We’ve already arrived at month three of our 2021 RPL Teen Reading Challenge and it feels like time is flying by! How have things been going for you so far? I have to say, I’ve been enjoying this challenge. Aside from the fact that I created it (lol) I love that it is so open. I’m having no trouble finding things to read that satisfy the prompts. I hope you are feeling the same way. As you know, I’m doing the challenge in order…but you do not have to!
For March, I’m working on prompt #3: read something focused on body positivity. While researching some things that would apply to this prompt, I noticed that there was a lot more fiction out there than nonfiction. I’m not sure what this says about the state of body positivity in publishing. I know that the theme has become more prevalent in recent years. But, it looks like we still have a long way to go, at least in nonfiction. So, if there are any aspiring YA memoirists out there, that can speak on body positivity, now is the time to shine your light! In the meantime, please enjoy some of what is currently available…
Fiction
- The New David Espinoza by Fred Aceves
- The Skin I’m In by Sharon G. Flake
- There’s Something about Sweetie by Sandhya Menon
- I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee
- The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding
- Faith Taking Flight by Julie Murphy
- Here the Whole Time by Victor Martins
- Love Is a Revoluntion by Renée Watson
Nonfiction
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- Body Talk: 37 Voices Explore Our Radical Anatomy ed. by Kelly Jensen
- Your Brain Needs a Hug: Life, Love, Mental Health, and Sandwiches by Rae Earl by Rae Earl
- Every Body Yoga by Jessamyn Stanley
- Life Inside My Mind : 31 Authors Share Their Personal Struggles ed. Jessica Burkhart
- Taking Flight : From War Orphan to Star Ballerina by Michaela DePrince with Elaine DePrince
- Here We Are : Feminism for the Real World ed. by Kelly Jensen
Articles
Looking for a shorter read? Here are some great online resources to explore:
- SafeTeens.org has a whole section of its website dedicated to body image.
- In this Medium article, you can find a great list of body positive Instagram accounts to follow.
- Hear first-hand accounts of teens’ experiences with body image in this Vox article.
- AboutFace.org is a website dedicated to equip women and girls with tools to understand and resist harmful media messages that affect self-esteem and body image.
- Identical twins Lexie Kite, Ph.D. and Lindsay Kite, Ph.D. are co-founders of the non-profit Beauty Redefined and More Than a Body, LLC. They run a blog with some great posts on body image resiliance.
- This special section of Seventeen is aimed at changing teens’ negative views of their bodies.
- This article from Sutter Health has some great tips for maintaining a healthy body image.
- Here’s a guide from Teens Health geared specifically towards guys.
Ok, readers. You’ve got a quite a list to work with for this month’s prompt and I’m sure there’s a lot more out there that I didn’t get to in this post. If you are a teen, you can join the conversation taking place on our Discord server. We have a designated channel for readers to chat all month. Not a member of the server yet? Fill out this form and we’ll send you an invite. Also, feel free to tag us on social media and share what you’re reading #2021rplteenreadingchallenge
Happy reading!
For my original 2021 RPL Teen Reading Challenge post, go here.
To view suggestions for Prompt #2: Teen Activism, visit this post.
To view suggestions for Prompt #1: Immigration in the U.S., check out this post.
