Eric Calhoune�s excessive weight has earned him the name �Moby� now that he has joined the swimming team. He has endured similar nicknames for years due to the fact that he is of a different character from Sarah�s. Eric is someone who is more likely to �turn the other cheek� in a difficult situation. When Eric joins the swimming team, he begins to lose weight and get in shape. This threatens his friendship with Sarah because she assumes that he will soon become part of the �in� crowd and abandon her entirely. When she suddenly falls into a catatonic state and is taken to the hospital, Eric discovers that there is more to the way she �accidentally� got burned and disfigured. He must now carry a difficult task in order to prove to her that his friendship is genuine.
There is a subplot throughout the story where most of the characters are very openly discussing issues such as abortion, religious beliefs, and other issues in a classroom. The author connects all of this to the main plot in a very interesting fashion, allowing the reader to see for himself the way in which many of the characters are outspoken and strong. This also allows us to witness a growth in wisdom and maturity in several of the characters. On three different occasions where the characters learn a valuable lesson and mature due to this, Eric thinks to himself, �Boy, ain�t it a trip where heroes come from.� The story is without a doubt a powerful tool for teachers who may wish to teach the subject of friendship and self-acceptance. The perfectly happy ending is what make this novel a romance story.
Crutcher, Chris. 1993. Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes. Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing
Group, Inc. ISBN: 0-440-21906-X.
