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WORK TITLE: Nice Girls Endure
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: www.chrisstruykbonn.com
CITY: Portland
STATE: OR
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; children: two sons.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Works at online charter school.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Chris Struyk-Bonn is an author of novels for young adults, including Whisper and Nice Girls Endure, both of which portray teen girls dealing with challenges. “These books are very different, and yet not as dissimilar as one may think,” Struyk-Bonn told an interviewer on the Prolific Novelista Web site. “They both have strong female protagonists who have to overcome self-esteem issues to find their place in the world.”
Whisper
The eponymous protagonist of Whisper is a girl who was born with a cleft palate and, because of the rules of her dystopian society, banished to live in the wilderness with others who have physical imperfections. Her mother, who had stopped her father from drowning Whisper as an infant, visits her once a year. When Whisper is in her teens, her mother dies, and her father brings her back to his village to keep house for him, making her essentially a slave. The one bright spot in her existence is the violin she has received as a gift. Eventually making her way to a city, Whisper, who has been afraid to speak, plays the violin to communicate with others and to earn a living. She is joined in performing by a friend, Candela, and begins to see the possibility of a better life. She even meets a doctor who may be able to repair her cleft palate, but she also realizes that she is caught between two very different worlds.
Struyk-Bonn was inspired to write the story after hearing about the situation of children with medical problems in India, she told an interviewer at the Fearless Fifteeners Web log. Her aunt worked for a doctor who had immigrated to Canada from India, where the doctor had been frustrated by seeing so many children who had treatable conditions, yet their parents did not have them treated, either because they did not realize treatment was available or could not afford it. “I began to wonder what it would be like to be that child – the child who realizes, when she’s of age, that her condition was treatable and she could have lived a very different life had she received medical attention,” Struyk-Bonn told the interviewer. “Thus Whisper was born. She is that child.”
Some reviewers found the novel deeply affecting. “Whisper will enthrall, horrify, and anger young readers, but it should also give them a sense that they can create their own destinies,” observed Nina Sachs in School Library Journal. Susan Redman-Parodi, writing in Voice of Youth Advocates, thought Whisper a well-drawn protagonist, but considered the other characters “shadowy and underdeveloped” and the narrative “disjointed.” She added: “Some of the passages and descriptions are striking; however, the story is left casually to the words on the page, abandoned without stability or resolve.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor, though, praised the work highly. As Struyk-Bonn explores Whisper’s dilemmas about treatment and her place in the world, “the author’s vivid characterizations give this common trope urgency and nuance,” the critic remarked, summing the novel up as “a thoughtful dystopian drama.”
Nice Girls Endure
This novel has a contemporary, real-world setting, but its main character also is an outsider. High-school student Chelsea Duvay is intelligent, musically talented — and fat, and the latter trait seems to be the only thing anyone notices about her. She suffers bullying, harassment, and even assault at the hands of her schoolmates; she also has extreme social anxiety. Her mother is well-meaning but ineffectual, always nagging her to lose weight. The only people who understand and accept her unconditionally are her father, who shares her love of movie musicals, and her eccentric best friend, Melody. Through their support, treatment with anti-anxiety medication, and making an autobiographical film as a school project, Chelsea grows in self-esteem and realizes she does not have to change her body to succeed in life. The story is told in short chapters from Chelsea’s point of view.
Several critics found this an unusual and refreshing tale of empowerment. Nice Girls Endure is “valuable for showing a miserable fat protagonist getting happier without the seemingly obligatory weight-loss arc,” remarked a Kirkus Reviews contributor. In a similar vein, a Publishers Weekly reviewer noted that Chelsea’s “hard-won triumphs and ability to regain her self-confidence come without resorting to oft-seen and ill-advised weight-loss plotlines.” The novel, reported an online critic at Eden of Books, “had some great messages and it’s always nice to read a book that follows someone who is bullied and oppressed for her weight. … It really sheds light onto the situation.” Additionally, Chelsea is an appealing protagonist, observed Beth Karpas in Voice of Youth Advocates. She “is an engaging, well drawn character who has the reader shivering and itching, and eventually cheering for her,” Karpas related. Further praise came from Kristin Downer, writing at a Web site called Nerd Problems. “This book is great for anyone, not just teens or young adults,” Downer commented, adding: “I cannot say how much I love this story.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 2014, review of Whisper; June 1, 2016, review of Nice Girls Endure.
Publishers Weekly, June 6, 2016, review of Nice Girls Endure, p. 86.
School Library Journal, April, 2014, Nina Sachs, review of Whisper, p. 174.
Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 2014, Susan Redman-Parodi, review of Whisper, p. 75; August, 2016, Beth Karpas, review of Nice Girls Endure, p. 69.
ONLINE
Chris Struyk-Bonn Home Page, http://www.chrisstruykbonn.com (March 19, 2017).
Crossroad Reviews, http://www.crossroadreviews.com/ (March 19, 2017), review of Nice Girls Endure.
Eden of Books, https://edenofbooks.blogspot.com/ (September 11, 2016), review of Nice Girls Endure.
Fearless Fifteeners, https://fearlessfifteeners.wordpress.com/ (April 7, 2014), interview with Chris Struyk-Bonn.
Nerd Problems, http://www.nerdprobs.com/ (November 27, 2016), Kristin Downer, review of Nice Girls Endure.
Prolific Novelista, http://prolificnovelista.com/ (October 20, 2016), interview with Chris Struyk-Bonn.*
Author Bio
Chris Struyk-Bonn, YA author
Contact Information
Thanks so much for visiting my website. I would love to hear from you - please check out my contact information and leave me any notes about my books, or reading my books, or relating; I really do appreciate your comments.
I live in Portland, Oregon, even though I am originally from Iowa. I've been in the Pacific Northwest for so long that I can hardly claim to be a midwesterner anymore.
My family keeps me pretty busy and on my toes! I have two boys who have decided that it is their goal and ambition in life to make my days as difficult as possible. We have soccer balls in every room, we have darts stuck to every window, and my cats are losing fur in clumps because of the teasing they must endure.
I love cats. I have three of them and one of them is about twenty pounds. I have been trying to figure out how to help him lose some weight, but he is just not interested, and the treadmill has not been working. We now have a brand new puppy who is absolutely beautiful...and exhausting.
Reading and writing young adult literature is a favorite past time of mine. I try to keep up on trends in YA, and find myself astounded by some of the amazing novels that are available for teens. I am thrilled to see my own book in print and hope that you will let me know what you think of Whisper or my new book Nice Girls Endure.
Thanks so much to my agent, Dawn Frederick from Red Sofa Literary Agency for constant support and enthusiasm. Thanks also to Switch Press, an imprint of Capstone, for their positive support and beautification of Nice Girls Endure. It takes a village to make a book; that is something I have come to realize and appreciate about this book writing process.
Quoted in Sidelights: I began to wonder what it would be like to be that child – the child who realizes, when she’s of age, that her condition was treatable and she could have lived a very different life had she received medical attention. Thus Whisper was born. She is that child.
ONE FOUR KIDS: AN INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS STRUYK-BONN, AUTHOR OF WHISPER
Today, we welcome OneFour KidLit author Chris Struyk-Brown to discuss her debut novel, WHISPER. Here’s the book’s official blurb:
Whisper cover finalWhisper was a reject, living in a world so polluted and damaged that many humans and animals alike were born with defects. She’d grown up in an outcast camp far from any village, and those who lived in the camp were like her: disfigured.
But on her sixteenth birthday, Whisper’s father came to take her back to the village where she was to fill her mother’s vacated spot and perform duties for the family. Her job was to cook, clean, wash the clothes, and maintain the family property. At night she was chained to the doghouse.
This is a story about Whisper, trying to find a place in a world that doesn’t accept her. It is a story of rejection, pollution and social status. Whisper discovers that through perseverance, friends and determination, anyone can find a way to fit.
EK: WHISPER is a novel with many layers and lots to say. Describe the journey that led you to this story.
CSB: I’m afraid that the story idea for WHISPER did not come to me in a moment of profound inspiration. It came to me through a conversation I had with my aunt. My aunt, a receptionist at a doctor’s clinic in Vancouver, B.C., used to work for a doctor who was originally from India. The doctor had immigrated to Canada for a number of reasons, but one of those reasons had to do with helpless frustration. Every day she would see children on the streets who had treatable medical conditions but would not have those conditions fixed. The families of these children either didn’t have enough money to treat the child’s condition, or they didn’t realize the condition could be treated, or they simply could not afford to treat the condition because the child brought in income through begging.
I was stunned by this revelation. In The United States and Canada, we rarely see children with these conditions, and yet it is not uncommon in many areas around the world. I began to wonder what it would be like to be that child – the child who realizes, when she’s of age, that her condition was treatable and she could have lived a very different life had she received medical attention. Thus Whisper was born. She is that child.
EK: What did Whisper teach you about yourself?
CSB: Whisper, the character, taught me that I should listen more and talk less. That is who Whisper is as a character and I can certainly learn something from that. WHISPER, the book, taught me that through patience and time, I can write a good book. Yes, it takes me a long time, many drafts, and much help, but I can do it in the end. If I did it once, I can do it again.
EK: If you could only share one scene of WHISPER with the world, which one would it be?
CSB: Whisper’s life is hard. She’s forced to leave her idyllic home in the woods, she’s not readily accepted into her home village, and when she arrives in the city, she’s forced to beg for a living. In chapter 14, though, we encounter hope. Whisper makes a friend, Candela, and together they use their talents to earn the money they need. Whisper plays the violin and through this instrument her voice is heard. “Play again,” Candela said, “and make everyone want to hold their arms out and turn their faces to the sun.”
EK: What do you hope readers take away from this novel (particularly teens)?
Whisper is quiet, introspective, observant and afraid to speak. By the end of the book, she uses her violin to tell her story and make herself heard. We all have stories to tell and we all have a place in this world; sometimes we have to take a journey to find where we fit, but by the end of our journeys, I hope we all find where we belong.
EK: As this community is fearless, we’d like to know something you are afraid of and something you are not afraid of.
I am afraid of being caught up in the rat-race of day-to-day existence without taking time to look at the world, enjoy my children, and feel grounded. I am a workaholic and that is something I need to control.
I am not afraid of cats (small, domestic ones, that is). In fact, I love them. I would be that crazy cat lady with fifty cats swarming around her if my husband and kids didn’t draw some boundaries. I have to settle for the three cats I have, even though one of them likes my husband more than me.
img_2628 chrisAuthor Chris Struyk-Bonn is a native of Iowa, but has lived in the Pacific Northwest for so long that she can hardly claim to be a midwesterner anymore. She has two boys and three cats, including one that weighs twenty pounds. Reading and writing young adult literature are her favorite pastimes. This is her first novel.
Quoted in Sidelights: These books are very different, and yet not as dissimilar as one may think. They both have strong female protagonists who have to overcome self-esteem issues to find their place in the world.
October 20, 2016 by Kiersi
Nice Girls Endure by Chris Struyk-Bonn I was lucky enough to get to do an interview with Chris Struyk-Bonn, a friend of mine from my days among the Oregon chapter of SCBWI. I’ve always hugely admired Chris as a fellow writer and author, and so I’m thrilled to be able to interview her for my blog about her new book, NICE GIRLS ENDURE. (Look at that cover! Isn’t it perfect??)
Nice Girls Endure
by Chris Struyk-Bonn
Category/Genre: YA Contemporary
Released: August 1, 2016 (OUT NOW! Snag your own copy on Amazon!)
Publisher: Switch Press
Blurb: Chelsea Duvay is so many things. She’s an avid musical lover, she’s a gifted singer, and she has the most perfect, beautiful feet. But no one ever notices that. All they notice is Chelsea’s weight.
Daily, Chelsea endures endless comments about her appearance from well-meaning adults and cruel classmates. So she keeps to herself and just tries to make it through. Don’t make waves. Don’t draw attention. That’s how life is for Chelsea until a special class project pushes the energetic and incessantly social Melody into Chelsea’s world.
As their unlikely friendship grows, Chelsea emerges from her isolated existence, and she begins to find the confidence to enjoy life. But bullies are bullies, and they remain as vicious as ever. One terrible encounter threatens to destroy everything Chelsea has worked so hard to achieve. Readers will be captivated by Chelsea’s journey as she discovers the courage to declare her own beauty and self-worth, no matter what others might think. A must-read for anyone who loves to explore the personal but powerful territory of everyday life.
Sounds awesome, doesn’t it? Read on for more about Chris’s process, her previous books, and the experiences that informed NICE GIRLS ENDURE. Thanks for being on the blog, Chris!
1. What inspired you to write NICE GIRLS ENDURE? What experiences did you draw on to write Chelsea’s story?
My inspiration for “Nice Girls Endure” was most decidedly the students I work with. Chelsea Duvay, the main character of the book, has a social anxiety disorder, has been bullied, and is very self-conscious about her weight. Because of these issues she has a difficult time coping in social situations and absolutely dreads school. Through the course of the book, though, she makes a friend, realizes the power of family, and begins to understand how strong she can be. This idea came about because I work with so many students who have similar issues. Almost one in five students struggle with social anxiety these days, and many such students attend the online charter school where I work. I wish I could put strength and hope into these students, but they have to find it in themselves.
2. This is your second novel, your first one being the dystopian WHISPER. These are two dramatically different books—or are they? What has your experience been like working on two such different novels? Do they have anything in common?
These books are very different, and yet not as dissimilar as one may think. They both have strong female protagonists who have to overcome self-esteem issues to find their place in the world. Even though the first book was dystopian, it deals with contemporary issues of bullying, finding true friends, and being supported by strong families. Even though these topics and themes take different forms in the books, they are the same issues and the characters must work to overcome them.
3. What was your process for writing NICE GIRLS ENDURE?
The process for writing “Nice Girls Endure” was very different from my first book, “Whisper”. I wrote the bulk of NGE in about a month. I had Chelsea’s voice in my head at all times and knew exactly what she wanted to say. And then it took me another two years to write the last 10,000 words. Funny how inspiration works sometimes. I did not have an agent for my first book, so finding a publisher consisted of starting all over again by sending out sample chapters to possible agents. It took me about three months to find Dawn Frederick of Red Sofa Literary Agency and I am so thankful for her help and support. She has been fantastic.
4. What’s your ideal workspace? Work music? Pen and paper, or computer? Tea or coffee?
I am probably the worst example when it comes to developing a good writing work space. I usually sit at the dining room table, which means it isn’t a permanent space, and I’m usually writing when I can squeeze out some time. I do not write every day at the same time in the same way. I write when I can, and I would not advise this system for anyone. It means that sometimes I get a lot of writing done, and sometimes very little. But somehow, it does get done.
And it amazes me that Chris does, considering how many things she has to juggle! Thanks for appearing on my blog, and I’m excited to get my hands on my own copy of NICE GIRLS ENDURE.
Quoted in Sidelights: Chelsea is an engaging, well drawn character who has the reader
shivering and itching, and eventually cheering for her.
StruykBonn, Chris. Nice Girls Endure
Beth Karpas
Voice of Youth Advocates.
39.3 (Aug. 2016): p69.
COPYRIGHT 2016 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
4Q * 4P * J * S
StruykBonn, Chris. Nice Girls Endure. Switch/Capstone, 2016. 256p. $16.95. 9781630790479.
The world sees Chelsea as fat. The neighbors sing "Fatty Fatty TwobyFour" every day, and a druggie asks if her bike
is reinforced. She is most happy at home, where she watches musicals with her dad. Chelsea has many things to
recommend her, but it is hard to tell people that fact when, every time she thinks of talking back, she breaks out in an
itchy rash. The only part of high school that she sort of enjoys is her Film as Literature class, but now she needs to
make an autobiographical film to share with the class. Working with her partner, Melody, Chelsea begins to come out
of her shell as she thinks of the film. There are setbacks, including a vicious assault by the most popular boy in school,
but Melody's friendship and the support of her family gives her something to hold onto. Her family brings her to a
doctor who puts her on antianxiety drugs and a psychiatrist.
In the end, Chelsea's film is a work of art that reveals her tormentors to the world and reinforces her pride. This is not
an easy or happy story, but it is a hopeful one. In the end, the title says it all: Chelsea is a nice girl who finds a support
system that will help her not only endure, but hopefully thrive. While some secondary characters are twodimensional,
that is largely because Chelsea sees them that way. Chelsea is an engaging, well drawn character who has the reader
shivering and itching, and eventually cheering for her. Beth Karpas.
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
Karpas, Beth. "StruykBonn, Chris. Nice Girls Endure." Voice of Youth Advocates, Aug. 2016, p. 69+. General
OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA461445173&it=r&asid=6572ee5ed4e768f4c24be47ebd7ae77a.
Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A461445173
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Quoted in Sidelights:
hard-won triumphs and ability to regain her self-confidence
come without resorting to oftseen and illadvised weight-loss plotlines.
Nice Girls Endure
Publishers Weekly.
263.23 (June 6, 2016): p86.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Nice Girls Endure
Chris StruykBonn. Switch, $16.95 (256p) ISBN 9781630790479
Sixteenyearold Chelsea Duvay is an overweight introvert and musical theater aficionado trying to survive high school
bullies and her mother's hamfisted attempts to help her lose weight. After Chelsea is assaulted and humiliated in an
alley at her school's Spring Fling dance, a friendship with eccentric and supportive classmate Melody, anxiety
medication, and a school video project help her push back against the trauma she's suffered. Told from Chelsea's
perspective in chapters that are usually just a few pages long, the story unfolds like a series of streamofconscious
anecdotes or diary entries, with little plot continuity connecting her musings about her relationship with her parents, the
taunts and criticisms she endures, and her hardtoshake feelings of inadequacy and embarrassment. StruykBonn
(Whisper) gives Chelsea a blunt voice and frank wit, and her hard-won triumphs and ability to regain her self-confidence
come without resorting to oftseen and illadvised weight-loss plotlines. However, she also winds up
something of an untethered narrator, flitting from topic to topic. Ages 14up. Agent: Dawn Michelle Frederick, Red
Sofa Literary. (Aug.)
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
"Nice Girls Endure." Publishers Weekly, 6 June 2016, p. 86. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA454731063&it=r&asid=379ad71b170d3053691f1de560defacf.
Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A454731063
3/5/2017 General OneFile Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1488752209396 3/6
Quoted in Sidelights: Valuable for showing a miserable fat protagonist getting happier without the seemingly
obligatory weight-loss arc.
StruykBonn, Chris: NICE GIRLS ENDURE
Kirkus Reviews.
(June 1, 2016):
COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
StruykBonn, Chris NICE GIRLS ENDURE Switch/Capstone (Children's Fiction) $16.95 8, 1 ISBN: 978163079
0479
How much derision can a teen endure?Chelsea has a fantastic singing voice, dark brown curly hair, beautiful feet, and
skin that she describes (never mentioning race; everyone seems white) as both "olive" and "pink." Also, she's fat. She
knows it's unfair that "overweight people are modernday lepers," but that doesn't alleviate the pain of her mother's
enforced food restrictions, schoolmates who bump, poke, taunt, and leer, and little kids who chant, "Fatty, fatty, twobyfour.
Couldn't fit through the bathroom door. So she did it on the floor." In her corner are kooky classmate Melody,
Chelsea's first friend, and Dad, who makes tasty snacks for her, sings along to movie musicals with her, and saves
money for her life goal: opening a shoe store. Chelsea slogs through dismal days, and then things get worse. Fathating
bullies, sublimating their attraction to her, beat her, rip her shirt and bra, and post photos of her breasts online. StruykBonn
portrays the assault's aftermath particularly well, deftly showing Chelsea's traumatization through actions rather
than emotional descriptions. After a while, Chelsea pulls herself back up, using a film autobiography assignment, a
therapist, Melody, and a crucial, empowering declaration about not having lost any weight: "Who cares?" It's not a loud
victory, but it's a relieving one. Valuable for showing a miserable fat protagonist getting happierwithout the seemingly
obligatory weightloss arc. (Fiction. 1316)
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
"StruykBonn, Chris: NICE GIRLS ENDURE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2016. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA454177014&it=r&asid=c1bb10db2a3d84b37a0e4d67d00f9bb3.
Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A454177014
Quoted in Sidelights: shadowy and underdeveloped. disjointed
Some of the passages and descriptions are striking; however, the story is left casually to the words on the
page, abandoned without stability or resolve.
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StruykBonn, Chris. Whisper
Susan RedmanParodi
Voice of Youth Advocates.
37.1 (Apr. 2014): p75.
COPYRIGHT 2014 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
2Q * 2P * S
StruykBonn, Chris. Whisper. Orca, 2014. 352p. $12.95 Trade pb. 9781459804753.
Discarded by her family due to a birth defect (a cleft palate), sixteenyearold Whisper lives in a wooded encampment
with three other outcasts and their caregiver. Due to societal standards that reject any person with a defect or disability,
they forage the wilderness to survive. Whisper's only familial ally is her mother, who saved Whisper from being
drowned by her father on her first day of life, a mother who chose instead to have her cast away to avoid the scorn of
society. When her mother dies, thus missing her yearly trek to visit her daughter, Whisper is gifted a violin. Within
Whisper, music begins to fill the voids left by loss and abandonment. With music as her companion, Whisper is
challenged to overcome human cruelty and injustice as she is stolen from the woodlands to be a slave in her father's
home, eventually winding up in the big city. Her days are painted with malice and indifference as she struggles to
maintain her values and protect those left behind. With each hope for a better destiny, the realities that her deformities
burden her with in an unforgiving world force her to overcome the evil that seeks to undo her.
Whisper is a protagonist laid out in great detail, while other characters are shadowy and underdeveloped. The story line
is disjointed, leaving the reader to wonder about the society that forces people out, with only a few vague references to
the central conflict of the pitiless and detached nature of society. The author is a skilled writer but is not yet a capable
story teller. Some of the passages and descriptions are striking; however, the story is left casually to the words on the
page, abandoned without stability or resolve. Whisper is a story screaming to be told. Susan RedmanParodi.
RedmanParodi, Susan
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
RedmanParodi, Susan. "StruykBonn, Chris. Whisper." Voice of Youth Advocates, Apr. 2014, p. 75. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA424529885&it=r&asid=840238f0831037aa5180292f726e1beb.
Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A424529885
3/5/2017 General OneFile Saved Articles
Quoted in Sidelights: The author's vivid characterizations give this common trope urgency and nuance
A thoughtful dystopian drama.
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1488752209396 5/6
StruykBonn, Chris: WHISPER
Kirkus Reviews.
(Mar. 15, 2014):
COPYRIGHT 2014 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
StruykBonn, Chris WHISPER Orca (Children's Fiction) $12.95 4, 1 ISBN: 9781459804753
StruykBonn's debut offers a darkly hopeful take on the universal themes of family and identity. Born with a cleft palate
and exiled to the wilderness of an unnamed country for 15 years, Whisper has made a ragged family of her fellow
outcasts, all of whom bear some disfigurement. Upon her mother's death, her abusive father comes to claim her for a
slave. With nothing but a violin, a veil, and the memories of her mother and makeshift family, Whisper discovers that
she has a rudimentary power over the society that scorns her. Class and gender questions arise: Is the omnipresent
SWINC corporation responsible for a rise in genetic defects? Why do disfigured boys remain in their villages? She
soon lives hand to mouth as a busker for Purgatory Palace, a ribald community of misfits where the threat of
prostitution or capture is never far. Whisper's somewhat fairytale luck in finding benefactorsa fatherly music professor
and a surgeon among themis tempered by her literally brutal realization that she bridges two worlds and doesn't belong
completely in either. Thus, her dilemma is agonizing: If the surgeon could cure Whisper and her family, would she
agree? The author's vivid characterizations give this common trope urgency and nuance, and Whisper's answer
resonates with hardwon conviction. A thoughtful dystopian drama. (Fiction. 1318)
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
"StruykBonn, Chris: WHISPER." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2014. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA361278890&it=r&asid=71a55a4e49c1d72225a10d8132d39df2.
Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A361278890
Quoted in Sidelights: Whisper will enthrall, horrify, and anger young readers, but it
should also give them a sense that they can create their own destinies.
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StruykBonn, Chris. Whisper
Nina Sachs
School Library Journal.
60.4 (Apr. 2014): p174.
COPYRIGHT 2014 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution
permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
STRUYKBONN, Chris. Whisper. 352p. ebook available. Orca. Apr. 2014. pap. $12.95. ISBN 9781459804753. LC
2013954148.
Gr 8 UpIn a future dystopia, Whisper, the eponymous narrator, is born with a cleft palate. Like anyone with a physical
or metal disability in this future civilization, she is abandoned by her parents at birth and raised in a forest camp under
the guidance and protection of Nathanael, an "unblemished" man who shuns civilization for reasons of his own. Despite
privations, Whisper and her fellow "rejects" thrive in their forest home and have formed a close, familial connection
with one another. The other members of her "tribe" include a onearmed sculptor named Jeremia, a tiny girl with
webbed fingers and toes named Eva, and a baby named Ranita who has a cleft palate just like Whisper herself. The teen
quickly becomes baby Ranita's mother figure. Whisper's own mother visits only once per year, on Whisper's birthday.
This year, she has forgone her annual visit and instead sends a gift: a violin. The instrument proves lifechanging for
Whisper. Just beyond their enclave are hints of a devastating ecological peril, likely caused by the industrial practices
of SWINC, a ubiquitous corporate entity. Although a direct link is not made, it seems clear that the rapid rise in birth
defects can be laid at SWINC's door. This raises some fascinating moral and geopolitical issues for class discussion. An
equally profound theme is the nature of family: What do we do when our family abandons us, when all of our
assumptions about parental love are turned on their head? Whisper will enthrall, horrify, and anger young readers, but it
should also give them a sense that they can create their own destinies. Nina Sachs, Walker Memorial Library,
Westbrook, ME
Sachs, Nina
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
Sachs, Nina. "StruykBonn, Chris. Whisper." School Library Journal, Apr. 2014, p. 174. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA363686751&it=r&asid=b243ccd776b2c64e7d4dbc7df2be2561.
Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A363686751
Quoted in Sidelights: This book is great for anyone, not just teens or young adults.
I cannot say how much I love this story.
BOOK REVIEW: Nice Girls Endure by Chris Struyk-Bonn
Kristin Downer November 27, 2016 Blog, Book Reviews, Books Leave a comment
Title: Nice Girls Endure
Author: Chris Struyk-Bonn
Publication: August 1, 2016
Publisher: Switchpress
Genre: Teens, YA Fiction
Pages: 256
Nice Girls Endure
SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)
Chelsea Duvay is so many things. She’s an avid musical lover, she’s a gifted singer, and she has the most perfect, beautiful feet. But no one ever notices that. All they notice is Chelsea’s weight.
Daily, Chelsea endures endless comments about her appearance from well-meaning adults and cruel classmates. So she keeps to herself and just tries to make it through. Don’t make waves. Don’t draw attention. That’s how life is for Chelsea until a special class project pushes the energetic and incessantly social Melody into Chelsea’s world.
As their unlikely friendship grows, Chelsea emerges from her isolated existence, and she begins to find the confidence to enjoy life. But bullies are bullies, and they remain as vicious as ever. One terrible encounter threatens to destroy everything Chelsea has worked so hard to achieve. Readers will be captivated by Chelsea s journey as she discovers the courage to declare her own beauty and self-worth, no matter what others might think. A must-read for anyone who loves to explore the personal but powerful territory of everyday life.
REVIEW:
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
I love stories that have a great story behind it. The ones that give you just a little inspiration in a world filled with mean people, constant arguments over differences, and lots of struggles. Nice Girls Endure by Chris Struyk-Bonn is one of those books.
Nice Girls Endure follows a teenager named Chelsea. She is not unlike many teenagers. She struggles with her confidence level, her looks, parents wanting you to be something you are not, and not understanding why the world cannot just like you for who you are instead of what you look like. Chelsea is your sister, friend, cousin, or daughter. She’s the girl walking by you on the street. Constantly trying to make others happy while hurting inside from things people say and do. She goes through so much and typically keeps it to herself. I love that she goes through things I went through. This book would have made high school so much easier at times. I love how she finds her “people” just when she needs them and it helps her come to the realization that she doesn’t need a million people around her, just the ones that care.
This book is great for anyone, not just teens or young adults. Chris Struyk-Bonn tells a story about life, love, body image issues, the ‘mean kids, and learning to love yourself. I cannot say how much I love this story. I highly encourage you to pick it up and check it out for yourself, buy it for a friend struggling, or just for a nice read on a cold, snowy day. Five out of five stars.
#Review of Nice Girls Endure by Chris Struyk-Bonn
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Nice Girls EndureChelsea Duvay is so many things. She's an avid musical lover, she's a gifted singer, and she has the most perfect, beautiful feet. But no one ever notices that. All they notice is Chelsea's weight.
Daily, Chelsea endures endless comments about her appearance from well-meaning adults and cruel classmates. So she keeps to herself and just tries to make it through. Don't make waves. Don't draw attention. That's how life is for Chelsea until a special class project pushes the energetic and incessantly social Melody into Chelsea's world.
As their unlikely friendship grows, Chelsea emerges from her isolated existence, and she begins to find the confidence to enjoy life. But bullies are bullies, and they remain as vicious as ever. One terrible encounter threatens to destroy everything Chelsea has worked so hard to achieve. Readers will be captivated by Chelsea s journey as she discovers the courage to declare her own beauty and self-worth, no matter what others might think. A must-read for anyone who loves to explore the personal but powerful territory of everyday life.
I live in Portland, Oregon, even though I am originally from Iowa. I've been in the Pacific Northwest for so long that I can hardly claim to be a midwesterner anymore.
My family keeps me pretty busy and on my toes! I have two boys who have decided that it is their goal and ambition in life to make my days as difficult as possible. We have soccer balls in every room, we have darts stuck to every window, and my cats are losing fur in clumps because of the teasing they must endure.
I love cats. I have three of them and one of them is about twenty pounds. I have been trying to figure out how to help him lose some weight, but he is just not interested, and the treadmill has not been working.
Reading and writing young adult literature is a favorite past time of mine. I try to keep up on trends in YA, and find myself astounded by some of the amazing novels that are available for teens. I am thrilled to see my own book in print and hope that you will let me know what you think of Whisper.
This book made me really sad. I had to stop and cry at some points. I know this book had a very important point to make (and it's VERY important) but it still hurt to read. I felt so bad her and how she was treated. Nobody deserves to be treated that way. I will not be able to read this again.
"All opinions are 100% honest and my own."
Quoted in Sidelights: had some great messages and it's always nice to read a book that follows someone who is bullied and oppressed for her weight. it really sheds light onto the situation.
Review: Nice Girls Endure By Chris Struyk-Bonn
PicturePublished: August 1st 2016 by Switch Press
Source: E-ARC via Netgalley
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mental Illness, Coming of Age
Synopsis: Chelsea Duvay is so many things.
She's an avid musical lover, she is a gifted singer, and she has the most perfect, beautiful feet. But no one ever notices that. All they notice is Chelsea s weight. Daily, Chelsea endures endless comments about her appearance from well-meaning adults and cruel classmates. So she keeps to herself and just tries to make it through.
Don't make waves. Don't draw attention. That's how life is for Chelsea until a special class project pushes the energetic and incessantly social Melody into Chelsea's world. As their unlikely friendship grows, Chelsea emerges from her isolated existence, and she begins to find the confidence to enjoy life.
But bullies are bullies, and they remain as vicious as ever. One terrible encounter threatens to destroy everything Chelsea has worked so hard to achieve. Readers will be captivated by Chelsea s journey as she discovers the courage to declare her own beauty and self-worth, no matter what others might think.
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Spoiler Free Review:
This book was exactly what I needed. It covered important topics while also being a very quick and easy read. I really enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting to and it was also very inspiring as well.
The writing style was very simplistic and could be at times, a little juvenile. There were times where I felt like the book could be a middle grade book. I think part of it has to do with the main character. In the beginning, she was very insecure and it was pretty clear in the writing. However,I did really love the short chapters.
This book brought up some really important topics. Fat shaming and bullying were huge themes in this book. Additionally, the response to the bullying was especially powerful and something I never read about in a book. The story is shows a lot of body positivity and learning to feel good in your own skin. There's a mental illness aspect as well. Chelsea suffers from severe social anxiety. Being someone who also has social anxiety, I really related to a few of her experiences. The whole story line was meant to be inspiring for people who struggle with similar kinds of bullying and it really did excel at it.
The main character, Chelsea can be different from your typical young adult female protagonist. She's a gifted singer and loves to sing along to musicals. She could come off as pretty annoying, but it was mostly part of her character development. I loved how if not anything else, she loved her feet. Chelsea would constantly mention her beautiful feet and how much she adores them. I was also happy to see she has two parents, both of which are supportive. Her mother was definitely not understanding in the beginning, but she went through some character development as well. It was nice to see two parents actually supporting their daughter.
Instead of meeting a boy, as several young adult novels go, Chelsea befriends a girl in one of her classes. Melody was a very lively and spunky character. She reminded me of Blue Sargent from The Raven Cycle. I really did enjoy their friendship and how it took sometime for Chelsea to trust her. The friendship was a slow burn and there was lot of room for growth.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It had some great messages and it's always nice to read a book that follows someone who is bullied and oppressed for her weight. For those who are unaware, it really sheds light onto the situation.
Rating: 3.25/5