Eat, and love yourself /

Mindy begins to see herself clearly after a bar of chocolate, called "Eat, and Love Yourself," transports her to past moments that contributed to her body dysmorphia, negative self-image, and binging and purging. Boo uses a moody, saturated color palette to depict the young woman's churning pessimism and self-loathing, further communicated through introspective, confessional musings: "There's always a moment when you become aware of who you are, and it hurts.... Because you aren't the person you imagined you were." As Mindy travels to times in which others--students, her father, a friend--color her perception of herself and her relationship with food, readers experience the isolating effect of these occurrences next to Mindy's own damaging self-talk and destructive isolation. Also clear is that Mindy is a far cry from the hideous, unlovable girl she sees herself as. Originally created via Kickstarter, Boo's story about breaking the cycle of self-harm, acknowledging formative experiences, and embracing one's indelible worth is meaningfully communicated. Ages 12--up. Agent: Britt Siess, Martin Literary. (Apr.)

Can self-love be packaged in a chocolate bar? Mindy is a young woman with body dysmorphia who finds emotional comfort in eating. Lately she has been feeling depressed--unhappy with her body and unsure about her life and future. One day, at her neighborhood corner store, Mindy purchases on impulse a chocolate bar with a label reading "Eat and Love Yourself." She discovers that each bite transports her to a time in her past. Readers, along with Mindy, get to watch pivotal moments in her younger years when she endured derisive comments and bullying around weight and food that led to her struggles with low self-esteem and disordered eating. Throughout the story, readers observe Mindy coping with the negative feelings resulting from these interactions--some, painfully, with loved ones--and they witness her present-day journey to self-acceptance, self-advocacy, and openness to love. The illustrations are vivid yet subdued, with a jewel-toned palette that manages to evoke warmth in a story that deals with sharp, uncomfortable realities. The writing and artwork complement each other and serve to make the reading experience more immersive. Boo's graphic novel reads as realistic despite involving time travel, and readers will find themselves rooting for Mindy as she relives deeply hurtful experiences. Mindy and her family are light-skinned and racially ambiguous, and there is ethnic diversity in secondary characters. A sad but ultimately hopeful story of learning to love oneself. (Graphic fiction. 12-adult) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.