Nice Girls Endure by Chris Struyk-Bonn

Nice Girls Endure is a YA inspirational book about finding self-love and defying discrimination. Sophomore Chelsea Duvay's days involve being tormented and bullied because of her weight. So she tries to hide, not drawing attention by sitting in the very back of the room. Chelsea stays away from people, because they always have something to say about how she looks. After the night of the Spring Fling Dance when the bullying takes a humiliating turn for even worse, she thinks she can never move on. But with the help of her new friend, Melody, she gains the courage to love herself and stand up for herself.

This book is raw and powerful, exposing unfortunate truths about the world and how we view others. The tricky part for most is registering that what they say, do, and act hurt others, and accepting that they are wrong. While the classic lesson of "treat others the way you want to be treated" is well-known, Nice Girls Endure puts a spin on it, including body image and themes of acceptance of loving who one is on the inside, not the lie on the outside.

Unlike most other books regarding weight issues and "fat-shaming", Chelsea shows a positive representation and makes readers feel hope. There is a recurring message of not enduring, and not to let them get away with hurting you. And I truly believe that this book could make a real difference in somebody's life, whether the bully, the victim, or just someone learning to accept themselves for who they are past their appearance.

I highly recommend this book!

Title: Nice Girls Endure
Author: Chris Struyk-Bonn
Publisher: Switch Press
Pages: 285
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads