My Eyes Are Up Here

Starred review from April 1, 2020

Gr 9 Up-Greer Walsh doesn't want to hide in her oversized gray hoodie all of the time. She wants to wear the same type of clothes that her classmates do, and the clothes that her mother (a very enthusiastic relocation specialist) wants her to. But no one wants to talk about what Greer is concealing, not even most of her friends. It takes Greer joining the JV volleyball team for her to finally confront the fact that her breasts, "larger than her head," are literally in her way. She is uncomfortable and unable to move how she wants, and obsesses over whether she needs breast reduction surgery; or maybe just different types of bras to help her feel like a so-called "normal" teen girl. Add in a potential romance with the son of one of her mother's clients, and Greer is finally ready to stop hiding. Deploying a wise and wry first-person narration, Zimmerman brings a very real teen issue to light, doing so in a choice-positive way; readers will commiserate with Greer and quite possibly conclude that with every kind of body difference comes very real stigma and pain. The mother-daughter relationship resonates, as does Greer's navigation of a relationship that she never thought she'd be lucky enough to have. VERDICT An original, feminist, and timely first choice title for all libraries serving teens.-Kate Olson, Bangor School District, WI

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2020
Greer Walsh wishes she were one person...unfortunately, with her large breasts, she feels like she's actually three. High school sophomore and math whiz Greer is self-conscious about her body. Maude and Mavis, as she's named her large breasts, are causing problems for her. When Greer meets new kid Jackson Oates, she wishes even more that she had a body that she didn't feel a need to hide underneath XXL T-shirts. While trying to impress Jackson, who has moved to the Chicago suburbs from Cleveland, Greer decides to try out for her school's volleyball team. When she makes JV, Greer is forced to come to terms with how her body looks and feels in a uniform and in motion as well as with being physically close with her teammates. The story is told in the first person from Greer's point of view. Inconsistent storytelling as well as Greer's (somewhat distracting) personified inner butterfly make this realistic novel a slow but overall enjoyable read. The story contains elements of light romance as well as strong female friendships. Greer is white with a Christian mom and Jewish dad; Jackson seems to be white by default, and there is diversity among the secondary characters. A sweet, slow-paced novel about a teen learning to love her body. (Fiction. 12-18)

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May 1, 2020
Grades 7-12 Until ninth grade, Greer Walsh's body was acceptable. Then her bustline grew. And grew. Now a sophomore, she's a 32H who hides Mavis and Maude (her girls ) with an oversize sweatshirt and slumped posture. She thinks of boys solely as a source of snickers and taunts, until she meets transfer student Jackson Oates, who begins to dominate her thoughts. Little does she know that Jackson feels the same about her. Greer also finds unexpected acceptance in JV volleyball, where her teammates become supportive friends who want her to succeed?despite having to be strapped into a Stabilizer, a heavy-duty brand of sports bra. After being pushed once too often, Greer finally finds her voice and learns to stand tall. Zimmermann's debut is both insightful and humorous, owing to a bright and funny yet self-deprecating narrator matched with brief chapters that capture Greer's urgencies and insecurities. Girls who lament not having the perfect body will appreciate this novel, and girls who value their best friends will relate without hesitation. Rise up for girl power!(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

July 20, 2020
In Kennedy High sophomore Greer Walsh’s opinion, there are two things holding her back: Maude and Mavis, her size-30H breasts. She can’t find a bra that fits, and the tops her mother buys for her would “burst Hulk-style” if she tried to put them on. Greer hides in men’s XXL shirts, trying to avoid notice and ignore harassment from boys in her suburban Chicago school. Then Greer meets Jackson Oates, a transfer student who seems more interested in her mind than her physical attributes. She’s attracted to him, but is romance possible without Maude and Mavis getting in the way? Jackson gives her the encouragement she needs to try out for volleyball, and making the team leads to a series of life-changing experiences, including finding some creative solutions to her problem. Zimmerman’s debut has a witty, unabashedly honest voice, addressing the age-old issue of not fitting in. Employing a vibrant, often comedic first-person perspective, Zimmerman movingly depicts Greer’s low points, like not being able to find a dress that fits for winter formal, and her highs, exemplified when she’s playing volleyball. Ages 12–up. Agent: Tina Dubois, ICM.