The Self-Love Revolution

April 15, 2020
An inclusive, compassionate guidebook that champions girls and women of all ages and challenges the status quo. Tovar pens a guide for learning to accept and love oneself, inside and out, despite cultural messages to the contrary. While providing historical and cultural context for hurdles to self-acceptance faced by girls and women of color such as sexism, racism, and fatphobia, Tovar encourages readers to show up as their best selves within their communities and to make suitable and necessary changes to themselves, their communities, and society at large. Tovar, a proud, fat babe and fat activist of Mexican and Iranian descent, uses anecdotes from her own life and merges them with findings from scientific and sociological studies to amplify her points. With journal prompts following each chapter, Tovar includes the often missed element of some self-help or motivational books--actionable suggestions for how to make the shifts in lifestyle or mindset that readers may desire or need. This element supports readers in becoming more empowered and mentally, emotionally, and physically healthier versions of themselves. Her style is educational and accessible without being condescending; her warm, friendly tone treats readers as her equals and as whole people while acknowledging that we are works in progress. A fantastic introduction to/reminder of self-love and self-advocacy. Informative, affirming, and necessary. (endnotes) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from April 20, 2020
In this important guide to self-acceptance written specifically for girls of color, Tovar skillfully blends calls to action, relatable personal anecdotes, and clear explanations of the forces that guide individuals’ understanding of themselves. Via short chapters divided into three sections, Tovar contextualizes how societal conditioning (including diet culture, fatphobia, and institutionalized racism) shapes perceptions of beauty and self-worth, homes in on “common body confusions” (including ideas for handling friends, family, and trolls), and offers suggestions for subverting negative and unhealthy messaging (“Your Body Does Amazing Stuff Every Single Day, Girl”). Using an engaging, conversational tone, Tovar references scientific studies and describes her journey to overcoming
fatphobia and self-loathing, ending each chapter with a thoughtful journal prompt that invites readers to connect the information presented with their own experience (“Why do you think diet culture exists? Who benefits from it?”). Tovar’s goal of guiding readers to recognize “the sacred gift in every person,” regardless of shape, ability, gender identity, socioeconomic status, sexuality, or belief system, feels possible with her steady guidance on embracing and appreciating one’s body. Ages 13–up. (May)■

Starred review from May 1, 2020

Gr 8 Up-This guide for young women (and all women) discusses how to cut through the dominant narrative of mainstream beauty standards. Readers learn to question and reject narrow definitions of beauty. Tovar, a prominent activist, helps readers overcome the societal and cultural barrage of negative messaging and rewrite the narrative around their own body image. As the author unapologetically points out, one's body is one's own business-no one gets to tell someone else what they are. The book does a wonderful job of showing how young girls and women can embrace their individuality and cultivate body positivity. The journey to self-love and acceptance is not a short one, but Tovar demonstrates ways to disrupt mainstream standards, call out sham diet culture, and learn how to be comfortable and proud of one's body. VERDICT A terrific resource that shows readers how to start feeling good about their body and rewire their sense of self-worth.-Elaine Baran Black, Georgia Public Library Service, Atlanta

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2020
Grades 7-11 A part of New Harbinger's Instant Help Solutions Series, this title speaks boldly on ideas surrounding body positivity and the way that structural iniquities such as racism and sexism influence our ability to love ourselves. Author Tovar speaks candidly from her own experiences as Latinx and fat, drawing in cultural beauty standards from around the world to highlight the ways that young girls are convinced they are anything other than perfect in their bodies. Beyond compelling chapters on questioning cultural norms, addressing toxic commentary on our bodies, and learning how to embrace all of ourselves, she also invites readers to write back and reflect on their own journeys toward body positivity with journal prompts at the end of each section. Lighthearted and fun, this title is great for teen readers of all identities, calling them to love the uniqueness of themselves while also building true allyship and offering concrete language ("my body is my business") to combat body shaming.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)