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A Merry Life

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Reading For Six Year Olds: Maggie Goes On A Diet

August 18, 2011 by Mary

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for details.

Someone on Twitter or Facebook (I forgot who…?) linked to something about a book on Amazon called Maggie Goes On A Diet.

The description of the book:

This book is about a 14 year old girl who goes on a diet and is transformed from being extremely overweight and insecure to a normal sized girl who becomes the school soccer star. Through time, exercise and hard work, Maggie becomes more and more confident and develops a positive self image.

Apparently this book written by a man about a young teen going on a diet to reach the land of happiness and self esteem is available for pre-order for the price of $10.85.

Please, for the love of all things holy, don’t buy it.

I obviously haven’t read the book yet since it’s not actually available. But the tags on Amazon from others who have noticed this book’s existence say all there is to say about it:

  • teaching kids to self-hate(42)
  • give your children neuroses(38)
  • sexist drivel(35)
  • if you hate your daughter(32)
  • anorexia bait(29)
  • body fascism(29)
  • dangerous abusive(28)
  • talentless hack writer(21)
  • sick(19)
  • waste of a good tree(17)

I agree with every single one of those descriptions. A book like this is a horrible idea when it’s targeted toward 6-14 year olds (and possibly younger since the reading level is 4-8) audience. Those girls already have enough problems and worries about their changing bodies. They don’t need to read books like these that give them even more complexes.

The author and publisher probably thought they were doing a good thing. You know, helping all the sad fat little girls caught in the obesity epidemic. But the cover of the book along with the title are enough to make me want to cry for the children who will be forced to read this. Even if the contents do talk about healthy food, exercise, and positive self esteem (all good things!) the packaging and extra messages will speak louder than any words inside the book. It takes very little to trigger an eating disorder and this drivel has the ability to do that in many children.

Dieting is not a healthy choice for growing children. It’s just not. Even throwing the word diet out there to them is unhealthy, in my opinion. If you want to help with the child “obesity crisis” then target the parents. Teach them to make better choices – don’t start shaming children.

Another point that the book seems to make is that weight loss = happiness and success. That is not the case. I know lots of people who’ve lost weight and felt robbed because nothing really change. Happiness comes from the inside, not from your looks.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about my future kids and what I want to teach them about being healthy. I want to teach them that food makes your body feel and work good when you make healthy choices. I want to teach them that exercise is fun and something you can enjoy. I want to teach them that no matter what their body looks like, living a healthy lifestyle is still worth it. I want to teach my future kids that self-confidence comes from being a good and strong person, not from what you look like. I want to teach them all the things I had to teach myself, growing up obese in a diet obsessed world.

Since I’d rather look for solutions and what I’d do instead… How about instead of Maggie Goes On A Diet you write a different book?

Maybe…

  • Maggie Tries New Foods (about eating new healthy foods)
  • Maggies Plays Soccer (about discovering soccer and becoming a star without dieting)
  • Maggie Makes Friends (about an overweight girl NOT ashamed of her body, but popular)

I believe it’s possible to teach kids about living a healthy life without shaming them or pushing them towards an eating disorder.

Don’t make or read a book for pre teen girls about body image and dieting. Just don’t.

What are your thoughts on this new book?

Filed Under: Body Image Positivity, Books, Magazines, TV


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Comments

  1. Lisa says

    August 18, 2011 at 6:30 pm

    That is really disturbing. I hope people don’t actually buy this crap!

  2. Alexia (Dimple Snatcher) says

    August 18, 2011 at 7:12 pm

    Diets don’t need to be on the minds of children! That’s grown folks business. What a terrible idea.

  3. Morgan says

    August 18, 2011 at 8:22 pm

    Everything from the cover to the description is just horrible! I am so glad that the publishing world thinks that fat girls can’t have self-esteem and a positive self-image unless they lose weight and become an athletic star. They should be putting their focus on making all girls feel good about who they are, regardless of size and shape. And I agree – target the parents who are making the bad food choices if you want to help with the childhood obesity thing.

  4. Tanya says

    August 18, 2011 at 8:25 pm

    I totally agree Mary. Kids should be taught healthy eating habits (at home AND at school), NOT placed on diets. I have a strong desire to help overweight kids, but I am struggling to think of a way to do so while maintaining their dignity and self-confidence. The word diet should be stricken from our vocabulary as a verb. Healthy eating and staying active are the way to go. Thank you for bringing this book to our attention and I hope that your post prompts a storm of non-buyers (did that come out right??) of this book. Well said!

  5. Lorinda @ Waisting Away says

    August 18, 2011 at 9:34 pm

    Wow, this is shockingly disappointing. I’m saddened that this book was ever written, published, and is now about to be sold. I hope it doesn’t sell a single copy and the producers of this type of damaging messaging get the hint. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

  6. Alyssa says

    August 19, 2011 at 12:34 am

    Ugh!!!!! As if media sensationalism isn’t enough garbage for children, now things being sold as actual “literature” are promoting vapid values as well. I sincerely hope whoever buys this book is doing it for the sole purpose of using it as kindling for a bonfire.

  7. Bella says

    August 19, 2011 at 2:02 am

    i <3 you, Mary

  8. Miz says

    August 19, 2011 at 4:34 am

    NO
    FRIGGIN
    WORDS.

  9. S.N.S. says

    August 19, 2011 at 8:34 am

    This is such an abhorrent book. I saw it reviewed in the newspaper yesterday, not favourably either, and have been trying to collect my thoughts about it since.

    I work in children’s publishing and can’t ever imagine any reputable company producing this. I was so relieved when I found out it was self published.

    No doubt the author’s intentions are good but he’s taken the worst ever approach to a situation he can never, ever know about – being a teenage girl and the insecurities, fears and dreams that go along with it.

    Your alternative titles are great – exactly the messages kids need, not that being conventionally thin and pretty are all you need to get through life.

    • Mary says

      August 19, 2011 at 9:28 am

      I sort of assumed it was self published, since any publisher would have to know the outrage such a book would meet. But still.. it’s written. It’s out there. People are talking about it. Sadly.

  10. Lauren @ Lettuce Eat Cake says

    August 19, 2011 at 12:06 pm

    Wow, this is completely unbelievable. Words are EXTREMELY powerful. I’ve read accounts of adults who recall a SINGLE comment from a parent about their weight having a lasting impact on their body image and self-esteem. A child’s self-esteem is precious and fragile. Even subtle messages get through, let alone something as direct and negative as this book. The messages it sends are downright criminal. It should be banned.

  11. Hanlie says

    August 19, 2011 at 1:11 pm

    I totally agree with you, Mary! Well done for speaking out about this. I hope the book bombs!

  12. Jody - Fit at 53 says

    August 19, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    OK, I will not write it out but WTF?????

  13. Rose T says

    August 20, 2011 at 5:11 am

    Appalling Book….but I loved your overview of it, excellent post!

  14. Karen @ No Sugarcoating says

    August 20, 2011 at 6:07 am

    Oh my goodness, I have no words. This book is one of the reasons *why* teenagers and women struggle with their weight and self-image. How the heck did this author find a publisher for a book like that? Shame on him and shame on the publisher.

  15. shauna says

    August 22, 2011 at 3:34 am

    Unbelievable! Bloody hell. Good on you for being so articulate about this, rather than just spluttering in disbelief as I am right now!

  16. betterbook says

    August 23, 2011 at 9:31 am

    Paul Kramer’s intentions might have been good, but conveyed the wrong way. Children are visually captivated by images. Healthy eating can be taught more positively in a fun storybook such as, Frujunga Gets Spiced.

    For example, I didn’t know what an eggplant or head of spinach was until I was 17—- because mom never cooked it. With a book like Frujunga Gets Spiced, children learn to question various fruits and veggies their parent may have never introduced. As parents prepare more healthy meals, children will learn to be healthy by parental example.

    Out of a child’s curiosity for taste, their parent may begin to add more healthy varieties to the table. The book, Frujunga Gets Spiced, educates children using positive characters like Applelue, Banana Anna an so on. The book is sold on Amazon.

  17. Unknown says

    August 23, 2011 at 1:22 pm

    i am an fat kid (well i think im normal). my parents always call me fat and obese. they compare me to other kids that are skinner than me . i feel really bad , i dont wanna be called fat and made fun of by my own parents. i’ld rather be anerxic than fat :(

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