Revered teacher, librarian, and story ambassador John Schu explores anorexia—and self-expression as an act of survival—in a wrenching and transformative novel-in-verse. B
But another voice inside me says,
We need help.
We’re going to die.
Jake volunteers at a nursing home because he likes helping people. He likes skating and singing, playing Bingo and Name That Tune, and reading mysteries and comics aloud to his teachers. He also likes avoiding people his own age . . . and the cruelty of mirrors . . . and food. Jake has read about kids like him in books—the weird one, the outsider—and would do anything not to be that kid, including shrink himself down to nothing. But the less he eats, the bigger he feels. How long can Jake punish himself before he truly disappears? A fictionalized account of the author’s experiences and emotions living in residential treatment facilities as a young teen with an eating disorder, Louder than Hunger is a triumph of raw honesty. With a deeply personal afterword for context, this much-anticipated verse novel is a powerful model for muffling the destructive voices inside, managing and articulating pain, and embracing self-acceptance, support, and love.
Foreword by Kate DiCamillo. Author's note. Resources.
Book Genres Biographical Fiction, Novels in Verse, Realistic Fiction
Canadian Rights Yes
Dewey F
Title alpha Louder than Hunger
Category Advanced Readers Plus
Pages Count 528
Topics Eating disorders. Teenage boys. Anorexia. Mental illnesses. Anxiety. Self-esteem. Body image. Residential treatment facilities. Emotions and feelings. Musical theater. Poetry. Family life. Friendship.
Trim Size 8 3/4" x 6"
JLG Span Winter
Language English
Rights type Print
Publication date 2024-03-18
JLG Release Date Dec 2024
Minimum grade 6
Maximum grade 8
Reading level Middle
Format Print
Advanced Readers Plus (Grades 6-8)
Advanced Readers Plus
Advanced Readers Plus (Grades 6-8)
For Grades 6-8
This collection expands reading opportunities with 14 additional titles each year, featuring compelling narratives that challenge and inspire. With a mix of humor, realism, and deeper themes, these selections cater to high-interest, reluctant, and struggling readers alike.
14 books per Year
$285.46 per Year
Interests
Fiction, High Interest/Reluctant Reader, Struggling Readers, Novels, Funny/Humorous, Realistic Fiction