I laughed, a lot, at this book. Well not at the book but with the book. As a middle-schooler I had been teeny-tiny in every way possible (height, weight, voice) so while I never got the taunts of 'Mooooo' from my classmates, I did get height jokes a plenty. And mouse jokes. I felt as if Celeste and I had a lot in common (not just the love of cookies) and that made me root for her the entire time.

I admit her attempts to wreck her chances at Miss Husky Peach (husky, who in their right mind would refer to a girl as 'husky'?) were fun and creative. I was thrilled that she didn't angst about the fact she was chubby neither before or after her Operation Skinny Celeste plan. She might not have been thrilled with being chubby, but she didn't spend most of the book whining about it and trying unhealthy methods to lose weight.

And her positive message I think won me over. Just because we're not all size zero doesn't mean we're any better or worse for it. Its how you see yourself and how you feel about yourself. Sure eating cookies instead of veggies isn't healthy, but why deny yourself a treat every so often? Learn to balance out everything and in the end you'll be a happier you. ( )

Thirteen year-old Celeste is spending junior high hiding behind oversized sweats, Oreo cookies, and her best friend to protect herself from her classmate's anti-fat taunts. She doesn't think much of her plus-size figure until her aunt enrolls her to be a contestant in a teen plus-size fashion show. Celeste can't think of anything worst than to not only be fat but to be the queen of the teen fats in her city, so she goes on a diet. I won't reveal any more as it will spoil the plot, but I was pleasantly surprised by this young adult novel despite some of the cliched mean girl antics. The teen characters have unique and believable voices, and Celeste is not afraid to eschew euphemisms and call herself fat. She uses it as a plain descriptor although her classmates use the word as a taunt. A must read for any teen struggling to accept themselves and emerge as free thinking unique individual. ( )

I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this book. It addresses healthy eating and healthy exercise as one part of living a healthy lifestyle and what true confidence looks like (the mc at the end versus the popular bully). I was worried at first that the author would fall into one extreme or the other, eating disorders versus obesity. Instead, in a humorous and sweet way, she presented a very balanced and realistic portrait of a middle school girl learning how to take care of herself and like who she is no matter where she is on her journey. ( )

Seventh-grade Celeste is overweight and prefers the comfort of her hoodies and sweats, and Oreo cookies. She is teased mercilessly by the kids at school, in particular by Lively Carson, popular and mean girl extraordinaire. When Celeste's aunt secretly signs her up for the HuskyPeach modeling contest, Celeste is horrified at what the kids would say about her being a “fat model.” Celeste figures the only way out is to lose weight. Her struggles with diet, exercise and disastrous accidents at the HuskyPeach modeling sessions are exacerbated by her disintegrating best friendship with Sandra, who has suddenly been pulled into Lively’s circle. Fortunately, Celeste has the support of friends Millie and Katy, her cousins Kirsten and Kathleen, and new friends from HuskyPeach modeling. Celeste’s personal transformation and growing new confidence is a pleasure to follow, making this a satisfying coming-of-age story. ( )

I quite liked the concept of this book, and found it quite humorous. It also had good messages for teenage girls about self-esteem and body image, but what thoroughly irritated me was how 13 year-old Celeste would talk to her poster of heart-throb, Theo Christmas (Really? The author couldn't come up with a better name?), who would then "answer" her. It reminded me too much of "Cookie" by Jacqueline Wilson. ( )