My Perfectly Imperfect Body
By: Debbie Tung
Genre: Graphic Novel, Memoir
Number of Pages: 208
Published: September 16, 2025
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Dates Read: October 22, 2025
Format: Library Book / eBook

Trigger Warnings: eating disorders, body shaming, body dysmorphia

A graphic memoir from author Debbie Tung about her journey overcoming body-image struggles throughout her teen and young adult years.

I was a preteen/teenager in the 2000s, the reason I don’t like having a scale in my place is because I would constantly be weighing myself and comparing the weight to the day before, or last week, etc. I was a super skinny kid and people used to comment on how skinny I was and how wonderful it was – so of course, once my metabolism slowed down and I gained weight, I instantly felt horrible about myself and always felt fat. I know that’s not the same thing Tung went through, but it still messes up people’s thoughts about themselves when you comment on anybody’s weight.  Being a teenager sucks already, but then growing up in a world with photoshop (or any basic photo editing app to be real), you compare yourself to something that’s not even really real

Tung’s art is simple but still powerful as she captures the painful thought process of comparing yourself to others and body dysmorphia. Her story is raw and emotional and leaves it open for others to connect with her story and feel seen. I also feel like this is a good book for adults to read to kind of see the warning signs in younger teens. Tung’s parents didn’t really intervene much and when they did, I felt like it wasn’t much.

Overall, I think this is an important read, especially for young girls as it’s filled with an important reminder: your worth is not defined by someone else’s journey.