Perfect is a short novel by Natasha Friend. It is a piece of Adolescent Realistic Fiction published by Milkweed Editions, a non-profit organization that seeks to publish literature that will make a positive impact on youth. I found it in the $3 bin at 2nd and Charles in Hoover. I had never heard of the title, the author, or the publisher, but it seemed interesting. I started reading it last night before I went to sleep and finished it this afternoon (172 pages)
I cried the whole way through it. It is the story of a pre-teen girl, Isabelle, who is bulimic. It tells the story from her perspective, one binge and purge at a time. I really was not sure if I would like it or not, but I wanted to give it a try. I am glad I did. It was not disgusting at all. It was actually heartwarming and funny. I really liked the main character. If she were a real person, I probably would have been her friend in school. This book tries to teach the lesson that a person's appearance is just a facade. There is always so much more to a person than looks.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who works with adolescent girls and teenage girls. There was no sex, bad language (at all), or drugs. There is a brief mention of alcohol and the main character calls her sister "Ape Face" which I do not advocate. Other than those two things, it was a smooth read.
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