Best Little Girl in the World

Rating:
Summary: An intense and powerful novel
Review: The novel "The Best Little Girl in the World" tells about the intense struggle between a teenage girl (Francesca) and anorexia. Francesca's quest to perfection was costing her life. Francesca was ultimately left to choose between her identity or what she veiwed as perfect and powerful(Kessa). This type of book requires you to "read between the lines" and put yourself emotionally in Francesca's place. If you are able to complete such actions, you will find that the tale of Francesca's struggle is a very moving experience.

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Summary: Sad, but very interesting
Review: I read this book in one night. I really liked it. I still cannot imagine doing to myself what Kessa did to herself. It's not an act to get attention, it's a real disease. Anyone who has it really needs help. I think that Kessa had a lot of courage. There was no way I could have stayed awake during the chest tube procedure. It was so graphic that I almost fainted. This author is very talented. He really gives an insight into the minds of these young girls.

Rating:
Summary: A realistic story of one girls stuggle with reality.
Review: I first read this book when I was recovering from Anorexia myself and I was captured by how realistic the writer portrayed the disease. I read it a second time a few years later and I am shocked at what I and many young girls did and still do to their bodies. The writer focuses more on the hosptial stay and the therapy that Kessa has to undergo. Kessa's stuggle for perfection was painfully obvious and almost killed her. The author shows that the disease for too many years has been underestimated and I am glad that someone was able to capture the pain and struggle that one has to go through to come back to reality. Kessa couldn't see herself in a realistic view. She conditioned herself that to be thin was to be perfect and in control. Always having to compete for the attention she desired she saw that the only way to get it was to starve herself. While on the surface she was too thin, she was carrying a heavy load of emotional baggage that she needed to deal with, only then could she start to heal herself.

Rating:
Summary: This is the best little book in the world.
Review: I read the book and it was very "real". It has made me think twice about so-called "dieting". One of my favorite parts was at the beginning. I only wish I could get the book. Thanks Levenkron.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting but rushed synopsis of anorexia nervosa
Review: Although the book describes an interesting account of a young girl and her struggle with anorexia nervosa, one is a bit confused as to the origin of Kessa's disorder. Levenkron does an ideal job of describing her hospital stay, but the description of parent/sibling interaction and the initial onset of Kessa's illness were lacking. Interesting reading for those for young adults (junior high) but the the descriptions of the characters and their interactions may be too simplistic for many adults.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Little Girl In The World
Review: This book is really interesting because it allows you to see what it would actually be like to have or to know someone with Anorexia/Bulimia. I was interested all the way through. I could hardly put it down.

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Summary: THE BEST BOOK ON ANOREXIA AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Review: This is one of the best books written on anorexia nervosa. Steven Levenkron has a very unique way of therapy that works well. This book is so touching and it makes you realize how bad eating disorders are.

Rating:
Summary: Book accurately portrays the horrors of Anorexia Nervosa.
Review: In a society where the ideal look is to be skinny, Anorexia, an eating disorder, is very commmon. In THE BEST LITTLE GIRL IN THE WORLD, by Steven Levrenkon, the main character is anorexic, and the book tells about her inner and outer struggles. Francesca Dietrich is a straight-A, talented, and slim fifteen year old. She goes to ballet class every day, and never causes problems with her parents. She is seen as "Perfect". But inside, Francesca doesn't see herself that way. When her dance tacher comments that Francesca could lose a few pounds, she takes it as a huge blow. She begins to call herself "Kessa", and devises ways of not eating. "Eating is messy, not clean," she says to herself. Francesca is transformed from the good little girl her parents know to a lying, sneaky teenager. In the beginning of her "diet", everything is going okay. The problem is, she keeps going. And with the dropping away of every pound in her, the thicker Kessa gets into a world which is spinning out of control.

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Summary: This book is great! Read it!
Review: This book was wonderful. It explained in depth the feelings and emotions of many young girls. I found it easy to relate to. I couldn't put it down. Definitely two thumbs up!

Rating:
Summary: An excellent portrayal of the descent into Anorexia
Review: Levenkron's The Best Little Girl in the World takes an outstanding viewpoint in the life of Kessa, a perfectioistic high school student who develops Anorexia Nervosa. Kessa is diagnosed with Anorexia before most people knew what Anorexia meant. She is very good at hiding the physical and psychological effects of the disorder from her family and friends. As an anorexic, I felt this book was one of the few pieces of writing that appropriately describes the emotional turmoil an anorexic feels, and her family feels. Most authors do not portray anorexia as the kind of disease it is. Levenkron, however, gets into the mind of Kessa and lets the readers know everything about her, not just about her anorexia. Levenkron makes it very clear that anorexics fall into a trap, one in which they feel anorexia is their identity, without it, they are nobody. Kessa falls into this trap and has a very hard time climbing back up, to be a noraml kid