Wintergirls- Laurie Halse Anderson

I'm not sure what I expected when I began this book.  All I really knew was I have always loved the author from the first time I read Speak.  She has an amazing way of portraying what is really happening with teenage girls, despite the fact that some adults don't want to face it and have therefore banned her books.  This particular one is about two girls that have severe eating disorders, and one has recently died.  Anderson's writing from Lia's point of view is so powerful.  Working with middle school girls I see my share of suspected eating disorders and many girls who have such a distorted sense of body image.  This book takes you spirally down with Lia as she eats less and less, exercises compulsively, and cuts herself to stop the pain of losing her best friend.  It does end with her beginning to get well, so it would give hope to girls going through similar situations.  It is a heavy book, and not one I would recommend to every teenage girl, but it definitely needed to be written, if only to offer hope to some girls and give understanding to the adults working with them.