“Maggie Goes on A Diet” to be released in October has already ignited a nationwide debate on sensitivity and enraged parenting bloggers.
The children’s book, aimed at the four to six year old crowd, is about a 14-year-old girl named Maggie. She goes on a diet and joins a soccer team after being called “fatty” at school. According to Amazon.com, the teen is “transformed from being extremely overweight and insecure to a normal sized girl who becomes the school soccer star. Through time, exercise and hard work, Maggie becomes more and more confident and develops a positive self image.”
The picture on the cover of the 44-page storybook rhyme is of a heavyset, redheaded girl holding up a tiny pink dress, smiling at her skinny reflection in the mirror, hinting that the pig-tailed youngster longs to slim down to fit into the article of clothing. Though the tale ends with Maggie feeling “so much happier and … also very proud of herself,” many do not view the message in the story as a healthy one.
Mommy blogger Catherine Connors reacted in disgust to the book.
“I think that it’s a horrid book that sends a terrible message, to kids and to girls in particular (so interesting that he didn’t write it about a boy, and that he uses girl-body-image stereotypes to make his point — young girl dreaming about fitting into nice jeans, etc.),” Connors told The Daily Caller.
Connors added adults should encourage kids to embrace healthy eating habits rather than a diet.
“It’s not about accepting one’s self, or about simple healthy living — it’s about dieting, and about dieting to get a nicer, more socially acceptable body,” Connors believes. “Kids should be talked to and taught about making healthy choices, but DIETING? No.” (RELATED: Arizona school district sends letters home about overweight kids)
Darryl Roberts, director of the documentary about self-image and body issues “American the Beautiful,” explained for TheDC he’s likely to boycott “Maggie Goes on A Diet.”
“I think the book is reprehensible,” Roberts told TheDC. “As is, diets don’t work (95 percent of people going on a diet gain all the weight back plus more within 5 years), but aside from that, to target the message that a 6 year old girl needs to lose weight to be beautiful or healthy is an atrocity.”
Roberts, whose movie will debut around the same time as “Maggie Goes on A Diet” hits bookstores, says the “draconian effects of the dieting industry” have no place in our society.
“I’m considering releasing a national press release for all parents to boycott the book when it’s released,” Roberts said. “As if 6 year olds don’t have enough things to stress over than how much they weigh.”
Paul Kramer, who penned “Maggie Goes on A Diet,” is the author of several other children’s books, including “Divorce Stinks!” and “Bullies Beware!” He recently told Fox News that his book isn’t meant for preschoolers or to urge kids to diet.
Regardless of Kramer’s intentions, many are troubled by the book. Parenting blogger Mir Kamin hasn’t seen the book itself, but is perplexed by its implications.
“[T]his premise strikes me as flawed and potentially damaging in a number of ways,” Kamin said. “I’m all for kids being healthy, but what’s the takeaway from this book? I’m guessing the author intends for it to be ‘getting healthier is awesome.’ But right off the bat I can see young kids instead getting, ‘Being fat is bad and totally your fault,’ ‘You’re not worthwhile until you’re thin,’ and ‘Hi, 4-year-old, let’s get this eating disorder started early!’ Yuck.”