Perfect

Natasha Friend

Jan 2010 · Milkweed Editions

About this ebook

In the world of thirteen-year-old girls, everything’s fine—at least on the surface.

Isabelle Lee is a typical, wisecracking, middle-of-the-pack girl who just happens to be dealing with some big issues. Her father has died and no one—especially her mother—wants to talk about it. Meanwhile, Isabelle’s sister, who “used to be nine and charming,” has messed everything up by ratting Isabelle out to their mom about her eating disorder.

At school, there’s Mr. Minx, the self-important (but really not bad) English teacher; Ashley Barnum, the prettiest girl around; and the lunchroom, where tables are turf in an all-eyes-open battle for social status. Isabelle has measured the distance to being cool and she thinks it’s long shiny hair, a toothpaste smile, and perfectly broken-in size-zero jeans.

Perfect is the story of one girl’s attempt to cope with loss, define true friendship, and figure out the difference between appearances and reality.

Ratings and reviews

This was a touching novel, about a girl with an eating disorder. After she meets the most popular girl in school at her "group" they become fast friends. I couldn't put this book down it was very good. I hope to read Natasha's two other novels, hoping they will be just as good.

It's a really good book over eating disorders and how young girls go through it... This book taught me not to judge a book by its cover and actually get to know the person. It taught me that nobody is PERFECT no matter how much they fake it and people around the world are going through tuff things but we don't notice it for judging them and not understanding them like we should...

I liked it a lot I literally the book in 2 days it was so good Ill like to read some other book of her or something but yeah the book was fantastic I loved it.

About the author

Natasha Friend has taught at the The Brearley School in New York City and at Ecole Bilingue in Boston. She currently directs the Brimmer and May summer camp in Massachusetts. She received her B.A. in psychology from Bates College, where her senior thesis focused on women and body image, and has an M.A. in English from Clemson University. She has written for Family Fun magazine. An essay she wrote about being a Big Sister appeared in "Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul." She also has written a resource book used in camp counsellor orientation throughout New England. This is her first book. She is married with one young son.
Contributor residences (city, state or country if outside the US or Canada): Quincy, Mass.