Gr 10 Up—Book Riot editor Jensen rallies a cadre of compelling voices to tackle body representation alongside vivid
artwork. This anthology fills a niche for an older teen audience and oozes authenticity.

I first learned about Kelly Jensen when I was introduced to her 2018 compilation (Don’t) Call Me Crazy. I love that the stories she collects are targeted towards teens and young adults (but really are for everyone) and that they include a variety of authors and experiences.

One of the things I love most about non-fiction books is their ability to make you feel less alone and her anthologies are made for this. I remember vividly my experiences of visiting the library as a pre-teen and adolescent and looking for books that would demystify and normalize our bodies, our complicated feelings, and the worries we all had but rarely discussed – but most of the time I would come up short.

We are lucky to finally live in a time where a lot of things have changed. YA authors take on important and multifaceted issues more often than not, we have the internet at our fingertips and there are resources galore. But that also comes with a struggle, information overload!

Enter Body Talk. Kelly Jensen compiled stories from 37 diverse voices that explore the beautiful and diverse bodies we inhabit – from the complexities we have from our own feelings to what society expects of them. She includes stories that are heartwarming and some that are heartbreaking, and everything in between. I love the inclusivity in this anthology and while it would be impossible to include everything, I love that most readers could relate in some way.

When we share our own unique experiences with one another, the more we are actually able to understand each other and ourselves. While we all experience life differently, but we can all relate to the complexities and intricacies of being human and what that feels like both physically and emotionally.

And you cannot talk about bodies without talking about the shame and anxiety that can come along with it and this theme was woven in throughout the stories and text in. The Q&A sections were a wonderful and informative addition and the gorgeous artwork brings it all together. I highly recommend this for readers of all ages and am so happy to have this collection on our family’s bookshelf because I know I will refer back to it again and again.

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for a gifted copy. As always, all opinons are my own. ( )