Starfish is an important, award-winning novel in verse about Ellie, a sixth-grade girl navigating persistent exposure to anti-fat shaming and bullying–both at school and at home. Ellie is a talented writer and poet, an avid swimmer, and a caring friend, but she is deeply affected by the ongoing hostility toward her body that she encounters at every turn. This includes persistent shaming and hurtful comments from her mom, constant teasing by her older siblings, daily bullying from her classmates at school, and even random cruelty from strangers when she’s out in the world. In order to cope, Ellie creates a set of “Fat Girls Rules”—ways she’s learned to minimize herself, become invisible, and take up less space. She hopes these rules will save her from the soul-crushing bullying she receives, but she never seems to escape torment, despite her efforts. When Ellie’s father sees how deeply Ellie has been affected by bullying, he sends her to a therapist; while Ellie is initially resistant to the idea, the book chronicles her journey of growing self-awareness, including changing the way she speaks to herself internally, learning to take up space, using her voice to stand up for herself, and ultimately, claiming her power through radical self-love.