An inspirational book for teenagers, No Body's Perfect: Stories By Teens About Body Image, Self-Acceptance, And The Search For Identity, by well known teenage issues expert Kimberly Kirberger, discusses the issues of body image and self esteem.
Summary Of The Book
The co-author of the renowned Chicken Soup For The Teenage Soul series, Kimberly Kirberger compiles an engaging collection of poignant poems, heartfelt short stories, and informative essays in No Body's Perfect: Stories By Teens About Body Image, Self-Acceptance, And The Search For Identity.
Spurred by the umpteen letters on body image issues and eating disorders written to her by teenagers, Kimberly Kirberger decided to collate them into a motivational book. She identifies the root of several teenage problems like depression, eating disorders, and drug abuse as a dearth of self-love and self-esteem. In the book, she seeks to address them and spread a positive message about being at peace with oneself, and loving and appreciating one’s body to lead a healthy and contented life.
In a culture where being slim is considered as beautiful, the book strives to quash the myth of a ‘perfect body’ and inspires readers to love themselves. There are twenty four sections in the book, dealing with inspiring topics like Get to Know Yourself, Don't Worry About What Others Think, Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone, Embrace Your Uniqueness, and Celebrate Yourself.
Each section begins with an introduction by Kimberly Kirberger, with advice on resolving the issues of self-identity and body image. The sections contain powerful and heart-rending poems, stories, and memoirs that are contributed mostly by those who have survived through painful experiences of eating disorders and self-destructive behaviour. Several inspirational quotes from eminent personalities like Oscar Wilde and Gandhi are also mentioned in the book, to bring about the message of self-love and self-appreciation.
In No Body's Perfect, Kimberly Kirberger encourages readers to come to an understanding about their self and seek help in case they need it. In the book she manages to manifest the real emotions and feelings faced by people, particularly teenage girls who cope with negativity and low self esteem. She strives to make the readers empathize with them and develop a positive outlook towards life. Especially targeted at teenage girls, the book also appeals to adult readers who are grappling with weight problems and self esteem issues. The book is similarly useful for parents and other support groups, helping them to understand teenagers better, in case they are dealing with such problems.
First published in 2003, No Body's Perfect: Stories By Teens About Body Image, Self-Acceptance, And The Search For Identity has become a bestselling book and received favourable reviews from several prominent book critics.
About Kimberly Kirberger
Kimberly Kirberger is an acclaimed expert on teenage issues and co-author of the immensely popular Chicken Soup For The Teenage Soul books. Her other literary works are Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II, and the famous Teen Love series that includes titles like Teen Love: A Journal on Relationships and Teen Love: On Friendship.
Kimberly Kirberger is the founding president of Inspiration and Motivation for Teens, Inc. (I.A.M. 4 Teens, Inc.), an organization that exclusively supports and works for teenagers. Along with Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield, she founded the Teen Letter Project, which responds to personal letters from teenagers, supports teenagers who are experiencing problems, and helps them in seeking professional help.