weekend read: Looks

Looks by Madeleine George is embarrassing and shameful. It made me uncomfortable to read about the main character’s, Meghan’s, ability to to make herself disappear, to make herself so unimportant, that no one sees her morbidly obese body as she lumbers down the hallways of her high school. I was shocked that no one even stops their private conversations or pauses to glance at who might hear, as they share their deepest and darkest secrets with each other. And invisible Meghan files it all away in her brilliant mind.

Then one day while hiding in the nurse’s office, Meghan sees Aimee. Of course, Aimee doesn’t see Meghan. But Meghan understands that even though Aimee is the exact opposite of Meghan in appearance, she and Aimee are very much alike. So Meghan decides they need to be friends, but goes about it in all the wrong ways.

Eventually, things come to pass that align Meghan and Aimee as they take on a girl that has wronged them both. Teaming up was for revenge, but as the book ends, you hope for true friendship also.

Looks by Madeleine George was eye-opening to read. It made me wonder about how many of my students feel this way on the inside, how many of them would just like to disappear because they are so lonely. And I pray that I’m not missing them and that they find their place, that they find their friends. This one made me think.