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bargainsleuth's review
5.0
Someone recommended Does My Body Offend You? to me and I’m so glad they did. I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from NetGalley and Alfred A. Knopf publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve got three tween/teen daughters and I can tell you that with my oldest, we had an “incident” at school her freshman year. She was wearing a crop top underneath a jean jacket and was sent down to the office to call me and bring her another shirt because a teacher saw her in the hall and thought she was revealing too much skin. Boy, was I ticked! However, what Malena goes through in this book was even worse. With a sunburned back, she can’t wear a bra without pain, so her mom gives her a drapey tunic to cover herself. Problem is, Maria is large-chested, and one of the female teachers reports her, saying it made her uncomfortable. The administration’s solutions: taping panty liners across Maria’s nipples so they don’t show through her shirt. Unbelievable! But, in fact, based on true events going on across this country over the past few years. Why, even in eighth grade back in 1986, I got to school and changed into my friend’s miniskirt for the day, which turned out to be a few hours before I was called down to the office and asked to change because I was taller than most everyone and the “6th grade boys” might try looking up my skirt. Shame and embarrassment followed, and I wondered why the rich lawyer’s shorter-than-me daughter got to wear a miniskirt even shorter than what I had on. Was it because she was shorter, or because her dad was more influential? I didn’t have the backbone to find out then, but I’ve always wondered.
Ruby, a privileged white teen, finds out about Malena’s plight and is driven to action. You see, she comes from a family of activists, especially her much older sister, in whose shadow she constantly compares herself. She decides to befriend Malena and encourages her to protest the school’s gender-biased dress code.
What follows is similar to what countless other young ladies have experienced when they get dress coded at school. The administration digs in their heels, some of the parents jump in to help, while others wish the kids would leave well enough alone. The threat of a suspension going on their permanent record is real. But the kids are also learning valuable life skills, like speaking out for injustice, how to organize a peaceful protest, and in general learning to find their own voice.
What I really liked about Does My Body Offend You? is the fact that these girls are still teens, they don’t have it all figured out, and they make mistakes. Sometimes, they’re little mistakes, other times, they are gigantic. Their friends and elders help them learn and grow with each step they take. And their friendship has it’s ups and downs. Malena learns to be the confident young lady she once was in Puerto Rico, before Hurricane Maria wiped out the island and left her and her mom in Florida for the foreseeable future. Ruby learns that she’s the very definition of white privilege, and just because she’s not afraid to speak up, maybe it’s not her story to tell.
I very much enjoyed this story told in alternating chapters from each girl’s point of view. I particularly enjoyed learning more about the Latina experience in America. I also appreciate the author’s note and resource section for young ladies interested in getting involved with a variety of activist organizations.
I’ve got three tween/teen daughters and I can tell you that with my oldest, we had an “incident” at school her freshman year. She was wearing a crop top underneath a jean jacket and was sent down to the office to call me and bring her another shirt because a teacher saw her in the hall and thought she was revealing too much skin. Boy, was I ticked! However, what Malena goes through in this book was even worse. With a sunburned back, she can’t wear a bra without pain, so her mom gives her a drapey tunic to cover herself. Problem is, Maria is large-chested, and one of the female teachers reports her, saying it made her uncomfortable. The administration’s solutions: taping panty liners across Maria’s nipples so they don’t show through her shirt. Unbelievable! But, in fact, based on true events going on across this country over the past few years. Why, even in eighth grade back in 1986, I got to school and changed into my friend’s miniskirt for the day, which turned out to be a few hours before I was called down to the office and asked to change because I was taller than most everyone and the “6th grade boys” might try looking up my skirt. Shame and embarrassment followed, and I wondered why the rich lawyer’s shorter-than-me daughter got to wear a miniskirt even shorter than what I had on. Was it because she was shorter, or because her dad was more influential? I didn’t have the backbone to find out then, but I’ve always wondered.
Ruby, a privileged white teen, finds out about Malena’s plight and is driven to action. You see, she comes from a family of activists, especially her much older sister, in whose shadow she constantly compares herself. She decides to befriend Malena and encourages her to protest the school’s gender-biased dress code.
What follows is similar to what countless other young ladies have experienced when they get dress coded at school. The administration digs in their heels, some of the parents jump in to help, while others wish the kids would leave well enough alone. The threat of a suspension going on their permanent record is real. But the kids are also learning valuable life skills, like speaking out for injustice, how to organize a peaceful protest, and in general learning to find their own voice.
What I really liked about Does My Body Offend You? is the fact that these girls are still teens, they don’t have it all figured out, and they make mistakes. Sometimes, they’re little mistakes, other times, they are gigantic. Their friends and elders help them learn and grow with each step they take. And their friendship has it’s ups and downs. Malena learns to be the confident young lady she once was in Puerto Rico, before Hurricane Maria wiped out the island and left her and her mom in Florida for the foreseeable future. Ruby learns that she’s the very definition of white privilege, and just because she’s not afraid to speak up, maybe it’s not her story to tell.
I very much enjoyed this story told in alternating chapters from each girl’s point of view. I particularly enjoyed learning more about the Latina experience in America. I also appreciate the author’s note and resource section for young ladies interested in getting involved with a variety of activist organizations.
sonnyygrayy's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I probably would not have picked up this book if it had not been gifted to me.
I was a little cautious at the beginning, afraid that this book was going to be cliche and watered down, but once I really got into the meat of it, I disagree with my own preconceptions about it. This book was a raw and real tale of two girls, forced into friendship by an awful situation regarding the dress code. Through protests and parties and school board meetings, these girls learn each others' stories and learn how to be better feminists because of it. Neither of these characters are perfect and that's what I loved about this story.
I will say, because it's a YA book, I found myself cringing at some of the writing, but I think that's simply because I am growing out of YA.
I was a little cautious at the beginning, afraid that this book was going to be cliche and watered down, but once I really got into the meat of it, I disagree with my own preconceptions about it. This book was a raw and real tale of two girls, forced into friendship by an awful situation regarding the dress code. Through protests and parties and school board meetings, these girls learn each others' stories and learn how to be better feminists because of it. Neither of these characters are perfect and that's what I loved about this story.
I will say, because it's a YA book, I found myself cringing at some of the writing, but I think that's simply because I am growing out of YA.
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review
2.0
2/5
I enjoyed reading this book but overall, I found the pacing to be fast. Which was surprising to me. I enjoyed the two main characters though I found it hard to juggle them both in the story. there of course were times where I would want to read one more so the other and they would switch throughout the plot.
I enjoyed reading this book but overall, I found the pacing to be fast. Which was surprising to me. I enjoyed the two main characters though I found it hard to juggle them both in the story. there of course were times where I would want to read one more so the other and they would switch throughout the plot.
punkgremlin's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
19elena98's review
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nightgoesblack's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
readingwithmuggy's review
3.5
“These are the bodies we were born into. The bodies given to us by our mamis and our abuelas. What is so wrong with these bodies?”
This book follows two high school girls who couldn’t be more different from each other. Malena is from a tight knit Puerto Rican family that fled to Florida following a bad hurricane. She lives in a bigger body with a single working mom because her dad had to stay behind in Puerto Rico. Ruby is a skinny white girl who comes from a family of high achievers and “white saviors”.
A incident at the beginning of this story, brings this unlikely pair together to bring a change to sexist dress code at their school.
I love how this story really focuses on survivors & the idea that women are not to be blamed for men’s inappropriate behaviors. TW: There are depictions conversations around sexual assault. This book also dives into the complexity of racism, misogyny, social justice reform, the use of social media as advocacy & more.
Some of the dialogue was overly cheesy but I was willing to forgive it for the sake of the story and the overall meaning behind it.
This book follows two high school girls who couldn’t be more different from each other. Malena is from a tight knit Puerto Rican family that fled to Florida following a bad hurricane. She lives in a bigger body with a single working mom because her dad had to stay behind in Puerto Rico. Ruby is a skinny white girl who comes from a family of high achievers and “white saviors”.
A incident at the beginning of this story, brings this unlikely pair together to bring a change to sexist dress code at their school.
I love how this story really focuses on survivors & the idea that women are not to be blamed for men’s inappropriate behaviors. TW: There are depictions conversations around sexual assault. This book also dives into the complexity of racism, misogyny, social justice reform, the use of social media as advocacy & more.
Some of the dialogue was overly cheesy but I was willing to forgive it for the sake of the story and the overall meaning behind it.
alannar2422's review
5.0
This book was so powerful and really represented the struggle us women face on a daily basis. This was a pleasant book that had a lot to teach and carefully navigated feminism for a more in-depth look at it.I loved that Malena is from Puerto rico and our culture was represented so beautifully, from the descriptions of Santurce to the smell of mofongo. Great book overall!
meheehee's review
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I like the message but it just didn't really hit the way I thought it would.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault