{"product_id":"light-enough-to-float-isbn-9780593700167","title":"Light Enough to Float","description":"\u003cb\u003eDeeply moving and authentic, this debut novel in verse—winner of a Schneider Family Book Award Honor—follows teenage Evie through her eating disorder treatment and recovery―a perfect choice for readers of \u003ci\u003eLouder Than Hunger and Wintergirls.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEvie has just barely acknowledged that she has an eating disorder when she’s admitted to an inpatient treatment facility. Now her days are filled with calorie loading, therapy sessions, and longing—for home, for control, and for the time before her troubles began. As the winter of her treatment goes on, she gradually begins to face her fears and to love herself again, with the help of caregivers and of peers who are fighting their own disordered-eating battles.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis insightful, beautiful novel will touch every reader and offer hope and understanding to those who need it most.Schneider Family Book Award Honor Winner\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Skillfully crafted . . . A realistically complex yet hopeful account of eating disorder treatment.\" —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"An emotionally complex novel that that will linger in readers' minds.\"\u003ci\u003e—Booklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The tone and tempo of this verse novel tracks with Evie’s journey toward healing. Spare, hyper focused, and compulsive at first, the cadence moving with a staccato franticness; as she comes to terms with her diagnosis and treatment, eventually a steadiness—fragile, to be sure—threads through the text. . . . A smart acknowledgment of the effect that social media has on disordered eating.\" —\u003ci\u003eThe Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eLauren Seal is a writer, librarian, and the third Poet Laureate of St. Albert in Alberta, Canada. She mentors the teen and young adult poets of a spoken word youth choir and her poems have been published in various anthologies. This novel-in-verse, her first book, is inspired by her own experiences with anorexia, anxiety, and hospitalization. When she’s not busy recommending books to library patrons, Lauren can be found reading, writing, and composing poems in her head on long dog walks.\u003cb\u003eSeptember\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethe psychiatrist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003edr. mantell,\u003cbr\u003ethe psychiatrist’s\u003cbr\u003enameplate shouts.\u003cbr\u003ei fight the urge\u003cbr\u003eto ask if his name is\u003cbr\u003eprinted in loud uppercase\u003cbr\u003eletters to drown out us\u003cbr\u003elowercase people and our\u003cbr\u003elowercase lives.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ehis scalpel-gray\u003cbr\u003eeyes dissect me,\u003cbr\u003equarter me, sternum\u003cbr\u003eto pelvis, left breast\u003cbr\u003e                                               to right,\u003cbr\u003ewrench me open, reach\u003cbr\u003einside, find all the\u003cbr\u003enothing\u003cbr\u003ei’ve eaten since yesterday.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       evie,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethe muscles in my body contract\u003cbr\u003eand freeze. i sit, still and staring:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eportrait of a girl afraid.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       evie,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       do you know why you’re here?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ewhy i’m here\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ebecause of the tests.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethey took my height and weight,\u003cbr\u003etook my blood, took my heart\u003cbr\u003erate, took my pee,\u003cbr\u003etook my family history,\u003cbr\u003ethen a man in a lab coat took\u003cbr\u003emy parents aside\u003cbr\u003eto tell them i failed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ei’ve never failed a test in my life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ebecause my mother says\u003cbr\u003ethis is an important\u003cbr\u003eappointment. we are lucky\u003cbr\u003ea cancellation let\u003cbr\u003ecapital-\u003ci\u003et\u003c\/i\u003e Them\u003cbr\u003efit me in.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ebecause sometimes\u003cbr\u003ei get a little sad and overwhelmed.\u003cbr\u003ebecause sometimes i feel\u003cbr\u003elike falling asleep and never waking up.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ebecause my parents and my sister and my friend darcy  and my dog would probably be happier without me. because all i do is try and try to be a perfect daughter and sister and friend and student and person but it doesn’t make me any less scared of living. because i would be happier without me.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ebecause sometimes\u003cbr\u003ei have trouble\u003cbr\u003eeating\u003cbr\u003eand my mother and i\u003cbr\u003eargue over dinner plates\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                        just three more bites\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003elike i’m a misbehaving toddler.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ei slouch down in my chair,\u003cbr\u003eglare at the doctor,\u003cbr\u003erefuse to speak.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ewhy i’m really here\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ebecause of my lies.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethe first:\u003cbr\u003e                        i’m on a diet.\u003cbr\u003ewrong,\u003cbr\u003ei’ve been on all of them:\u003cbr\u003emediterranean,\u003cbr\u003eketo,\u003cbr\u003eraw food,\u003cbr\u003elow-fat,\u003cbr\u003egluten-free,\u003cbr\u003eatkins,\u003cbr\u003evegan,\u003cbr\u003epaleo,\u003cbr\u003esouth beach.\u003cbr\u003ewhatever let me\u003cbr\u003erestrict.\u003cbr\u003eintermittent eating with frequent fasting.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003esecond:\u003cbr\u003e                        it’s only one more . . .\u003cbr\u003esit-up,\u003cbr\u003epush-up,\u003cbr\u003esquat,\u003cbr\u003emile.\u003cbr\u003ethat i wouldn’t add\u003cbr\u003eone\u003cbr\u003eplus\u003cbr\u003eone\u003cbr\u003eplus\u003cbr\u003eone\u003cbr\u003eplus\u003cbr\u003eone              \u003cbr\u003e                        until\u003cbr\u003emy muscles ached,\u003cbr\u003ebody broke.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethird:\u003cbr\u003ei’m in control.\u003cbr\u003ei can stop whenever\u003cbr\u003ei want.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eprofessional opinion\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       your height and weight\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       are very low\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       for a fourteen-year-old,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003edr. mantell says\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       same with your hemoglobin,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       and your electrolytes.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       you have all the symptoms of\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       extreme malnourishment.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003epride flutters in my chest.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ei nod along benignly, glare\u003cbr\u003eat the office door my mom\u003cbr\u003estands behind. i missed school\u003cbr\u003eto be here. does no one\u003cbr\u003ecare about my GPA?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       the results from your EKG\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       indicate\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       bradycardia.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ebradycardia?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       a slow heart rate.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       thirty-eight beats per minute.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ei nod. i don’t want him\u003cbr\u003eto think i am a stupid girl.\u003cbr\u003ei am not a stupid girl.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       do you understand?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003edon’t blink.\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eyes.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       evie,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       your heart is so slow\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       it could stop\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       at any moment.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethe offbeat drumming of said organ\u003cbr\u003efloods my ears.\u003cbr\u003edr. mantell observes my reaction.\u003cbr\u003eme the frog, his eyes\u003cbr\u003ethe scalpel. see the ease\u003cbr\u003ewith which they slit\u003cbr\u003emy pale, white skin,\u003cbr\u003emy muscles,\u003cbr\u003emy rib cage,\u003cbr\u003euntil my empty guts\u003cbr\u003espill out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       you are,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       in my professional opinion,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       anorexic. \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethat word\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eanorexic.\u003cbr\u003eit lodges itself\u003cbr\u003ein my coronary artery.\u003cbr\u003eheart palpitates. thousands\u003cbr\u003eof excuses\u003cbr\u003edam up my mouth:\u003cbr\u003ei eat,\u003cbr\u003ei’m fat,\u003cbr\u003ei’m not obsessed with my looks,\u003cbr\u003ei eat,\u003cbr\u003ethat’s not the type of girl i am.\u003cbr\u003ei come from a good family—\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ebut i eat,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003ei squeak.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                                                                       \u003ci\u003edo you eat enough?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ei think about\u003cbr\u003ethe ice cream i don’t eat.\u003cbr\u003ethe chocolate,\u003cbr\u003ethe potato chips\u003cbr\u003ei also don’t eat.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethe avocados,\u003cbr\u003ebananas,\u003cbr\u003ecookies,\u003cbr\u003efrench fries,\u003cbr\u003egranola,\u003cbr\u003ehamburgers,\u003cbr\u003emarshmallows,\u003cbr\u003epeanut butter,\u003cbr\u003espaghetti,\u003cbr\u003etacos,\u003cbr\u003eyogurt,\u003cbr\u003ean alphabet of off-limits food.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eyes?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003edr. mantell leans back in his chair,\u003cbr\u003escrunches his white face in thought,\u003cbr\u003eimpatiently \u003ci\u003etap-tap-taps\u003c\/i\u003e his pen against\u003cbr\u003ethe notes he’s been taking.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       i think we should get\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       your mother in here.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003emy mother\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eshe barges in\u003cbr\u003ewith as much restraint\u003cbr\u003eas a freight train. this woman\u003cbr\u003ewho gobbles firewood\u003cbr\u003eso she can keep\u003cbr\u003erunning and running and\u003cbr\u003erunning along\u003cbr\u003eher one-track mind.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003emy diagnosis derails her.\u003cbr\u003eshe fires coal-hot questions:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                        what does this mean?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                        how does she get better?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                        \u003c\/i\u003ecan\u003ci\u003e she get better?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                        what about her heart?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                        how do i make her gain weight?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ei think she’s really asking,\u003cbr\u003e                        \u003ci\u003ewhat do i do\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                        with this damaged daughter?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                        \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003edrowning\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003emom and dr. mantell\u003cbr\u003eposition me as a\u003cbr\u003eproblem\u003cbr\u003eto solve.\u003cbr\u003esay words like\u003cbr\u003eprogram,\u003cbr\u003etherapy,\u003cbr\u003erefeeding.\u003cbr\u003ei’m stuck on\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eanorexic,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eANorexIC,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eANOREXIC.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eit floods me, fills my lungs.\u003cbr\u003ei can’t shout, can’t breathe,\u003cbr\u003eonly flail. fail.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003edrown.\u003cbr\u003etoo weak to\u003cbr\u003esurface.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ei’ve drowned before\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ewhen i was five, at a beach\u003cbr\u003ethat’s more dream than memory.\u003cbr\u003ebubble-gum-ice-cream-blue sky,\u003cbr\u003echocolate-brown lake.\u003cbr\u003ei ran, reckless,\u003cbr\u003einto calf-deep water.\u003cbr\u003esplashed in waves left\u003cbr\u003ein motorboats’ wakes.\u003cbr\u003eanother girl, eight or nine,\u003cbr\u003ejoined me, chanted,\u003cbr\u003e                                                                       \u003ci\u003efollow me, follow me,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       i will lead, so follow me!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003epowerless against\u003cbr\u003ethis pied piper,\u003cbr\u003ei followed, the water\u003cbr\u003ereaching my shoulders,\u003cbr\u003emy neck, my scalp.\u003cbr\u003ei followed, until I couldn’t.\u003cbr\u003emy feet floundered\u003cbr\u003efor lake bottom.\u003cbr\u003emy left foot found\u003cbr\u003eground. stepped\u003cbr\u003edown and sunk, stuck\u003cbr\u003ein deep muck.\u003cbr\u003escared, limbs swinging,\u003cbr\u003ei struggled, stomped,\u003cbr\u003etrapped my right foot.\u003cbr\u003epanic pounded\u003cbr\u003ein violent waves.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                                                                       \u003ci\u003ecome on,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003emy new friend giggled.\u003cbr\u003emy head barely breached\u003cbr\u003ethe surface.\u003cbr\u003erestless ripples\u003cbr\u003emuffled my screams.\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ehelp!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eonly silence answered.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003emy last thought as\u003cbr\u003estatic clouded in:      \u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ethis is all my fault.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ewarm hands grabbed\u003cbr\u003eunder my armpits.\u003cbr\u003ehauled so hard\u003cbr\u003emy side-body ached.\u003cbr\u003e                                                                       \u003ci\u003eevie! you know the rule,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e                                                                       don’t go in past your waist!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003emy dad hissed through\u003cbr\u003egritted teeth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ehe carried me              \u003cbr\u003eto safety,\u003cbr\u003ewhere my rules have kept me\u003cbr\u003eever since.","brand":"Rocky Pond Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48233333620965,"sku":"NP9780593700167","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593700167.jpg?v=1767731465","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/light-enough-to-float-isbn-9780593700167","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}