Best Little Girl in the World

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Summary: Levenkron's attempt to make himself seem great
Review: Kessa is a representation of a girl with anorexia nervosa. When reading this book, one may think that this represents the majority of eating disordered patients. In fact, it is mostly an "ego-boost" for the psychologist, who seems, on the surface, to know what he's talking about but really doesn't have a clue. Not a helpful read, mostly depressing and false.

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Summary: Fat and Skinny Had a race
Review: Francessa is a bright and talented young girl . Until one day her ballet teacher says "Francessca you should really should cut down"Ounce heres were the trouble starts . Francessca thinks she should call her self kessa because thats the new her name and body . kessa goes through all these changes and thin shes skinny . I am 11 years old and i read this book when i was 10 pesonly this was a awsome book but if your someone whos insecure and not sure of themselves i advise you not to read this book Thanks

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Summary: setting the standard for eating disorder propaganda
Review: Just thinking about Steven Levenkron writing his self-congratulatory, stereotype-perpetuating and DAMAGING books on the serious and complex subjects of anorexia and cutting makes me positively irate. Notice how so many young readers refer to this book as their bible, reading over and over again, addicted to the tale of Kessa the perfect anorexic? That's because they are FEEDING off of it. I read "The Best Little Girl In the World" obsessively when I was younger (age 13-15 or so), and it inspired me - to starve myself and compulsively chant "Kessa, Kessa, Kessa" during track practice. This book tempts you to sample its methods. Clearly, eating disordered teenagers find much to identify with in Kessa, but her story is more likely to incite self-destructive tendencies than to aid in combatting them. She becomes a poster child after whom anorexics can model their own behavior. "The Best Little Girl In the World" is a manipulative portrait of a stereotype - the sensitive young, white, well-off girl who wants nothing more than to please everyone and be a precious little ballarina... What this stereotype does is belittle the social class which it claims to represent and exclude women of other races, ages and circumstances. This book reads the same way an article about eating disorders in People magazine reads - it is nothing more than fuel for a dangerous obsession. On top of all this, Levenkron assumes the role of the godsend therapist who convinces the impressionable young thing that she is worth more than all of it, inadvertantly taking credit for "curing" a whole army of Kessas. This man has no right to give voice to the experience of an anorexic woman, and not just because he is a man, but because he is a phony. If you want to read a good book about eating disorders, check out one of Kim Chernin's or Becky Thompson's "A Hunger So Wide and So Deep." These women are interested in expanding the discourses on anorexia, exploring the psychic connections between food, identity and sexuality, and broadening the reader's conceptions about the roots of food addiction. Please don't read this book or tell anyone about it. Maybe if we ignore Steven Levenkron he'll go away.

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Summary: The Best Little Book in the World
Review: I thought this book was truely inspiring. I made me think of my real life experience with Anorexia and Bulimia and made me change my mind about my body. I realized I had a problem and needed help. This book got me threw the worst time in my life.

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Summary: *a must read*
Review: ...I have just finished reading Steven Levenkrons "The Best Little Girl in the World" and I think this book was really good and I would reccomend it to everyone...- i think that what "Kessa" was going through was really sad, but that "Mhyra" was a bad example to her. I would give this book a thumbs up!

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Summary: Thinner is definitely not the winner.
Review: Have you ever heard the saying, "Thinner is the winner"? I would bet that most people haven't. That's because it's the personal saying of a young dancer named Francesca Dietrich. Francesca has always been quiet, mild mannered, and academically Successful. But, when pressure starts building up to lose weight at dance, and the deafening silence of being ignored at home becomes overwhelming, a new person emerges. Her name is Kessa. She's the new and improved version of Francesca, she's an anorexic. She starts slipping down dramatically, in weight and grades, and also into an obsessive eray of rituals centered around weight loss. If you like books about psychological disorders, and books that you can learn a great deal form, then this book is for you. But, those with a weak stomach beware; the sad truth about this disease is quite sickening.

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Summary: Thinner is definately not the winner.
Review: Have you ever heard the saying, "Thinner is the winner"? I would bet that most people haven't. Thats because its the personal saying of a young dancer named Francesca Dietrich. Francesca has always been quiet, mild mannered, and academicly succesful. But, when pressure starts building up to lose weight at dance, and the deafening silince of being ignored at home becomes overwhelming, a new person emerges. Her name is Kessa. Shes the new and improved version of Francesca, shes also an anorexic. She starts slipping down dramaticly, in weight and grades, and also into an obbsesive aray of rituals centered around weight loss. If you like books about phsycological disorders, and books that you can learn a great deal form, then this book is for you. But, those with a weak stomach beware, the sad truth about this disease is quite sickening.

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Summary: Be Careful
Review: I have been in recovery form anorexcia for about two years now. After reading this book I did feel that it has led my down the wrong path. Although I could relate with some aspects of the book, other parts were somewhat of a clique. I don't really understand how the author could clearly write about such a subject without experiences the disorder. I myself was extremly rebeliousd in the hospital-yet the main character in the book is all too passive. She acts as though she will get better once her hospitalization stay is over. I realize that some people get better faster than others, but I feel the the character in the book got better just so the author could end the book. I went to a well known anorexic clinic and many of the procdures they did were different than the ones in the book-thus some parts seem to be a little far fetched...if you know what I mean. My biggest problem with the book was that I did not like the main character...she is just not the type of person I would like to hang out with. Well not that I have said so many negative things I should probably state some positive aspects. I did like the interactions between the family members. The part about hyperalimentation was interesting. Overall I recommend this book...but be careful not to become to engaged like I have.

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Summary: Go inside the mind of kessa
Review: The moment I picked up the book, The Best Little Girl In The World I felt a closeness to the main character. Her name is Francessca, a girl around my age, yet she has a awful disease, Anorexia. She once said " I must be perfect ". She is not only starving for food, but also for her parents attention. In the end she finds that she doesn't need to be different to gain her parents love, she has had it all along. She also finds a friend in some one unexpected. I thought the book was a great story for anyone that is having problems. The book is very interesting because you are constantly afraid she will die. I highly suggest this book!

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Summary: A Terrifying Look Into A Horrible Disease
Review: This book was on my reading list for my eighth grade advanced English class. While not very complicated in vocabulary, etc., its emotional struggles hit me like a rock. The fact that I had ever even considered being anorexic frightened me after reading this fanastic book. What really scares me is that some of my wonderful, beautiful, talented, and above all SKINNY friends think they are fat. I recommended this book for them, and I recommend it for you too.