SKINNY by Donna Cooner is the story of Ever. Ever is fifteen years old and 302 pounds. She struggles to fit in at home and at school.  Skinny is the mean voice inside her head that whispers to Ever, thoughts that everyone is having when they see her.  Ever's mom died when she was young and she has filled that void with eating. Right  from the beginning, I could see that SKINNY was a lot like Cinderella.  Ever has a step mother and two step sisters, but none of them are wicked. Ever lacks self esteem and self confidence so she thinks they don't care about her or even like her. 

Ever doesn't have very many friends and that is because of Skinny.  Skinny is always whispering to her, that people are laughing at her and calling her elephant, fat cow, Hopeless, freak, and pitiful. Ever has a great friend called Rat.  He has always been there for her and has helped her when ever she has needed him.  She decides to try the gastric bypass surgery and he supports her decision.  She hears Skinny telling her that it won't work or she is going to die during the surgery or how she is never  going to be skinny enough to fit in. Ever did have a childhood friend named Jackson but when she got very heavy they weren't friends anymore.  When he would see her he would act like he didn't remember the good times they had as kids or that they were even friends. 

After a very embarrassing event happens to Ever at school she knows gastric bypass is what she is going to do.  Maybe Jackson will notice her again once she gets skinny.  Rat goes with her to her her surgery seminar and is always right by her side.  After the surgery he is always there encouraging her and pushing her along. Jackson starts to talk to her again and she is loving the attention she gets from him. 

I really enjoyed SKINNY and thought Donna did a wonderful job describing the surgery and what happens afterwards.  This was a quick read for me and held my attention from page one until the end.  This is an awesome debut book and I'm looking forward to reading more of Donna's books in the future.