Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher

Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher
Crutcher, Chris. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. HarperTempest, 2003.
In this novel, Eric, nicknamed  Moby, is bestfriends with Sarah Byrnes, however she is currently
in a mental hospital, and refuses to talk to anyone. Sarah was badly burned as a child and as a
result has learned to hide her true feelings about everything. The only person she has ever
opened up to was Moby.
Moby learned that the accident that burned Sarah was no accident at all. Sarah told Moby that
her father purposely burned Sarah in order to scare her and control at a young age. Sarah then
goes on to explain to Moby that she in in the mental hospital to escape from her father because
he was beginning to act like he used to and she was scared.
With the help of his teacher, Moby helps Sarah escape and go in search of her mother.
Meanwhile, Mr. Byrnes threatens and beats up Moby. He wants to know where Sarah is and
Moby won’t tell him. 
Eventually Moby is able to escape to safety at another friend’s home. Mr. Byrnes is arrested and
Sarah returns safely, but a bit disappointed after being rejected by her mother yet again. 
As the story ends, we find out that Moby has not been injured too badly and will be able to swim
in college. Also, we learn that Sarah Byrnes has been adopted.
For fans of Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes, I recommend reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. In this book a girl is berated to “tattling” to the cops. Although not the same as what Sarah Byrnes is going through, I can draw connections due to Sarah Byrnes refusing to speak.    

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