I honestly had no idea what I was expecting with this book, but it has certainly made an impression on me. This YA novel has a strong social conscience as it explores a range of topics from sexism, racism, sexual assault, feminism, social activism, and white saviorism. The writing is smart and the characters are fun. The story really made me think as it not only exposed problematic school dress codes, but it presented a whole host of problems faced by high schoolers (and society as a whole) that I may have been to wrapped up in my own life to take notice of. I applaud the author for taking on this challenging subject and for saying what others may have been too afraid to say.

I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley and Random House Children’s in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. It was about standing up for what you think is right, Showing that women's bodies should not be judged. I thought this book had such a postive message. I think that every female who is in school should read this book. And women should support other women.

There are so many things to love about DOES MY BODY OFFEND YOU?—from the struggles of moving to a new country, to how females are treated in school, and even sexual assault. The subject matter is handled carefully, which I did appreciate. I enjoyed how friends, Marlena and Ruby, work (and learn) together to raise awareness about these serious issues. And the cover is fantastic!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy, and best of luck to the authors!

This felt like something I would like, but it didn't grab me. I ended up not finishing this title. I really think that others will enjoy it though.

"It's like I finally found my voice again, but something about it feels unfamiliar." -From Does My Body Offend You?

4 stars

This is a good YA contemporary that explores themes of feminism, dress codes, intersectionality, being an immigrant, and being a survivor of hurricane Marie. I really wished it was just Malena's point of view, as I felt her story got a little lost with Ruby's. It was well written, but the middle felt drawn out, and I felt sometimes the characters actions were a little nonsensical for them. I liked that it showed some of the realities of starting a movement such as this, and that nothing came too easily for them. The stakes felt real. I think a lot of teenagers will be able to relate to this book.

Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the way this book tackled rape culture and intersectional feminism in a sensitive and well-rounded way. That said, the book is told from the two girls’ perspectives in alternating chapters and I liked Malena far more than Ruby (which I know is the point, Ruby grows a lot throughout the book but starts out difficult). Their friendship also felt a bit forced but regardless, I’m happy to see books like this out in the world because I could’ve really benefitted from this as a teen. Thanks to netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve got three tween/teen daughters and I can tell you that with my oldest, we had an “incident” at school her freshman year. She was wearing a crop top underneath a jean jacket and was sent down to the office to call me and bring her another shirt because a teacher saw her in the hall and thought she was revealing too much skin. Boy, was I ticked! However, what Malena goes through in this book was even worse. With a sunburned back, she can’t wear a bra without pain, so her mom gives her a drapey tunic to cover herself. Problem is, Maria is large-chested, and one of the female teachers reports her, saying it made her uncomfortable. The administration’s solutions: taping panty liners across Maria’s nipples so they don’t show through her shirt. Unbelievable! But, in fact, based on true events going on across this country over the past few years. Why, even in eighth grade back in 1986, I got to school and changed into my friend’s miniskirt for the day, which turned out to be a few hours before I was called down to the office and asked to change because I was taller than most everyone and the “6th grade boys” might try looking up my skirt. Shame and embarrassment followed, and I wondered why the rich lawyer’s shorter-than-me daughter got to wear a miniskirt even shorter than what I had on. Was it because she was shorter, or because her dad was more influential? I didn’t have the backbone to find out then, but I’ve always wondered.

Ruby, a privileged white teen, finds out about Malena’s plight and is driven to action. You see, she comes from a family of activists, especially her much older sister, in whose shadow she constantly compares herself. She decides to befriend Malena and encourages her to protest the school’s gender-biased dress code.

What follows is similar to what countless other young ladies have experienced when they get dress coded at school. The administration digs in their heels, some of the parents jump in to help, while others wish the kids would leave well enough alone. The threat of a suspension going on their permanent record is real. But the kids are also learning valuable life skills, like speaking out for injustice, how to organize a peaceful protest, and in general learning to find their own voice.

What I really liked about Does My Body Offend You? is the fact that these girls are still teens, they don’t have it all figured out, and they make mistakes. Sometimes, they’re little mistakes, other times, they are gigantic. Their friends and elders help them learn and grow with each step they take. And their friendship has it’s ups and downs. Malena learns to be the confident young lady she once was in Puerto Rico, before Hurricane Maria wiped out the island and left her and her mom in Florida for the foreseeable future. Ruby learns that she’s the very definition of white privilege, and just because she’s not afraid to speak up, maybe it’s not her story to tell.

I very much enjoyed this story told in alternating chapters from each girl’s point of view. I particularly enjoyed learning more about the Latina experience in America. I also appreciate the author’s note and resource section for young ladies interested in getting involved with a variety of activist organizations.

This is definitely one of the most important books I have read in a long, long time. I loved every moment! As a social worker and an advocate for teenagers, I found this book really insightful and beautiful. Would recommend to anyone and everyone!

Malena and Ruby are transplants to a Jacksonville, Florida suburb--Malena from Puerto Rico after Hurricane María devastated the island, and Ruby from Seattle where she lived in her older sister Olive's shadow. The two meet by chance, in a high school bathroom where Malena is trying, at the school administration's orders, to stick pantyliners over her nipples. Supposedly she has violated the school's dress code by showing up to school braless and large-breasted. (Her back was sunburned, so she couldn't wear a bra without irritation.)

Ruby, a flat-chested girl from a liberal, activist, white family, thinks Malena is being mistreated, and encourages Malena to refuse to panty line her boobs. Ruby is not wrong, but she does have things to learn about positionality and white saviorism. Malena, too, has lessons to learn. Despite being bilingual--and proficient in a third language--she feels insecure about how her accented speech is perceived on the mainland, for good reason, so she lets Ruby take a lead in their rebellion.

I didn't realize at first that this book was dual authored (by someone with a Latine last name and someone with a German one, and now I'm curious how that worked. I feel like Ruby's story and white awakening overshadows Malena's. It provides great lessons for white readers, but I wonder if that's at Latine and other BIPOC readers' expense.

A stunning, eloquent, undaunted exemplification of feminism and fighting back.

This book spoke to the very depths of my feminist soul and I learned so much from it. The combination of Ruby’s passion and Malena’s authenticity made a story I won’t forget.

The story covered so much, from privilege and interracial relationships to sexism and racism and homophobia to sexual assault and rape. There should definitely be a content warning at the beginning, but the way the authors dealt with all of the topics they tackled was commanding yet personal. I’m still in awe with the way the story unfolded and with the beautiful ending.

I fell so deeply into this book, and I truly can’t recommend it enough to anyone and everyone, whether a seasoned or budding or brand-new feminist. Does My Body Offend You? is a gorgeous expression of the feminism I and many others aspire to embody.

The title of this book and the cover art made me immediately want to read it. American society puts too much focus on women's bodies along with an unrealistic idea of "perfection". Women's bodies are over-sexualized which can lead to guilt, confusion, and anger. A book addressing these issues is a breath of fresh air - especially one that is geared toward teenage girls.

Malena is fifteen years old and has moved to Florida to live near her cousins after a hurricane destroyed her home in Puerto Rico. Adapting to a new place is difficult enough but then Malena, who happens to be busty, gets a dress code violation at school for not wearing a bra one day. Ruby, a flat-chested skinny white girl, befriends Malena and decides to take on the cause of fighting for an end to discrimination of women's bodies via the school dress code. As Ruby and Malena work on changing dress code policy, they begin to understand that they are fighting for more than they realized.

I really enjoyed this novel. The characters were well written and made me want to cheer for them. There were a lot of life lessons presented throughout the book about appropriately dealing with issues of gender, sexuality, race, and class. This book would be a perfect read for a high school course that focuses on discrimination culture. It would also be a good read for a teen or adult book club as there are many possible discussion points.

The mention of so many Puerto Rican foods that I've never heard of made me want to try some. The authors described them in mouth-watering detail. I don't know how to speak Spanish so I was thankful for the English interpretations to be included.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #RandomHouseChildren's for an ARC of #DoesMyBodyOffendYou? by #MayraCuevas and #MarieMarquardt in exchange for an honest review. The ideas expressed above are completely my own.

Does My Body Offend You? is a beautifully written novel about feminism in youth. This is a powerful story of friendship and intersectionality.

Malena and Ruby were great characters that I loved reading about and their friendship was everything! The characters were relatable and their conversations were as well. The plot wasn't as simple as I expected. The story was interesting and I was hooked from the start.

This is overall an inspiring story that many should read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"Does My Body Offend You?" is a somewhat intense book addressing a number of difficult and important topics -- body shaming, objectification of the female body, prejudice, discrimination, privilege, and assault, among others. Malena is from Puerto Rico, but her and her mother were visiting relatives in Florida when Hurricane Maria devastated the island. Her father works for FEMA and is helping with recovery efforts on the island, but Malena and her mother are temporarily stuck in Florida, staying with relatives. Her mother has found a job as a physician's assistant in the pediatric ER, while Malena is attending high school with her cousins. Doing yard work over the weekend while wearing a one-piece bathing suit (limited available clothing because they only planned for a short trip) and forgetting the sunscreen, Malena developed first degree burns on her back. Malena is well endowed, and therefore needs to be wearing a bra, but due to the sunburn, wearing a bra is too painful. Unable to convince her mother to let her stay home, she wears a loose flowery tunic belonging to her mother, and she hopes no one will notice she is going braless. However, during fifth period, she is called to the assistant principal's office and told that a female teacher was uncomfortable with her attire, concerned that it might be disruptive. Malena explains why she is not wearing a bra, but the assistant principal (Dr. Hardaway) says she cannot be allowed to return to class because her nipples are visible through her shirt. Dr. Hardaway's solution is to send Malena to the nurse to get pantyliners to tape over her nipples. Because this is a work of fiction, this idea and image is somewhat amusing. However, as a husband and father, I would be infuriated if someone treated my wife or daughters like that in real life.

While Malena is at the nurse's office getting the pantyliners and feeling violated by how she is being treated by the school nurse and school secretary, another student, Ruby, goes to the nurse's office to obtain tampons. Ruby is an outspoken feminist and not afraid to speak her mind when she feels that people are being mistreated or when policies are sexist. She does not know what is going on, but she can tell that the girl (Malena) is very uncomfortable and that the behavior of the nurse and secretary seem strange. Ruby heads to the bathroom, where she sees Malena in a stall trying to tape a pantyliner over her nipples and crying in the process. Ruby tells Malena that she does not have to do that, as nowhere in the dress code does it say girls have to wear a bra. Unable to get the pantyliners to stay on, and hoping Ruby's advice is correct, Malena parts her long hair and drapes it over her chest, hoping to make it through the rest of the school day. However, the school secretary tracks her down to give her a copy of the school handbook, for which Malena has to sign a written acknowledgement. When bending down to sign the form, the loose neck of her tunic provides the secretary with a glimpse of Malena's uncovered breasts, so Malena is sent back to Dr. Hardaway's office and given detention.

Ruby is flat-chested and when she goes braless the next day, as an experiment, she has to tell the nurse she is not wearing a bra and request a detention, pointing out that the policy is not enforced uniformly. Back home in Puerto Rico, Malena was outspoken and confident, but in Florida, she lacks the confidence, not sure how she fits in and feeling that people see her as Hurricane Maria victim Malena, rather than just as herself. Ruby encourages her to stand up for herself and challenge the administration with her over the dress code. Ruby reaches out to an activist friend for advice, including pictures of Malena's sunburned back and a selfie. The friend misinterprets the text, and she posts the pictures on social media with commentary on what happened. The post attracts the attention of a feminist icon, who wants to interview the girls, and attracts a lot of support, but it also results in a lot of negative comments posted on Malena's social media site -- comments that are sexist, perverted, racist, etc.

Malena and Ruby decide to try to make the best of a bad situation and come up with a plan to try to convince the school board to change the dress code. Things start out fairly well, although somewhat chaotic, but a number of challenges will arise, as events occur that distract Ruby and take her off her game, resulting in conflict with Malena, who decides to "live a little" (which does not go over well with multiple people), and results in the presentation at the school board meeting being a disaster. Malena could have given a great presentation, having done all the necessary research, but she never spoke up and offered to do it, afraid that speaking in public would make her nervous and she would mispronounce words and not be taken seriously. However, they will find a way to make an impact, and they will learn a lot about themselves and others in the process.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to love this book a lot more than I actually did, but it ended up just being perfectly fine. I thought that the way the book brought in current events felt very natural and not forced, and that the inclusion of the conversation about sexuality and feminism to be a refreshing lens, especially for a YA novel. The main issue I had was that I wasn't rooting for either of the protagonists; I will admit, it felt great to see Ruby realize towards the end that she also still had a ton to learn about what she was fighting for. I definitely was interested in a number of the B-characters and would totally read stories about them.

DOES MY BODY OFFEND YOU? by Mayra Cuevas and Marie Marquardt

Fiction, based on serious realities, and a potential guidebook to social action, DOES MY BODY OFFEND YOU? is not an easy book, but it’s engaging, memorable, and a possible inspiration for “good trouble.” From the beginning, I liked these “rebellious” students, tackling big issues while navigating the social aspects of their own lives and standing up to predatory behavior.
I loved the interaction of friends and family, disagreeing at times but always coming together to support and protect each other, leaving space for being oneself and standing up for oneself. I could almost see much of the action, and especially the documentary project. I hope this book is made into a movie (Netflix?) to see it dramatized.
Dress codes are a thorny issue, and I sometimes wish I had adopted the philosophy of a colleague who declared herself “too busy teaching to notice what anyone's wearing.”
Student input in the rules could help. One of our better principals used to tell students, “The best discipline is self discipline,” and taking that a step further, student input could help form sensible and fair rules while teaching valuable negotiation skills. (My first period class would always tell me when due dates conflicted with important school events, and we’d make reasonable changes together).

When a girl with a severe sunburn is shamed and punished for not wearing a bra to school, she and an enthusiastic feminist take on the school administration in a protest against body-shaming and discrimination.

Unapologetically feminist with accessible voices and an inspiring storyline, DOES MY BODY OFFEND YOU? is a great pick for any fan of YA Contemporary fiction. The authors do not shy away from the realistic consequences of activism, especially for teenagers who are already bound by the rules and expectations of multiple authorities in school and their families. But the protagonists take courage in the knowledge that they are fighting for something important and morally just. Teen readers will be inspired by their story.

Does My Body Offend You is told from dual POVs, Malena Rosario and Ruby McAllister, two high school teenagers who come together to take a stance against their school’s dress code and tackle biases and privilege in their local community.

I think this book is an important read, as it touches on topics that are relevant and prompt necessary conversations. I can remember being singled out for wearing shirts that showed my shoulders or having to wear skirts or shorts that needed to meet the three-fingers rule, or being told: “not to tempt the boys”. It’s sexist and wrong. I’m glad that this book seeks to address these issues, and how they can perpetuate rape culture.

Typically, I really enjoy dual POVs, but I feel like this book would have been more impactful from one viewpoint. Malena got lost throughout the book, and since both girls had issues with their home lives; it felt like there were too many things to tackle at once. I enjoyed the book until about 80% of the way through. Then it felt drawn out, and I was rushing to get to the end.

It was important to address how the voices of POC can become lost when non-POC allies join a movement. I wish we got to see Malena use her own voice from start to finish because she was the actual star of the book.

This book is still worth reading, and I would still recommend it! I liked it, it just didn’t blow me away.

Thank you Net Galley and Random House Children's for the ARC!

This is more than another "dress code" book. Does My Body Offend You also explores the way schools discriminate against marginalized people when they create and enforce dress codes, there is an immigrant story, and the book touches on white saviors. There is a lot in this book, but the themes are interconnected and don't feel like a pile of issues with no common thread.

Meet Malena and Ruby - two kids new to the Florida high school they both attend. Malena and her mother moved from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. She has cousins, but no friends, and misses her home and father (who stayed behind for work). Ruby is a transplant from Seattle and the resident feminist troublemaker. She pushes the envelope whenever she can.

On the day Malena comes to school braless because of severe sunburn on her back and shoulders, she is told to cover up in a most embarrassing way - by sticking panty liners to her breasts to cover her nipples. When Ruby hears her crying in the bathroom, she decides to make this her fight.

There are the best of intentions, but we all know about good intentions. The struggles both girls face and how the story turns out are very realistic and not candy coated. This is a great book for bringing up so many difficult issues without getting bogged down in minutiae. And the characters are all wonderful!

My thanks to Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A timely and compelling novel that will inspire and inform teenage readers.

Malena and Ruby’s story in Does My Body Offend calls the reader’s attention to the policing and sexualizing of women’s bodies in school. Unfortunately, school dress codes are usually gendered and place the burden on femme-identifying people to conform to “modest” standards to “protect” them. As in Malena’s case, she goes to school without a bra, after being badly sunburned, and is told she’s breaking the dress code. Afterwards, she’s told that the administration is trying to protect her from unwanted attention. Ruby learns of this and jumps in to help Malena, which brings solutions and problems.

Something I really appreciated about this story was calling out the white-savior complex. Although Ruby wants to help, she takes over, effectively sidelining Malena. We see this a lot in advocacy roles. I think this story serves as a great tool for helping non-BIPOC people understand that showing up as an ally doesn’t mean taking the center stage. Listen to marginalized voices, support them, and spread their words.

I also appreciated the overall story about placing the burden on femme-identifying people to conform to certain standards or they’ll be the ones to blame if they face sexual harassment. Unfortunately, this problem is wide-spread and disproportionately affects BIPOC women. It seems like every couple of weeks a news article comes up about a dress code violation. It’s frustrating, humiliating, and demeaning. The story brings the question to mind—how can we change our systems to remove the burden from femme-identifying people? How can we stop victim-blaming and start cracking down on predatory behavior?

Overall, the story is fast-paced and thought-provoking. It covers a lot of topics and in my opinion, it does a great job of explaining things. One thing that irked me was just how clueless Ruby was…until I realized that is probably pretty representative of the population. Other than that, I really enjoyed the story and the love Ruby and Malena had for each other. We love stories of women supporting women!

If you enjoyed the book Moxie, then I think this book will really resonate with you. If you like stories centered around women and confronting sexism, racism, and allyship, pick this book up. I highly recommend it!

Thank you Random House Children’s for giving me the privilege of reading this before it comes out in a week!

My review is live on Goodreads and I will post it to Amazon, Bookstagram, and Barnes and Noble the week of publication.

Empowering and educational.

Malena has newly moved to Florida in the wake of hurricane Maria’s destruction of Puerto Rico.

A dress code incident early on at her new school connects her to Ruby, also new to Florida via Seattle.

The incident sets the two girls, and their friends, on a journey to fight back against the unequally applied and often unfair dress code at their school.

Their story explores effective advocacy, recognizing and using your privilege, and what being undaunted can look like.