Mental Health: Eating Disorder

My Perfectly Imperfect Body / Debbie Tung

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
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.

The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky / Josh Galarza

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The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky
By: Josh Galarza
Genre: YA
Number of Pages: 313
Published: July 23, 2024
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Dates Read: October 21, 2024 - October 27, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: Eating disorder, fatphobia, body dysmorphia, body shaming, underage drinking, parent with cancer, mentions of self-harm

Ever since Brett’s adoptive mother was diagnosed with cancer, he’s been slowly losing his grip on reality. To cope, Brett fuels all of his anxieties into fiction, including his intergalactic Kid Condor comic book series. When Brett’s journal and deepest insecurities are posted online for the whole school to see, he realizes he can no longer avoid his issues, especially with the coping mechanism he has been using. As his eating disorder escalates, Brett must be honest with not only himself and those closest to him, but also his new friend Mallory, who seems to know more about Brett’s issues than he does.

This book is definitely needed, even though it’s a tough read. There’s not a lot of books out there about boys with eating disorders or about boys really struggling with body image. This novel also features Brett and Reed’s relationship that challenges the traditional masculinity of boys’ friendships, processing a parent’s battle with cancer, and so much more. It takes all of these difficult topics and shines a light on them without sugarcoating anything, making the conversations and actions all the more realistic and raw.

I would highly suggest this read to anyone, but with a great deal of caution. Disordered eating is what Brett is dealing with most, but there are a lot of other sensitive topics addressed that could be triggering. Please read with caution.

*Thank you Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Hungry Ghost / Victoria Ying

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Hungry Ghost
By: Victoria Ying
Genre: Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 208
Published: April 25, 2023
Publisher: First Second
Dates Read: May 10, 2023
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: Disorder eating (bulimia), fatphobia, body-shaming, depictions of vomiting, purging, loss of parent, grief, verbally abusive parent

Hungry Ghost follows Valerie Chu while she deals with disordered eating in her senior year of high school when tragedy strikes her family.

I’m in love with the color palette of this entire novel – which, along with muted pastels and adorable, expressive lines makes the story all the more heartbreaking when it’s about a young woman struggling with her relationship with food and with her mother.

It was also interesting to me to be able to see the dynamics of a culture where there’s always good food, and also over-emphasize women being thin.

This is a painful read. The author did an amazing job at both showing and describing the struggles that Val is going through with her illness. People will feel seen after reading this. And those who aren’t dealing with the same struggles, will hopefully be able to have a deeper understanding after finishing this book.

I’ll be recommending this book for sure, but it will come with the Trigger Warnings attached. Take care of yourself.