Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

• Genre: Young adult fiction; contemporary; coming-of-age
• Originally Published: 1993
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 850L; Young adult (ages 14 and up)
• Structure/Length: Novel divided into chapters; approximately 304 pages
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a young adult novel by Chris Crutcher. The central conflict revolves around two best friends, Eric “Moby” Calhoune and Sarah Byrnes. Eric is overweight, and Sarah has severe facial scars from a childhood incident. Together, they navigate the challenges of high school, bullying, and their complex family backgrounds. When Sarah suddenly stops speaking, Eric becomes determined to uncover the reasons behind her silence. As he delves into Sarah’s past and secrets, he grapples with issues of friendship, trust, and the consequences of standing up for what’s right.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: bullying; body image; abortion; suicide; domestic abuse; alcohol addiction; adoption; personal identity

Chris Crutcher, Author

• Bio: American author renowned for his young adult novels that tackle real-life issues faced by teenagers; Chris Crutcher’s works often emphasize the importance of empathy and understanding.
• Other Works: Whale Talk (2001); Deadline (2007) Ironman (1995); Running Loose (1983)
• Awards: ALA Best Book for Young Adults (1994)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Self-Acceptance
• Morality and Ethics
• Challenging Authority

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the social and cultural contexts surrounding the ethical dilemmas that incite Eric’s conflict.
• Analyze paired text and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Self-Acceptance, Morality and Ethics, and Challenging Authority.
• Plan, design, and construct an underground newspaper as an epilogue based on textual details.
• Analyze and evaluate the plot and character details to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding Eric’s character, the swim team, and other topics.