It's a Small World BY CASSIE KERNICK
Paul Kramer is the author of this controversial story and the owner of Aloha Publishers. www.alohapublishers.com Walking through the halls of Kearney High School, it is not uncommon to hear a cluster of girls discussing their latest attempt at losing weight or the newest diet fad. Although not unusual, the issue of students who are unhappy with their current weight is continuing to skyrocket. Even more startling is the growing number of negative body images now held by elementary-age students. The idea of fourth graders discussing their latest weight issues rather than the games they want to play at recess, or the newest Pillow Pets, is absolutely outlandish. In a world already set on children growing up way before their time, they are faced with rigorous school and activity schedules. Weight gain and dieting is not an idea they should be busying their minds with. This is quite possibly the reason why the recently released children’s book, Maggie Goes on a Diet, is stirring up an unhealthy amount of controversy. Even before the book’s release,
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concerned parents had many negative pre-formed opinions. Facebook pages and other websites were overflowing with criticisms about this story just because of its title, when in all actuality, the posters of these comments had not yet read the book themselves. During an interview, Paul Kramer, the book author, asked that people not judge his book by the cover. He asked Americans to first read it for themselves before forming any positive or negative ideas about the story. I decided to yield to the author’s recommendation and wait until I had actually read the story to express my opinion. The story begins with 14-year old Maggie. She is very overweight and incredibly unhappy. Due to her size, she has very few friends and is often teased and tormented. Then one day the criticism becomes too much. She decides to go on a diet to lose weight so that she will be able to fit in. Through a combination of eating healthy and exercising, she is able to shed the pounds. After the extreme body make-
According to the National Eating Disorder Information Centre, young girls who diet are 324% more at risk to become obese later on in life. www.fornewmoms.com
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over, Maggie now not only has a positive body image, but also has become the star of the school soccer team. Even with the happy ending, many readers were still not satisfied. Although the author may have had good intentions with the publication of this book, he definitely missed the mark. In a world already idolizing those with perfect figures and loathing themselves for never reaching these unattainable standards, this book only once again reiterates that thinner is better. Why could Maggie not have been chubby and well-liked? Why did it take Maggie’s extreme weight loss to not only get her to love herself, but also to have success in sports and with her classmates? Maybe the book should have been more empathetically named, Maggie Learns to Accept Herself, setting an example that it does not take perfection to make something positive of your life. Yes, children do need to learn positive eating and exercise habits, but those can be taught throughout one’s life. However, learning to love who you are and accept your strengths and weaknesses is a battle some fail to ever win. Perhaps instead of putting negative ideas into the heads of children growing up in an already cruel society, we should first be preaching the virtues of acceptance.