Review - Not Fat Because I Wanna Be

Not Fat Because I Wanna Be
BY: LaNiyah Bailey
ILLUSTRATED BY: Laura Perez Ricaud
PUBLISHED BY: CreateSpace
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-1461006763
Pages: 42
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Not Fat Because I Wanna Be is written by six-year- old LaNiyah Bailey, and the story is based on her own life. The main character Jessica is made fun of by her preschool classmates because of her size. She wonders “Why Did God give me this big tummy and bow legs?” This is a big question for a girl to ponder with at such a young age. The name-calling at preschool gets worse and Jessica begins hiding in the bathroom. Even some of the teachers poke fun at her. Then one day, Jessica visited her new doctor, Dr. Middens. After a few tests, Jessica learns that her colon was swollen and that she would have to take a special medicine to make her better.

Writing a book at the age of six is a major accomplishment, especially with such a meaningful message for children and adults. The old saying ‘Stick and Stones may break my bone, but words can never hurt me,” is completely false, and both children and adults should know this. Not Fat Because I Wanna Be is a wonderful debut picture books that I recommend for readers of all ages.

Author Bio

LaNiyah Bailey is a 6‐year‐old author with a message for children like her – just because you are bigger than other kid, that doesn’t mean that people have the right to bully you.

In her debut book, Not FAT Because I Wanna Be, LaNiyah details the struggle of Jessica, a fictional girl who has an underlying medical issue that causes her to gain weight. Bullied by her peers, Jessica learns to accept her body and eventually opens up about her condition to her classmates.

LaNiyah is not only speaking to other children through her book, but has become an advocate for anti‐bullying organizations.

With a message that words can hurt and that not all weight gain is due to an unhealthy lifestyle, LaNiyah hopes her book will enlighten and entertain her young readers.



You can purchase Not Fat Because I Wanna Be at www.NotFatBecauseIwannaBe.com.

Other Links: http://gumbumper.com/2011/03/6-year-old-author-laniyah-bailey-talks-about-being-bullied-wow/

Book Lovers Blog Hop:

Make friends, share the love of reading and be entered to win a FREE book!

All you have to do is post the Book Lovers Blog Hop and World of Ink Tour Banners below to your blog. Promote the Book Lovers Hop and World of Ink Tours on any social network. Tweet it once a day, share on Facebook and then follow others back that leave you a comment. By joining the Book Lovers Blog Hop, you are automatically entered in our Book Giveaway! 

There will be two (2) winners for this Book Giveaway.  

Note: One book per winner.

Hop Rules:

1.      Follow the Top link of the hop! Hop Host: Families Matter

       2.      Grab the button for the hop and place it in a post, sidebar, or on a blog hop page and let us know where it is in the comments section below. This will help the hop grow and gain us all new followers. It's a Win-Win for everyone!

      3.      Grab the buttons for the World of Ink Tours and place it in a post or side bar. Make sure you let us know where it is in the comments section below.

Book Giveaway Rules:

·         Join the Book Lovers Blog Hop. (One entry)

     ·         Follow the World of Ink Tours and leave a comment per tour blog stop. (must leave a real comment about the author, tour or book. Saying “this is cool” or “I love your book” will not count.) Make sure to include your safe email so we can contact you if you are the winner. Example: vsgrenier AT storiesforchildrenpublishing DOT com. (One bonus entry per blog stop)

·         Ask a question per World of Ink Tour blog stop. (One bonus entry per tour blog stop)