STAYING FAT FOR SARAH BYRNES
					Crutcher, Chris. 1993. STAYING FAT FOR SARAH BYRNES. New York: Greenwillow Books.
						“Sarah Byrnes is really important to me and…I need to be important to her, too. But I’m not right now. Nothin’ is. Back before there was swimming or you or Ellerby or anything, there was me and Sarah Byrnes” (page 21).
		Eric Calhoune, nicknamed Moby due to his weight problem, was inseparable from his friend Sarah Byrnes, who insists on being called by her full name because of the irony between her name and the burn scars on her face and hands. The “terminal uglies” as they called themselves slowly drifted apart, however, when Eric joined the swim team, slimmed down some, and began making new friends. When Sarah Byrnes suddenly stops talking and has to be hospitalized, the strength of their friendship is obvious in the efforts Eric makes to help Sarah Byrnes recover.      Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes is a poignant tale of friendship and devotion. The story begins with Eric, after a brief introduction to his life and a tough swim practice, going to visit Sarah Byrnes in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric unit of the Sacred Heart Hospital. During his visits, Eric talks to Sarah Byrnes about past memories, which is what the nurses at the hospital encourage him to do, giving some insight into their friendship. Having Eric relate the stories about Sarah Byrnes allows readers to see and appreciate her the way he does; the focus is on her and not her disfigurement. Additionally, “a subplot centering on a self-righteous teammate drives home the point that nothing is as it appears on the surface, and leads to Eric being caught between his menacing vice-principal and the even more malevolent Mr. Byrnes--with spine-tingling results” (Publishers Weekly review).      While Eric is not in the hospital, his time is primarily spent in the pool or in his Contemporary American Thought class. The other main characters in the story, Lemry, the swim coach and elective teacher, Mark Brittain, Eric’s enemy, and Ellerby, Eric’s closest friend next to Sarah Byrnes, are all present in both of these locations thus becoming well-rounded and developed. The variety of characters used in this book, from adults to friends to enemies and to parents, work to create a realistic story. As stated in the Kirkus review, “[Chris] Crutcher assembles a crew of misfits to tackle the Big Issues.”      Throughout the story, Eric’s love and loyalty for Sarah Byrnes is evident. The physical and emotional risks he takes for her will leave the reader envying the friendship that they have. “Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes is a darkly, funny, suspenseful novel about friendship, fear, and making the best of a bad situation” (Book jacket).      “[A] transcendent story of love, loyalty and courage…Superb plotting, extraordinary characters and crackling narrative…unforgettable” (Publishers Weekly starred review). Kirkus. 1993. Kirkus Associates, LP. Available at http://www.amazon.com . Publishers Weekly. 1993. New York: Reed Business Information, Inc. Available at http://www.amazon.com.                                                    YA Literature Home Page