Big, Beautiful and Proud

No Fat Chicks
by Margaret Clark

"I was big. No Doubt about it. But in a way, in a big way, in my own way- I was Mandy Miratoosi, figures freak. And, okay, beautiful."

Genre; Young Adult/Fiction/Comedy
Publisher; Random House/Mark Macleod Books/Australia/1998
Pages; 199
ISBN; 0-09-183740-5

Plot; Mandy comes from a blended family. She has a truly beautiful younger step-sister, a lovingly caring older step-brother and a nightmare step-brother who hates her for one pure reason, to him, she is a "big fat, large, plain pain".

You can only imagine the horror for Mandy and her curvaceous friends when her step-brother Mark arrives at school in his mates car with a "No Fat Chicks" bumper sticker.

Mandy and her band of friends cannot, and will not, stand for a bunch of troublesome boys and their attempt at derogatory humor.

This is war!

My Thoughts; This book should be the bible for all those young women who are teased, taunted and bullied for being themselves.

As a big and beautiful woman I found this book to be a true breath of fresh air. How wonderful to find a story about a group of young women who are proud to be themselves.

Mandy, Lexie and Krystal are three curvy girls who are full of self-esteem and self-worth. I thought it was empowering reading this story of their battle against their superficial and judgemental peers all through which they never waiver in their belief of themselves and their right to look and feel as they wish.

As well as sending a powerful and ever-important message this book has been well written, catering to the language and style of today's youth. This book educates while it entertains.

In a world where physical beauty seems to be emphasised more and more, I think Clark successfully sends the important message to young woman that beauty is within. Clark sends the message that no one can pull you down without your permission, and she does this without preaching but through the eyes of a grounded and intelligent young woman who has the world at her feet.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an empowering read and I particularly recommend this book to curvy young women or those who once were curvy young women. "Large Legends Live On!"

Happy Reading!