No Body's Perfect

by Kimberly Kirberger

From the co-author of the best-selling CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE TEENAGE SOUL books comes a constructive and inspirational book designed to help girls learn to love themselves by first loving their bodies.

Kimberly Kirberger, co-author of the best-selling CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE TEENAGE SOUL books and a renowned expert on teen issues, addresses the topic of body image in LOVING YOUR BODY / LOVING YOURSELF. Many problems in girls' lives stem from a lack of self-esteem and eating disorders, depression, drug use, and more. Through powerful stories and poems from real teens, as well as personal tales and advice from the author, this book strives to help girls learn to accept, love, and appreciate their bodies--and, in turn, to love themselves.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Chick Lit, Childrens

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Kimberly Kirberger is the co-author of the bestselling Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul series, Chicken Soup for the College Soul, and Chicken Soup for the Parent's Soul. In addition, she is the author of the Teen Love series, which includes Teen Love: On Relationships; Teen Love: A Journal on Relationships; Teen Love: On Friendship; and Teen Love: A Journal on Friendship.

She is also president of Inspiration And Motivation for Teens, Inc. (I.A.M. for Teens), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and helping teens, and co-founder of the Teen Letter Project, a nonprofit organization developed to handle the overwhelming outpouring from teens in response to the books in the Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul series.

Reviews

[Keniesha Merritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definately could have benefited from reading this book when I was in school, and will be passing it along to a young girl in my life. I was nice to read what these girls had gone through during their time in school. There is something to learn from each story.

[Shaleya8f]

I think this book is good because it explores the way teenagers really see them selves.

[Anupama A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to come across "No Body's Perfect" in my pre-teen years. It was the age when girls like myself, who were slightly on the heavier side, found themselves feeling low and outcast in the presence of thin, healthy peers. Reading the stories of so many others who've gone through stages of life which were similar in some cases, and in others drastically difficult from mine, made me realize how fortunate I really was.
Today, I'm sixteen years old and proud of myself- my body, my appearance and my personality.
I would recommend this book for all teenagers who are doubtful about themselves and harbor inhibitions when given opportunities to express their inner selves.

Here are a few of my favorite lines from the book:
"Remember, you didn't get where you are in one day and you won't make things entirely better in one day, either. But you can take the first step, which is always the most important one."

"Show everyone your fearless self.
Now's your time to shine.
Don't fear at all what others think
Just paint your own design."

[Karlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is about a girl named Candice. She has a weight problem. Everyone said bad things about her but she never defended herself because she didn’t know how. They called her names such as Lardo, Wide Load, and the Candy Terminator. She felt very sad about it. Her mom tried to help her.

It was not very normal for 13 years old to weigh 150 pounds and to be 5 feet tall. She was a really big girl. She even called herself fat. But her parents were really strange and they didn’t like to hear her daughter call herself fat.

Read this book to learn what happens. I think you’ll enjoy it as I did.

[Mayra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really helped me thru the tough times I've had concerning my body image and happines. At 22 I still come back to this book time and time again and is probably my most read ( and worn out ) book. I recommend this book to all those girls out there struggling with their self-esteem. It is a long and hard process gaining confidence and self-esteem when you have had a low one for quite some time but this book is sure to help someone find their way.

[Di · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is definitely geared towards young adults and takes on a Seventeen-esque advice tone at times, but it's good to hear first person narrative about body image issues. It reminds you that you're not alone...

[Nouran · Rating 5 out of 5]

My lil sis and I love it=)

[Christa綺思 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting concept but not as thought-provoking as the Chicken Soup series. Some of the stories sounded too random, as if it was forced into the collection to make it seem longer.

[Ellen Rand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody’s perfect by Kimberly Kirberger is a book about the perception of someone’s body, self-love, and search for identity; the book is consisting of stories by young adults who were struggling with their self-esteem, some were so self-conscious, some even with depression. I admired how it showed the progress of a particular teen as she improves her self-esteem, “ But that is okay. Each day I will wake up with a renewed effort and a humble prayer for the guidance I need to get back to you and to the spirit that is truly me.”(Kirberger 245) I also like the way she talked about pain and about how as humans we sometimes repeat the same mistakes, yet it is okay because it guides us to something more. She mentioned: “There are some points in life when you don’t learn the first time and you have to experience the pain a couple of times before you get it.”(Kirberger 121) Overall, this book was a great read for me because it taught me so many things that I need to acknowledge as an adolescent going through many changes such as emotional and physical changes. I recommend this book to anyone who needs a little push up for self-love, body image, and self-acceptance.

[erika]

I was cleaning my bookshelf and found this book again, so I decided to log it in.

I hate this book. This was given to me when I was younger by someone who held a bit of an authoritarian position in my life (back then). For context, I've been a fat kid all my life, so receiving this book and seeing the words "Do you love your body?" in a large, curly font on the blurb of the book was more than enough to demoralize a child like me. To be fair, further body dysmorphia was not the point of the book, but rather self-acceptance (as the book stated). However, for a fat kid who was literally just given a book about bodies not being perfect by a gift-giver who probably didn't even skim through the contents of the book, yeah, it furthered my body dysmorphia, alright.

I may have to re-read this now that I'm a grown adult, but maybe I'll save the action for later when I've actually started to accept my body.

[Brandy Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a good book. I was surprised by the attachment I had to the main character. Her having to learn life again and her husband being a butt about everything was sad. I felt for her having to o through all that. I was proud of her son standing up on her side and both of them growing together

[Stephanie Duerr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will go back one day and re read so I can highlight. Some lines and messaged hit .The first half was was really repetitive through. My favorite parts were not the " stories " but when the author wrote something before each section

[Heidi]

Similar set up to a Chicken Soup book if you're familiar. A bunch of little, is the word vignettes? About life, body image, mental health, etc I've skimmed away at this over a period of years so I'm not sure what to give it as an overall rating.

[yashikaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you 🩷

[Gisela · Rating 5 out of 5]

NO BODY'S PERFECT
Kimberly Kimberger
290 páginas
Scholastic
Estados Unidos, 2003
ISBN: 0-439-42638-3

Compré este libro hace muchos años atrás, cuando estaba en mediode mi adolescencia. La edición queconseguí estaba en inglés y conocimeitno del idioma no era bueno.Pero lo leí igual. Lo poco que que entendí me ayudó a aver desde otra perspectiva problemas que tenía en ese momento.

Hoy, me encuentro leyendopor tercera vez este libro. Y me está ayudando como lo hizo hace muchos años atrás.

Con temas que van desde la anorexia hasta problemas para relacionarse con otras personas, Kimberly Kimberger buscó adolescentes con importantes lecciones aprendidas y dispuestos a compartirlas.
Los géneros usados son principalmente relato y poesía, conjuntamente con una guía de discusión y 21 pasos para ayudar a quererte cada día más.

Realmente una lectura recomendable para todos aquellos que se encuentren pasando por esos años movidos de la adolescencia y necesiten una guía que los encamine a la vía del conecerse cada día un pco más. Igualmente ideal para padres, mestros, psicopedagogos, que deseen comprender la vida moderna de los jóvenes de hoy.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Similar to the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" format, this book is full of short stories, essays and poems that all relate to body image. Like the "Chicken Soup" books, I think you either love this style and find bits and pieces that speak to you, or you hate it and think it's smarmy and contrived. I bounce back and forth, and have read a few "Chicken Soup" books, and probably would have really gotten into this as a tween. I think there are a lot of grown-ups who could stand to read this book that covers topics like realizing you are in charge of your own happiness.
The book is definitely marketed for girls - pinks and oranges, flowers and hearts - but the concepts behind many of the essays are universal. Every adolescent has had problems that are addressed in this book, but the format and style may be a turnoff. May be a good book for parents of children, tweens and teens to read.

[Kirstine Ravnkilde · Rating 3 out of 5]

What was interesting about this book?
The book taught me a lot of stuff and made me a wiser person. It was interesting because i felt like it reached to me and i could relate to some of the situations in the book.

What did you like about the book?
I liked that the book was very specific about the topics and it related perfectly to a teenager girl's life. I liked that i got really good advise from the book, and it helped me to how i can handle problems in the future.

Would you recommend this to others?
I would highly recommend this book to all teenage girls, because i believe that everyone can learn from it. In the book it tells you a lot of useful stuff that everyone could benefit from.

[Destinee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely loved the book because i thought it was cool to read about so many peoples lives. I also found it really interesting to read different opinions on hiw they feel about theirselves. Most the time when someone says they don't like their body you think they mean that they are too fat. But no others really think that they are too small. Its nice to read about stuff you may go through everyday or what someone else may go through. I recommend this book to many others to read and to be able to relate to. This book could either help you or a friend, or just be able to help one another.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up about a year ago and just read it all the way through. I really loved all the letters and stories from teen girls. I struggle with some self image issues myself, and I found the girls' personal experiences and advice to be very helpful and relatable. This book doesn't base its information on statistic data and averages, but on real girls' problems. The most touching stories were the ones about eating disorders and self destructive behavior. Five stars from me!

[Tinkybabeee tinker bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

in dis book i read lots of storoies abt yung teens dat wasnt confidnt abt thenselves and it taught me different solutions to prblms dat i ovacome in ma lyfe. i reccoment dis book 2 ppl lpwho think dey hav da worst plblms nd think da world revolves roun dem nd dere prblms.

[crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book because it remains me of Martin.l.king how he wanted to everyone to be equal.

[ChiChi Baby · Rating 1 out of 5]

I guess the book is about your body???????

[Reem]

good book

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought these novel was amazing. I definitely have started to see myself in a new light.I think this novel would have be really helpful in my teenage years.

[Kira Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great book and it showed me that i am not the only who is diffrent. I loved the book and i would recomend it to girls who have low self asteem.

[Dania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting stories!

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just got the journal and it was written in the beginning but thats all.Maybe 5 pages.Don't know if I will write in it yet but did look at some of the questions on it.Great for a teenager girl! :D

[Corkery]

it is really sad

[Dnyaneshwari. Rajput. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book has helped me a lot. It has taught me how to overcome simple problems that every teen faces. It has told me it's ok to not be perfect unles you are happy about who you are from inside.

[Jerica Santiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book has taught me that a lot of people go through the same things I do and it has gotten me a lot of help I loved this book.