Review of Does My Body Offend You? by Mayra Cuevas & Marie Marquardt

 This book is hands down one of the best that I have read in 2022! It may be listed as YA, but I think even adults need to read this one.

A timely story of two teenagers who discover the power of friendship, feminism, and standing up for what you believe in, no matter where you come from. A collaboration between two gifted authors writing from alternating perspectives, this compelling novel shines with authenticity, courage, and humor.

Malena Rosario is starting to believe that catastrophes come in threes. First, Hurricane María destroyed her home, taking her unbreakable spirit with it. Second, she and her mother are now stuck in Florida, which is nothing like her beloved Puerto Rico. And third, when she goes to school bra-less after a bad sunburn and is humiliated by the school administration into covering up, she feels like she has no choice but to comply.

Ruby McAllister has a reputation as her school's outspoken feminist rebel. But back in Seattle, she lived under her sister’s shadow. Now her sister is teaching in underprivileged communities, and she’s in a Florida high school, unsure of what to do with her future, or if she’s even capable making a difference in the world. So when Ruby notices the new girl is being forced to cover up her chest, she is not willing to keep quiet about it.

Neither Malena nor Ruby expected to be the leaders of the school's dress code rebellion. But the girls will have to face their own insecurities, biases, and privileges, and the ups and downs in their newfound friendship, if they want to stand up for their ideals and––ultimately––for themselves.

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**My thoughts**

For once I find myself having a lot in common with both of the main characters, even though they come from diametrically different backgrounds.

Malena is a curvy young Puerto Rican woman who has been endowed with a very large chest. This is what actually gets her into trouble at school one day when she decides to go braless because of a bad sunburn. I was likewise blessed and know what it is like to receive unwanted attention for my body, no matter how "well-meaning" it is.

Ruby is the liberal and privileged white girl who wants to strike out injustice when she sees it. But sometimes her good intentions backfire because she doesn't understand how the consequences will impact others. And she often forgets to listen. That's something I have been working on in myself. Ruby holds up a mirror for us well-meaning white people.

Their overall crusade to fight unfair dress codes is a familiar battle that has been raging for a long time. The body shaiming that Malena endures is reprehensible and yet happens more than we would like to admit. I applaud this younger generation for working even harder to rise up against all of this. This book shows a right way and a wrong way to go about productively fighting the system.

It's a story of feminism, fighting against old-fashioned ideas about how women should dress and behave. It's about finding your power as a woman and embracing who you are. Malena and Ruby are both on this journey as young women in high school. I wouldn't say that they have it all figured out by the end, but they do learn a lot about themselves and are well on their way.

It's a story of friendships and what it really means to be a friend. I think the key takeaway is really LISTENING to and not just hearing someone or what you want to hear. I still think the key to finding peace and harmony is really listening to each other and having open conversations.

This may be a book listed for young adults, but I think even adults need to read it to give themselves a clue about some of their own behaviors. Some older middle grade children will also enjoy it. And I think this one provokes a lot of important conversation topics that we should be having.

I received a requested review copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.