The Blue Dress

Gr 6 Up–Morrison’s debut centers an ­Iranian tween navigating American life and an ­eating disorder. Yasmin’s family recently immigrated from Iran, and her best friend ­Carmen was born in Mexico; while they have much in common, their relationship with food and their respective mothers is very different. Since moving to Virginia, Yasmin has ­struggled with binge eating and has rapidly gained weight after hitting puberty. Yasmin’s mother developed an unhealthy view of food, and this warps her treatment of her daughter. She puts Yasmin on a diet, weighs her weekly, and encourages her to skip meals. Her baba tries to help but is shut down by his wife. This pressure, along with bullying at school, pushes Yasmin to skip meals to earn her mother’s approval, straighten her hair, and update her wardrobe and cosmetics. When Carmen discovers Yasmin forcing herself to throw up, she talks to a trusted teacher. The story ends neatly, as the teacher, school counselor, and Yasmin’s parents work together to help. The topic of eating disorders is handled with care and in a nonjudgmental way. Characters vary from trope-ish bullies to well-rounded lead characters. Encouragingly, the adults around Yasmin not only listen but also see her eating disorder, step up, and help—or in her ­mother’s case, finally recognize their own need for change. ­Morrison’s writing style keeps readers engaged and ­wondering what will ­happen next.