Artichoke's Heart

This is one of my all time favorite books and I have reread it at least twice a year since I first read it in 7th grade (I’m now in college)! This is a phenomenal book and I love it dearly!

Rosemary Goode (nicknamed "Artichoke" by the popular Bluebirds the day she wears an unfortunately green, puffy jacket) received an unwanted treadmill for Christmas, attends a "Fat Girl" conference paid for by her size 0 Aunt Mary, and is enrolled in a weight-loss counseling program by her mother. By the time Rosemary has finished "getting back" at her mom and Aunt Mary with cheese curls and Hershey bars, she's gained another 13 pounds. She's now over 200 pounds and has a single pair of pants that fit--sweats. All her mother's and Aunt Mary's efforts are wasted until Rosemary decides herself to lose the weight. And it's not an easy journey. Her mother is diagnosed with cancer while Rosemary is denied her usual coping mechanism--food. Kyle, her dream guy, shows interest in her, but she can't understand why. Meanwhile, she develops an unlikely (to Rosemary) friendship with the lovely, popular Kay-Kay (who eventually proves too nice to stay popular), which challenges her previous assumptions that popular, thin people are happy with no insecurities of their own. Supplee absolutely nails the "fat girl" relationship to food, insecurities, feelings of "I don't deserve this" and hopelessness that make losing weight so hard. Her Aunt Mary, exasperated, asks how hard it can be to just not eat something? This illustrates the complete inability of the naturally thin to understand the difficulties of losing weight. Rosemary is funny, wry, and insightful, and Supplee makes her a complex heroine relatable to anyone, fat or thin. Rosemary's gradual gain of self-esteem and her friendships with Kyle and Kay-Kay are lovely and believable. She's a girl so likable that I couldn't help but cheer her on. This story was so much more rich and developed than it would have been in less capable hands: Rosemary finds insight into even negative, interfering Aunt Mary's insecurities, and her mother's battle with cancer (and the way she protects her daughter) add another dimension. A lovely, rich, realistic coming-of-age story that should be required reading for junior high and high school students.

I've never written a review before, but I wanted to let everyone know that this is such a great book. It is an easy read and I could completely relate to the main characters emotions. I went through a similar situation in high school. I finished it feeling really good about how it ended. Buy it - you won't be sorry!

Wow. I was so incredibly blown away by Artichoke's Heart. I only wish I'd picked it up sooner. The one thing that stopped me from doing so was the fact it was about a "fat" girl losing weight and generally, I shy away from those books. I rarely find them to be realistic and since I relate to this subject very closely, it just aggravates me. But Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee did anything but that. Rosemary Goode is probably the most realistic character I've read about. Yes, she's "fat" to some people but she also has an incredible personality. The way she thinks and sees other people from a "fat girls" perspective is something you don't ever really hear about but is easily understood, especially when you've been through a similar experience. For those who can't relate to the way she thinks, Artichoke's Heart would definitely be an eye-opener. The way Supplee handled the weight issue was amazing. People who are skinny seem to think that losing weight is simple as putting it on and that you can just decide you aren't going to be fat anymore. Yeah, sorry, but it doesn't happen like that. Supplee brings truth to what really goes on in a fat girl's mind. The romance portion of the novel was also well-written. I just wish there were more boys like Kyle in the world. Truthfully, I wish that I could force everyone to read this novel. It blew me away and I'm positive I'm not the only one. So, if you're going out to be a book this weekend, buy this one. You won't regret it!

Artichoke's Heart is a delightful story of a girl who is overweight and feels the full force of that condition in her life. The story develops around her efforts to realize who she is and to respect and accept herself, and in this process she begins to shed pounds. The author's writing is excellent, with wonderful and humorous descriptions, imagery and metaphors. The characters are drawn with zest, while still being real. She evokes the landscapes and life in Tennessee with consummate skill. The book is a compelling page-turner, and I would highly recommend it for the young adult audience. It would make a terrific gift. I look forward to future novels from Suzanne Supplee!

Rosemary Goode is smart, funny, and sassy, but no one seems to notice. All anyone sees is her weight - all 200 pounds of it. She doesn't fit in at school, she finds herself getting made fun of by the popular Bluebirds, and the only boyfriend she'll ever have is Mr. Hershey, or Mr. M & M. At the start of a new year, Rosemary finds herself disappointed. Santa just brought her an unwanted treadmill for Christmas and her Aunt Mary gave her tickets to a "Healing the Fat Girl Within" Conference. On top of that, Rosemary's mother has sneakily set up counseling sessions for weight loss. After a meltdown at her mother's gossipy salon, Rosemary decides she is going to lose the weight - on her terms. Rosemary tries various methods to lose weight, but it's a slow process. When Rosemary's mother is diagnosed with cancer, the distance between them grows even more and Rosemary tries to keep from turning back to food. Things start to look up when Kyle Cox, the school's newest football star, starts to take a notice in Rosemary. But how can popular, good-looking Kyle ever like a girl like Rosemary? And how will Rosemary bridge the ever-growing gap between her and her mother? ARTICHOKE'S HEART is one of those books I wanted to stay in bed on a rainy day with and never stop reading. The cover and storyline may make you think this is light chick-lit, but the plot digs much deeper and carries a wide range of emotions that are great for any mood. Rosemary is a fantastic character and her growth throughout the book is realistic. I was cheering her on the whole way through and felt as though I was on the journey with her. I also have to admit I had a bit of a crush on Kyle while reading this book! Author Suzanne Supplee put so much into her characters; they felt real and I didn't want to leave them. The Southern setting added an extra dose of charm to the story. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future! Reviewed by: Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen