Reviews
"4Q 4P M J. Hannah Carlisle is no typical eighth grader. Her parents are both Hollywood actors, and measuring up to their success presents many challenges to a young teen. When Hannah is enrolled in a posh private school, her world begins to change. Artistically inclined, Hannah creates miniature cities out of found and collected objects, creating 'a world where everything is okay, where everything is the way it should be.' Hannah also creates a world within her purple ' Reasons to Be Happy ' notebook. Her lists are visual, tactile, and sensory representations of teenage longing and yearning; they are metaphors for all that she desires in life. Hannah responds to the pressure cooker within her school's social circle of shallow, body-image-obsessed students by beginning to purge. This, her 'Secret Remedy,' makes her feel better and more alive just as her mother begins to fade away and succumbs to cancer. As her mother's death nears, purging becomes full blown bulimia. The descriptions of this eating disorder are accurate and compelling. Hording, shoplifting, and other behaviors escalate, spinning out of control. After her mother's death, Hannah's aunt, Izzy, a documentary filmmaker, takes her to Ghana, where her interaction with cultural differences, poverty, and a crash course in reality give her the perspective she needs to move on in her life. She returns from her rite of passage to a healthier and loving life in California." -- VOYA, "So many of us never take the time to sit back, relax, and think of all the reasons to be happy. If we did, we'd realize there's so much to be happy for. That's why I really enjoyed reading REASONS TO BE HAPPY by Katrina Kittle. With a glance at the cover, you'd think this is your girly-girl upbeat love story (bubbly letters, pink and blue, doodle stars, etc...), but that's not the case--and in a definitely good way! Instead, we dive into the life of Hannah, an eighth grader who is moving to a new school and whose parents just happen to be A-list celebrities. But that's not all. Hannah's mom is sick, Hannah doesn't quite fit in at the new school, and she's stuck hanging out with the B-Squad, a group of girls who are fake and not like Hannah at all. As a result, Hannah finds herself transforming into somebody she doesn't even know. The old Hannah used to keep a notebook full of reasons to be happy, but the girl who used to love running and making art now faces the harsh reality of dealing with change and death. So what does she turn to--bulimia. Kittle dives into this complex subject and how self-esteem can affect a young teen. What I love about this story is that Hannah is a strong girl and we witness an amazing transformation of how she finds herself again--much by traveling to Africa with her Aunt who is a documentary filmmaker documenting the plight of the country's orphans. Along the way, Hannah's journey reminds us all of what we have to be grateful for and as Hannah says herself, the most important one is knowing who you are." - Examiner.com, "Middle school is hard enough without being the daughter of two celebrities. Eighth grader Hannah's parents are actors, and her aunt creates award-winning documentaries. The expectations seem pretty high in a family of 'perfect' people. Hannah feels constant pressure to be 'perfect,' too. Though her mom says, 'pretty is as pretty does,' she still feels an underlying push to be physically beautiful. When her mom dies, though, Hannah turns to bulimia-her secret remedy-for support. Her eating disorder spirals out of control until her aunt, who previously suffered with anorexia, takes her to Ghana while working on a new movie. In Ghana, Hannah gains a more global perspective, discovering that ideals of beauty can be very different from one person and place to the next. Hannah's journey is ultimately about about finding your authentic self even in the most difficult circumstances, and finding people who will support you for that self. Cliche as it may be, Katrina Kittle emphasizes that beauty is what is on the inside. Kittle's Reasons to Be Happy veers to the lower end of YA, bordering on MG, as it can feel a bit simplistic at times. However, it does not shy away from the harsh realities of binging and purging, painting a graphic portrait of bulimia for young readers who are likely struggling with their own body image." -- Reclusive Bibliophile, "This frank tale follows a girl's journey of healing as she recovers from an eating disorder. Hannah's actor parents' rising-star status necessitates relocating from Ohio to the epicenter of celebrity life: LA. At her new school, Hannah encounters the B-Squad--the reigning trio of eighth-grade girls, who sit in judgment on all things hip. Suddenly, all that Hannah loves to do--running track, her art work--is deemed uncool. In the wake of this upheaval and the devastating news of her mother's terminal-cancer diagnosis, Hannah turns to her Secret Remedy--bulimia. Kittle scrutinizes how negative peer opinion can wreak havoc on a young teen's fragile self-esteem. Her sometimes graphically detailed and unflinching portrayal of bulimia explores the insidious way it can overtake a person's life both physically and emotionally. When Hannah's illness spirals out of control, Aunt Izzy, a documentary filmmaker and recovered anorexic, intervenes. Izzy takes Hannah to Africa, where she is documenting the plight of the country's orphans. Through her travels and experiences, Hannah gains a new perspective on the notion of beauty and friendship. The rather contrived healing and happy ending do not undercut the emotional intensity of Hannah's journey. With a forthright intensity, Kittle's tale examines a complex subject." -- Kirkus Reviews, "We all have our reasons to be happy, things that make us smile or brighten our days, but Hannah Carlisle has a notebook full of them. A notebook that is supposed to help her when times get rough. Only her reasons aren't enough. Her pain is deep, her loss monumental, her emotions raw. Hannah Carlisle will wander into the hearts of readers, burrow herself there, and force us to confront every unsettling, upsetting, and beautiful thing about this eighth grader and her journey to find herself again. Katrina Kittle implicitly understands the young adult mind. Hannah is an insecure eight grader who questions everything about herself. She doesn't want to be scared, she doesn't want to be bulimic, but she doesn't know how to change it. Kittle's take on bulimia, the way she calls it a disgusting monster and handles Hannah's situation more than realistically, is the perfect way to express such a prevalent issue with teens, with anyone. Hannah is superbly fleshed out, with a family, hopes, dreams, and upsets. Each of her 'reasons to be happy' help to see just a little more into the girl that she was and the girl that she's trying to find again. Not only can any young girl relate to Hannah, but anyone will like her, care about her, and hope with every fiber of their being that she's strong enough, that she has the right support system, to get through everything. Reasons To Be Happy isn't lighthearted and bubbly. It isn't a glimpse into the picture perfect life of a child born of two actors. It's a devastating portrayal of a delightful girl who loses herself, but is strong enough and stubborn enough to not stay lost. It's heartbreaking and will affect its middle grade audience, but also any person who has ever felt lost, alone, or confused. My most favorite thing about the book isn't even Hannah's reasons - though they are superb - or her family - who I couldn't help but love - it's that her struggle is just that, a struggle. One doesn't just get rid of an eating disorder, just as one doesn't simply kick a bad habit or get over an addiction. You have to fight for it. And Katrina Kittle made me feel like I fought for it with Hannah. We fought, we cried, we hurt, but we're still here. And that's what matters most." -- Wicked Awesome Books, "Ok, the colorful cover fooled me into thinking this was going to be a light read. I was expecting a cute story about what it means for a young teen girl to be happy. I thought that this would be a quick read where I would go about my day after reading it. I got a 1/4 of the way in the book and then WHAM! I knew then that this was not going to be an easy story to read. Hannah is the daughter of two Hollywood actors and the niece of a famous documentary filmmaker. One would think that she would have the perfect life but she's horribly dissatisfied with it. First off, her mother has caner. Then she goes to a new school and is immediately schooled by the popular crowd of what is in and what isn't. According to them, most of what Hannah does/wants to do is not in. Desperate to fit in, Hannah stops doing many things that she likes and starts doing things that begin to harm her. This is one of the very few books I've that portray bulimia so realistically. Other books I've read kind of skim over the difficult parts. Kittle really takes us into the mind of a bulimic. We witness the entire process of Hannah's addiction with it. We see her first time trying it and the power she feels from doing it to how it becomes her entire life to where she almost gorges herself to death. It's a completely eye opening experience that is very painful to read. One scene that really stood out to me is when Hannah tells her aunt she would rather be anorexic because it's not as disgusting as bulimia. Her aunt then shows her how disgusting anorexia can be as well. Something else I really applauded was that Kittle shows that this is a struggle that Hannah will have to face the rest of her life. Relapses can happen and it's not just something that she can switch off. A lot of other books tend to make it end in a snap but that is clearly not the case. In addition to Hannah's struggles at school and her bulimia, there is also a section where she goes to Africa with her aunt. This trip transforms her and makes her see more about her life and how to find happiness. It's done very well and it helps the reader and Hannah both see more about life outside of our bubble. Overall, I really loved this book. As I said, I went into it expecting one thing and came out completely different. Even though the main character is a young teen, I feel readers of all ages (well teen and above) will benefit from reading this novel. This is Kittle's first YA book but I hope it is not her last. There needs to be more contemporary YA books like this. They will make lasting impact on their readers. HIGHLY recommended. " -- Books, Movies, and Chinese Food, "Hannah Anne Carlisle keeps a list of the things that make her happy. Or, at least, she used to. Hannah, living in L.A. with her movie star parents, stops adding to her happy list when her mom's battles with cancer and constant pressure from her classmates start to overwhelm her. In an attempt to cope, Hannah turns to bulimia. Although her physical sickness brings to light the severity of her situation, the loss of her happiness and self-worth are at the root of her problems. Kittle, a former middle-grade teacher who witnessed the struggles that mercilessly bombard young girls, pulls the reader through the numbing abyss of an eating disorder and back along the slow, empowering journey to overcome it. Hannah's believability as a character as well as the realistic, painful depiction of bulimia make this a standout." -- Booklist, "Middle school is hard enough without being the daughter of two celebrities. Eighth grader Hannah's parents are actors, and her aunt creates award-winning documentaries. The expectations seem pretty high in a family of "perfect" people. Hannah feels constant pressure to be "perfect," too. Though her mom says, "pretty is as pretty does," she still feels an underlying push to be physically beautiful. When her mom dies, though, Hannah turns to bulimia-her secret remedy-for support. Her eating disorder spirals out of control until her aunt, who previously suffered with anorexia, takes her to Ghana while working on a new movie. In Ghana, Hannah gains a more global perspective, discovering that ideals of beauty can be very different from one person and place to the next. Hannah's journey is ultimately about about finding your authentic self even in the most difficult circumstances, and finding people who will support you for that self. Cliche as it may be, Katrina Kittle emphasizes that beauty is what is on the inside. Kittle's Reasons to Be Happy veers to the lower end of YA, bordering on MG, as it can feel a bit simplistic at times. However, it does not shy away from the harsh realities of binging and purging, painting a graphic portrait of bulimia for young readers who are likely struggling with their own body image." - Reclusive Bibliophile
