body seems to betray you.

I used to think it was weird for people to have armpit hair, and now I think it’s weird when they don’t. I’m not really sure what changed, but it feels like it happened out of nowhere, and like maybe it means something bigger about me and how everything keeps changing. (pg 29)

Throughout the novel, Sarah attempts to follow a plethora of ‘eating rules’, some of which contradict each other and cause Sarah distress. There were so many points when my heart broke for her. I used a lot of 🙁 in my notes. Example: “I know I didn’t eat a lot and I definitey ate less than usual, but it feels like maybe I still ate too much. How do I even know what’s too much and what’s not enough?” (pg 59). But Sarah has a couple good friends who realize how serious Sarah’s eating habits become! Ryan, her BFF, and Benny, her cooking competition partner, both help Sarah recognize that her experience with food at home isn’t healthy.

The conversation with Sarah has with her coach towards the end is a masterpiece. It’s strikingly written and compelling, and yet so compassionate and a model of how to talk to kids about eating and feelings and rules. When the coach tells Sarah this is a problem she (the coach) has seen with many athletes who go through puberty!! ;-; I reread the entire conversation while I was writing this review and teared up again.

“The link you’ve created between basketball and food doesn’t exist. The real link is between basketball and puberty. And puberty is going to happen no matter what you eat.” (pg 176)

The Bottom Line 💭: Another hit from Alyson Gerber, Taking Up Space should be recommended reading for all fans of contemporary middle grade.

[Stefanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important MG story about body image.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter recommended this book to me as she had read it and really enjoyed it. I was skeptical at first, based on the synopsis feeling like it was all over the place. However, it was a really good story that made me think about an issue I hadn't given much thought to before.

I always thought of anorexia and bulimia being eating disorders, but this book clearly points out that there are other ways to have eating disorders and that a family member having an unhealthy relationship with food can affect how others relate to food, as well. This was exemplified really well in Sarah's situation. At first, I was all annoyed with her mom for not getting enough food when she went grocery shopping, but later we get to the bottom of the situation and see how she was affected too.

The mean girl situation has me worried for when my daughter starts middle school in the fall. She's already dealt with some mean girl drama in elementary school and I hope that with not going to the same middle school as the perpetrators, she can have a fresh start. I felt really bad for Sarah when her supposed best friend became a mean girl and how some of her acquaintances started acting toward her. Her saving graces were her crush and the cooking contest. Her crush was so nice to her!

I can relate in regards to relationships with food. Mine is more along the lines of not being able to trust people to not put something I don't like in my food. One item in particular is fish. I had a hard time imagining how good fish would taste to anyone in this book because of how much I hate it, but I'm glad Sarah found foods that she could enjoy without feeling guilty.

I recommend Taking Up Space to tweens, teens, and adults. My daughter wants to read Alyson Gerber's other books now and I will have to check those out when she's done!

[Riley Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this book written for a middle grade reader? Yes. Am I a 31 year old woman who has struggled with disordered eating most of my life and never have had the language to describe it? Yes. It doesn’t matter what “level” of reading this is. This story hit home and allowed me to connect as an adult, but also have compassion for my teenage self. I would be a whole different person if I had this book in my hands when I was young. So much here that is necessary for children and adults. Read this book. Have hard conversations. Make sure we realize how much impact our decisions and choices have on our children’s view of themselves.❤️

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah's body is changing, and she's noticing the effects on the basketball court. Add her mother's unusual relationship with food, and it's no surprise that she develops disordered eating. Sarah's story is handled with realism and compassion, highlighting both her desire to be healthy and her denial when things move beyond her control.

[Laurie Hnatiuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher Scholastic Inc for a digital ARC of this title to read.

First off, Alyson Gerber's other two books (Braced and Focused) were so compelling, telling stories readers need to hear following Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop's ideas about readers needing windows (to see others) and mirrors (to see themselves). I knew I would be reading anything this author wrote, and I am eager to share this book to get it into the hands of readers.

Sarah loves basketball, but lately, her game has been off. She attests this to her eating and now sets up rules about what she can eat based on what she thinks she hears from her coach and her mother’s views of what it means to be healthy. Emilia and Ryan are her two best friends and are also on the basketball team. Turmoil begins when Sarah and Emilia develop a crush on the same boy Benny, who happens to love cooking. Their health teacher pairs the two to work together, and Benny coaxes Sarah into being his partner for a YouTube cooking competition. This creates more tension for Sarah. First, there are differences between Benny's and Sarah's relationship with food. Sarah is also avoiding Emilia and does not want her to know about the show and their partnership. Finally, things escalate as her teammates see that she is drinking more water and not eating.

So many of our readers have conflicting and confusing information about what healthy means and distorted thoughts about body image, especially around puberty and being involved in different activities. Active females (whether playing a sport, dancing or other activities) need to get enough food to fuel their bodies properly. Alyson Gerber takes the issue a step further, breaking new ground by writing about a mother who has a distorted view leading to the daughter having issues. I have never read anything where a parental figure has directly influenced a child, and sadly, I think this could be on the rise with societal views about body image.

Despite her mother fueling the ideas Sarah has, there were several ways individuals support Sarah. Her friend, Ryan, makes a tough decision to protect her friend. Her basketball coach is instrumental for Sarah getting help by setting up the visit to the counsellor; these roles are often not spoken a lot about in books.

Alyson Gerber nails so many things that kids this age are going through - crush on the same guy - friendship issues, balancing various activities and just trying to figure out your identity. She makes the plot easy to follow, and readers will want to continue reading to see how Sarah resolves the many problems she faces; her eating habits, a crush on the same guy, the different friendship issues that will feel very real.

There are not many books at this age with such detailed descriptions of a sport, and I was surprised to learn that basketball was not one that the author played. I think this will be another appeal for readers at this age and will appreciate the play-by-play action described on the court and how it makes Sarah feel.

Upper middle-grade educators are always on the lookout for Upper MG books. Taking Up Space is a book that will resonate with these readers and fill a void. This story is timely and critical to read and should be accessible to all middle-grade readers.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Gr 6+

FIRST LINE: I sprint forward toward the basket and V-cut to get open, but the player guarding me, number twelve with the pigtail braids, is quick and no matter how hard I push myself, I can't break free.
PICTURE BOOK PAIRINGS: You Are (Not) Small, Brontonina, Abigail the Whale, and Lucy Tries Basketball
SIMILAR TITLES: Starfish, Up for Air and All of Me,
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS NARRATOR: Braced and Focused
SUBJECT HEADINGS/TAGS: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Mental Health, Eating Disorders, Body Image, Basketball

[Carli · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this coming of age story about disordered eating and body image. When puberty starts to rear it’s head, middle school basketball player Sarah hates how it affects her game. She isn’t as fast as she used to be, and she doesn’t feel comfortable in her own skins anymore. Her mom has always been weird about food, and between her and a health pamphlet about healthy eating, Sarah begins to only eat “good” foods. The less she eats, the more in control she feels. But when it starts to affect her friendships and her basketball performance, she needs tough love to see the problem. Great for middle school readers - librarians, order extra copies.

[Katie Reilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve year old Sarah is a basketball powerhouse. Her heart belongs to the sport, and playing it well makes her feel like she matters. But lately, her body doesn’t feel like her own. It’s slowing her down, and she’s missing shots she knows she should be able to make. In order to try to change herself back to how she used to be, Sarah decides to alter her eating habits, following her mom’s “rules” for eating healthy.
When she shares what she’s doing with Benny, her partner in a cooking competition (and her crush!), her best friend, and her basketball coach, Sarah learns that there are a lot of mixed messages about food out there.

When Sarah’s food intake becomes gossip for her basketball teammates, it threatens her relationships with her friends, family, and most importantly, her own physical and mental health.

This is such an important book for middle grade readers that tackles issues of body image and disordered eating and the way food can impact our self-esteem. I wish books like this existed when I was a twelve year old reader. Out now. Highly recommend!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest. So honest. Alyson Gerber writes with her heart on her sleeve, so that her characters are real voices for preteens and teens. Taking Up Space belongs in libraries, classrooms and guidance counselor offices across our country to help girls learn they’re not alone and that there are people to trust. Reading TUS helped me, a mom of a tween, learn through a relatable story, thoughts and confusions about eating and food that a tween or teen may have.

It also sets an outstanding example of how to be a friend to a friend in need, the importance of doing and speaking up, and how to believe in yourself.

Alyson Gerber’s characters are TRUE and relatable. They’re every day girls that our girls need to know.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an important book for middle grades about disordered eating and being comfortable in your own skin. I did feel like the timeline was a bit unrealistic but I get that it has to fit into the story arc. Overall I felt that it was well done. I can see this being a good book to read with your tween. It could bring up some good discussion points.

[Rebecca Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an important book for middle schoolers! Alyson Gerber expertly creates the main character, Sarah with some big emotional issues that center around food. The reader is one hundred percent in Sarah's corner as she tells us how she is feeling and as she navigates 7th grade issues along with problems at home. As a middle school teacher, this presented to kids how to ask for help in appropriate ways and that teachers,counselors and coaches are always on your team. You know that a book is fantastic when you immediately want to put it into the hands of a student. If I could give this one a higher score, I would.

[Mary BookHounds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah's mother forgets to give her food and it becomes more of an issue as she can maintain the energy that she needs to play the sport she loves - basketball.  She resorts to quick fixes like candy to get energy when needed but when she is given a handout in health class about healthy eating, it starts to change the way she thinks about what is fueling her body.  Of course, there is also the boy she really likes and is teamed up with him in a competition involving food which makes the issue even more intense.

This is a sneaky book - it is so pleasurable to read that the message comes across without you realizing it.  It took me back to my own middle-grade adventures and while I was lucky and never struggled with eating disorders until my 20;s and honestly don't know of anyone who hasn't struggled with food in their life.  This story gets to the heart of the matter, that it is very difficult these days to have a positive body image with all of the apps that change people's appearance and young girls are trying to meet standards that are unattainable.

[Emily]

The pacing of the development of disordered eating was unrealistically quick for me -- I would have expected her to have internalized some of her mom's issues with food earlier on, since that was the way food was handled her whole life -- but otherwise very solid!

[Rachel007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

I have previously enjoyed Alyson Gerber's other middle grade books (Braced and Focused), but I think Taking Up Space is her best one yet.

Sarah is in 7th grade and her body is changing after she gets her period. She loves to play basketball and hang out with her friends, but soon she feels she is slower on the court and slowing her friends down. After a health class handout explores "healthy foods", Sarah decides she is going to follow the rules. Meanwhile, her crush Benny is her partner for a cooking YouTube competition, and one of her best friends doesn't like that (she likes him too!). At. home, Sarah's mom sometimes forgets to leave food for Sarah to eat when she gets home (especially if Sarah's dad is away on business trips) and talks heavily about health, "good for you" foods and cooks "healthily". This makes following the food rules easier for Sarah. But when things go too far and Sarah falls on the basketball court during a game, Sarah has to take a hard look at who she wants to be and what she wants to put in her body.

I loved this book. It was easy to read and easy to relate to. Alyson Gerber manages to talk about disordered eating (and mentions of anorexia recovery for another character's sister) without talking about weight, calorie counting or anything that may be triggering - or possibly a tool - for kids (and adults alike!). I was super impressed. Sarah and her friends felt like real 7th graders - a little young, but also trying to be very, very mature and grown up. I liked that Sarah had a good friend group, worked friend troubles out, and had a supportive family (even if things were confusing at home). Her mom and dad were willing to listen to Sarah's school counselor and even go to therapy. Props to Alyson Gerber for showing us flawed adults who are willing to do better for their kids. Props to Sarah's friend group, who don't allow this to go too far and are willing to make sure she gets the help she needs.

This is a must read for kids today.

[Sara Magnafichi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Alyson Gerber and Scholastic for providing a copy of Taking Up Space with #Collabookation. This is such an important book for kids to read and discuss. Sarah, an avid basketball player, is growing up in household where food is an issue, thanks to her mother's disordered relationship with food. There's never extra food around except for the current day's meals, and often times not even enough for dinner. When Sarah's performance on the basketball court takes a turn, she begins to question herself and wonders if food is the issue. Sarah's disordered eating becomes an issue in her relationships, her ability to play her favorite sport, and within her family. Many kids, and adults struggle with their thoughts when it comes to food, and discussing this with kids is incredibly meaningful. It is also important for the many who struggle with disordered eating to see themselves in text. With themes of friendship, bullying, basketball, cooking, and family, there are many avenues for readers to connect with Sarah's story. The last few sentences really stayed with me, "I don't need to be afraid of not mattering, because I do. And I know I deserve to feel important and loved and take up space, not just today, on a day I won, but every day." Highly recommend! This book recently had it's book birthday and is available today!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber is a middle grade book about disordered eating, friendships, basketball, and a cooking competition. In the book, Sarah, is dealing with food issues. Food is a weird subject in her house so she is trying to figure it out on her own just like me. She joins a cooking competition and learns some good skills but is struggling with what healthy foods are. Her friends take notice and soon she starts getting the help she needs so she can play basketball, which is her passion. I really enjoyed this book so much. This book hit me in all the feels. I’m sure I’m not alone but when I was teenager I did not have the healthiest eating habits and that turned into a slippery slope for me that lasted well into my 20s. I was not given the tools to navigate what my body needed. I shed a few tears for Sarah and for my younger self.

[Karina Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber was so good! I found this book because I read another book by this author called Braced and loved that one so much too. I love realistic fiction books so much because they can be very relatable. The book follows Sarah a girl who loves to play basketball. Everything is going good for Sarah right now, she has two best friends and they are all constantly hanging out. She’s probably the best on her basketball team and is really proud of it. When Sarah’s body starts to feel weaker though because she isn’t getting enough food things start to change. My favorite part of this book is when Sarah finally tells her coach the truth about what’s been going on so she can get help. I LOVED this book and would give it a 5/5 stars and would recommend it to any middle school reader.

[Librariann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alyson Gerber does a great job of writing the kind of middle-grade problem novel that could actually help kids understand an issue and how to treat it. (Scoliosis, ADHD) In this case, it's a story of friendship, sports, and disordered eating to combat the changes of puberty.

Can the solutions seem pat and unrealistic? Sure. There's always a Helpful Adult with Sage Advice, and everyone goes along with the "plan" (whatever it is) a bit too smoothly, but there's something very very comforting in this kind of Adults Will Help You with Your Problem narrative. It's the kind of gentle tween propaganda that feels supportive, rather than After-school special-y. (And based on the fact that I have plenty of patrons who really liked the first two novels, that's not just Librarian Talk.)

Extra points in this one for dealing with the all too common "ownership" issue with a two-friends-have-a-crush-on-the-same-boy situation that validates feelings and doesn't feel blame-y.

"Emilia is acting like she hates me. And I need to find a way to fix it."

"You can't." My heart stops. "You said sorry and explained your side, so there's like basically nothing else you can do. She'll get over it eventually."

...

"We like the same boy. Only I didn't tell Emilia I had a crush on him, or that we're partners for Chef Junior. And then she found out."

"That's tricky." Dad nods. "But there's nothing wrong with liking the same boy. You can't help who you like."

"I tried really hard to stop."

Reassuring contemporary fiction for pre-teens.

[Kristin Kresser (mommylovesbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber in one day and wow, it is an AMAZING middle grade novel that is going to change lives for the better. Beautifully written, this is an emotional and inspiring story about self-esteem, body image, food, cooking, basketball, friends and family based on Alyson’s own struggles with disordered eating.

This book actually started my own personal deep dive into the disordered eating, body-obsessed, diet-culture in which we live, including my own thoughts. It has been quite the eye-opening experience as I try to unravel the years of my own disordered ideas and those of other adults in my life. I am so thankful that Alyson has created this story for kids as a window & a mirror and I sure do hope every grown up who interacts with kids reads this one.

Plot: The story follows middle schooler Sarah who loves basketball, but she starts struggling on the court as her body goes through changes. Sarah tries to take matters in her own hands based on food trauma she has learned at home. Luckily, she has some old and new friends, her dad, teachers and her coach supporting her as she learns that eating and cooking can be pleasurable, that all bodies are wonderful and how to stand up for herself.

This is must-read for middle graders and the parents who know them, and a must-have for all classroom and school libraries. Pre-order your copy pronto. ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basketball is Sarah's life...and when her body starts changing and with it her game, she doesn't know what to do. For a while she thinks she's found the answer: if she just eats a bit less, and makes sure everything that she does eat is super healthy, maybe she can keep her body just as it was before, and in doing so keep her basketball skills where she wants them. And at first, nobody questions it: her mother keeps almost no food in the house to begin with, her father travels a lot for work, and Sarah is careful not to be too obvious about it around her friends. But then the cracks start to show.

What's so nice about this is that it's not over the top—throughout the book Sarah develops the first signs of disordered eating, yes (whether she's on the road to anorexia or orthorexia or something else is anyone's guess), but hers is not a story that requires months in hospital, feeding tubes, etc.; hers is a story that calls for information and a better look at what makes a trusted source and a careful pulling back from the brink. It's a lot more realistic for it—as with Sarah's mother, who clearly loves her daughter but whose own disordered eating is so entrenched that she can't see out of it. Feels like a really nicely balanced read (with a lot of other things going on, like an appropriately middle-school-level 'do we like each other? what do we do with it?', and a friendship falling-out, and so on) for a middle-grade crowd.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up with a mother who has an eating disorder isn't easy (I know: my mother had a strange relationship with food and diets, although nothing as bad as Sarah's mother's). And it makes sense that children can develop eating disorders of their own in reaction to what their parent does (before you @ me, I am aware that this is not the only reason eating disorders appear! It can be a reason, however.)

Sarah is entering puberty, a tricky time for all girls, and her identity is as a basketball player. So when her changing body starts to affect her ability to play... it's easy to see where the dieting and trouble start. But then there's Benny, her crush, who has an entirely different attitude towards food: he's interested in competing in Chef Junior, and he's willing to ask her to be his partner. So there's a lot of internal conflict as the messages Sarah gets about food from home and from Benny begin to sink in. And then there's basketball...

The issue of eating disorders and puberty are handled well, I only wish there'd been a little more about the "who am I if I don't play basketball?" issue.

ARC provided by publisher.

[Jennifer Blecher · Rating 5 out of 5]

So lovely to see this important topic handled with such care and authenticity. A wonderful #ownvoices story.