Bibliography:
Danziger, P. (2006).The Cat Ate my Gymsuit. New York: Penguin Group.
ISBN: 0142406546
Story Summary:
Marcy Lewis, who is in middle school, is having serious issues in her life. She is fat, she has acne, she is shy, she has low self esteem, she hates school and it is boring, and she hates her dad. She avoids participating in gym class because she is embarrassed to change into her Gymsuit in public because she is fat. She invents outrageous excuses to avoid participating in gym class. Her self esteem is so low that she calls herself a “blimp”. Her life takes a turn for better when she gets a new English teacher, Ms .Finney. Ms. Finney is different from all the other teachers that Marcy and her classmates have ever had before. Although she employs different methods of teaching, unlike the rest of the teachers, she soon becomes a hit with the children. Marcy learns self confidence, spurred on by Ms. Finney. She makes friends with her classmates. All children’s grades improve. The children learn to stand for what they believe in. Marcy goes on her first date. Marcy’s happiness comes to an abrupt end. The school principle Mr. Stone, whom the children detest, suspends Ms. Finney because she failed to pledge allegiance to the flag and is a bad influence to the children. All the children in Marcy’s class come together and campaign on how to get Ms. Finney reinstated .Mr. Stone finds out and Marcy and her friends are suspended from school. Marcy’s mother supports her but her dad opposes her stand point. Ms. Finney is reinstated by the board after a hearing but she resigns on grounds that she can longer teach effectively at this school. The children are heartbroken and feel betrayed because they had put so much into supporting her. They feel betrayed by Ms. Finely and they angry with her
My View:
I found the book interesting and typical of a teenage girls’ life in middle school. Teenage girls can resonate with some of the problems that Marcy is going through such as weight, conflict with parents, low self esteem, and acne. Marcy’s weight is a constant problem. More attention is drawn to this by her outrageous excuses to the gym teacher as to why she cannot join in volleyball. The gym teacher lets Marcy off easy throughout the semester. This is not typical behavior of a teacher who is interested in seeing a child succeed. This is one reason why the children are so taken with Ms. Finney, she cares about them and she is not just doing a job. Maybe this is the only moment that Marcy truly has control of her dire weight problem and the author has decided to let her exploit it. Although the book ends on a negative tone for the children, I find it realistic. These children are going through a stage in life when they are trying to develop their personality, take a stand and think independently. This ending shows them that real life does not always turn out the way we expect. It is a lesson learned though heartache, frustration and bitterness for the children. The story is told in a simple and realistic way that most teenagers will find easy to follow and identify with.
Reviews:
School Library Journal:
Gr 7-9 –Marcy, who is 13 years old and in the ninth grade hates her father, school, and being fat. Ms. Finney the new young English teacher, helps Marcy to gain more self confidence and to stand up for her convictions, although this antagonizes her domineering father. When Finney’s unconventional teaching methods, and her refusal to say the Pledge of Allegiance result in her dismissal, Marcy and the rest of the class fight for her reinstatement. The issues of teacher independence and student protest are topical, and Marcy, an intelligent and enjoyable adolescent, is and appealing heroine: however, the ending is anticlimactic and unsatisfying (Finney resigns her regained position) and some of the characters like Marcy’s bullying father are stereotypes. (Cathey S. Goyle, North Coventry Elementary School Library, Pottstown, PA)
Coyle, C. S., Gerhardt, L. N., Pollack, P. D., Abramson, J., & Stenson, L. (1974). The Cat Ate My Gymsuit (Book review). School Library Journal, 21(3), 62. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Suggestions for use in a library:
This is a good addition to a middle school library and the young adult section for a public library.
Book image from: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780142406540&imId=10636167