Rating: 
Summary: Good Book
Review: This book was a good book for teenagers. It portrays feelings and times that many of those in high school go through. I had the opportunity to hear Chris Crutcher speak twice and through those experiences I learned that he is very sincere in the books that he writes. And this book shows. It was a book that I could not put down. I would recomend it to any Junior High or High school reader.
Rating: 
Summary: This book was not as good as it is made out to be
Review: When i started to read this book i heard very good things about it, then as i read through it it kind of lacked something. The swimming terms that Crutcher used were hard to follow at times and the dialouge had alot of cuss words. Over all it was an okay book but not as good as luis sachars Holes.
Rating: 
Summary: AVOID THIS BOOK!
Review: If you want a book that has action, than this might be OK for you. But this is the most horribly written book that I have ever read. The characters are not convincing(the main character, Eric Calhoune, uses 18 year old slang, and occasionallly speaks like a phsycologist-very contradictory)and the writing is just BAD. The entire book is a puny cover up for Crutcher to get his ideas out. If you want anything that is remotely well crafted, go to another book.
Rating: 
Summary: Best book ever
Review: I picked this up and I couldn't put it down. Awesome. Awesome. It's not just about soem kid staying fat for Sarah Byrnes, it's about just life, sometimes. I really enjoied the debates in CAT class, if only one thing buy the book for that. I think that everything was pretty belivable, and this book took my on a ride of emotions, sometimes making me almost cry.BUY THIS BOOK!!! You won't be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: Stay a While
Review: This book is for anyone who has ever been on the outside looking in. The reader is granted first person perspective through the eyes of a senior named Eric. He was raised by his mom, who gave birth to him when she was a teen. Though Eric's father left before Eric can remember, he did inherited his dad's chubby genes. In grade school, he befriended Sarah Byrnes, a girl whose face was burned (she claims from a pot of spaghetti) when she was 3. Now in high school, the usually witty and spry Sarah Byrnes suddenly stops talking one day and is placed at a psych ward. Though the summary on the back of the book makes you think the plot revolves around Eric staying overweight for Sarah, it's not; he's shed some weight via sports, and that is simply one of the many events referred to in the book. The story is truly about Eric balancing the many aspects of his life: visiting Sarah; trying to find out what truly happened to her when she was young; catching the eye of a girl (Jody) he likes; enjoying his achievements on the swim team; and speaking his mind in an amazing class - Contemporary American Thought, called CAT for short - in which the kids openly discuss religion, abortions, peer pressure, and the like. The debates in CAT class are worth getting the book alone. Combine those with a smart writing style, three dimensional modern teenage characters, multi-faceted plots and a climatic finish, and you have one eye-opening and engaging novel.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book about True Friendship
Review: Eric (Mobey) is determined to stay friends with fellow "misfit" Sarah Byrnes - even when she makes it as difficult as possible. I love the wit and wisdom in this book - and the bit of irreverance. Some Bible-thumping phoneys are handled with sarcasm, then reason, and finally with compassion. True compassion is the theme of this book, and it is a beautiful lesson to learn.
Rating:
Summary: Yuck
Review: Out of fairness, I feel I must point out I'm not the age this book is targetted for--I'm 22. Still, even if I were younger, I doubt I'd like the book much better. The novel is chockful of dated humor that wouldn't have been that funny at the published date. Also, the characters are static and flat. The plot is unbelievable. It's one of those books that makes you step out of the story's action and say, "Hey, that could NEVER happen." Examples of the downright ridiculous things about Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes: Sarah Byrnes, a sort-of heroine, is downright unlikeable depite her sympathy-inducing disfigurement; a student who went to great measures to keep her abortion secret decides on a whim to tell her entire class during a discussion; and police fail to find Sarah's father, who isn't really hiding at all but continues to live in his house.
Rating:
Summary: Staying Fat for Sarah Brynes
Review: This was the first Crutcher novel I read and remains the one I like the most. It is the story of friendship, tried yet true. Sarah has a face synonymous with her name--burned mysteriously when she was only three. Eric has been a "fatty" all his life. Their "terminal uglies" draw them together and they become masters of seeking revenge--sometimes quietly, sometimes not-- on anyone who offends them. In high school, Eric joins the swim team, earning the nickname of "Moby" from his team-mates, and the pounds start to shed. He chooses to continue to overeat so that he can keep his connection with Sarah (thus "staying fat for Sarah...."). The truth of Sarah's past begins to catch up with her and she goes catatonic and is hospitalized. Eric is her only contact with reality and becomes the only one who can save her. There is an excellent side story of religious fundamentalism told within the framework of an ongoing high school English class discussion on abortion Add to this a truly evil man willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to keep the secrets of the past hidden, and you have a gripping, realistic read that can't fail to interest teens and adults as well. Crutcher does not hold back in getting to the truth of his character's lives-he does not shield us from their pain, but he helps us cope with humor and always a way back out.
Rating:
Summary: Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes By: Chris Crutcher
Review: Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes:
By: Chris Crutcher Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes, by Chris Crutcher, is about two friends who have to figure out what's more important, family or friends. You have to read this book to figure it out! This book is a humor book and an action packed book. The humor is more than I could bare and the characters just don't know when to stop cracking jokes! Their comebacks are also some of the best I have ever encountered. This book is a must read for someone who likes dramatic and action packed books. This novel is definitely a great mixture of both. You see, the main character is Sarah Byrnes, and she has burns on her hands and face from a "freak accident". The doctors said that she had pulled a bowl of spaghetti over herself, but does Sarah know the truth? Again you'll have to read the book to find out! This is one of those books that once you pick it up, you can't put it down! The main character is Sarah Byrnes and like I had mentioned before, she has an ugly physical trait which people make fun of, her scars. She tries to act strong, but some times she is very mean because of her condition. She does have a very good sense of humor, though. For example, she once said to a school bully Dale Thornton,
"You wouldn't know a science project from a bowl of fish guts!"
She can get out of hand when it comes to bullies and she is always suspicious. Eric Calhoune is Sarah's best friend. He has a very good sense of humor when it comes to his looks. That's because he is over weight. He is a swimmer and since he started swimming he has tried to stay fat for one reason. So Sarah wouldn't think that he was betraying her. The only reason they were friends at first was because they were both outcasts for one reason or another. They were the only friends each other had. When Eric started shedding off pounds and making new friends, Sarah thought she wouldn't be able to be his friend anymore. So she went to desperate measures. In the end, something happens that no one expects that brings Sarah and Eric closer than ever before. This book is recommended to people 12 and up. It's funny, sad, frightening, and sometimes even uplifting. Chris Crutcher is telling us that it might be better to get to know someone better than you do because you never know when he or she might die. It's also funny how your worst enemy may be the only resort you have when you need help. This book is a reminder of what the real world is like and how people handle the world differently. That's what makes this book one of the best I have ever read! By: Katie Borman
Rating:
Summary: Intense
Review: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is, without a doubt, the most breathtaking story I have read ever. To think of all the problems our generation is facing, this story will get to you. I admire Crutcher for his wonderful imagination of storys, especially this one. He made this story almost seem so real. I love how it deals with teenage problems (abortion, friendship, religion, etc.), and I admire Crutcher for that as well. I strongly recommend this book to any adolesent, teenager, or adult for this matter, but please look into reading Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes.
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