...

Reasons to Be Happy:
1. Swimming with dolphins
2. Outrunning a forest f ire
3. A hot air balloon ride
4. Seeing a shark fin while surfing but making it back to the shore intact
5. Hiking by moonlight
I used to be brave.
What happened to the girl who wrote those things? The girl who left the house that morning all excited about her f irst day of eighth grade at a new school? That girl who got up way too early and flipped through her sequined purple notebook where she keeps a list of things that are good in life— things like:
20. The smell of Band-Aids
21. Cat purr vibrating through your skin
22. Hiking with Dad up on Arroyo Seco and seeing a mountain lion at dusk
23. Vampires
24. Playing with the rubbery residue after you let glue dry on your f ingers
How could so much change so fast in just one day?
Scratch that. Stupid question. Besides, it wasn’t really a day. It was a summer. How could they change so fast over one summer? Let’s see, you could move to a new school, be totally humiliated, have no real friends, and oh, yeah, your mom could get cancer.
Yep, that about does it. That would explain the changes. So, the harder question is: how do I get that girl back? That girl who saw so many reasons to be happy that she started to keep a list:
6. Making lists
7. Jumping on a trampoline in the rain
8. Ghost stories
9. Painting your toenails
10. Winning a race
11. Dark chocolate melting in your mouth
12. Pad thai so spicy hot it makes your nose run
I missed that girl. She used to be bold and fun. Then she became a big chicken loser. “There goes Hannah,” Aunt Izzy used to say (okay, her name is really Isabelle but everyone calls her Izzy), “jumping in with both feet.”
Aunt Izzy is my mom’s sister. She lives in Ohio (where she and my mom grew up) in a funky purple house in this hippie town called Yellow Springs (Aunt Izzy’s purple house is reason #28 on the list). Aunt Izzy makes documentary f ilms. I know, I know, documentary f ilms sound boring, but she makes good ones. Her last one won an Academy Award. My mom and dad are actors. They’ve never won Academy Awards, even though both of them have been nominated. They make their living in feature f ilms, which is why we live all the way in Los Angeles now.
Aunt Izzy said I “jumped in with both feet” like it was a compliment, like it was good and brave. (Which reminds me, running hurdles when you hit your stride just right is #56.) My mom, though, said I jump in with both feet like it’s a very, very bad thing. “You don’t have any fear,” she said with this look of exasperation. But that was before I became afraid of everything. I hesitated too long before I jumped. I waited, paralyzed, thinking of all the bad things that could happen,
until the moment was gone. It was like, once I stopped risking, I lost the ability.
Like that day, my disaster of a f irst day—I hesitated too long. I let the wrong things gain momentum and there was no way to stop the avalanche.

“So many of us never take the time to sit back, relax, and think of all the reasons to be happy. If we did, we'd realize there's so much to be happy for. That's why I really enjoyed reading REASONS TO BE HAPPY by Katrina Kittle.

With a glance at the cover, you'd think this is your girly-girl upbeat love story (bubbly letters, pink and blue, doodle stars, etc...), but that's not the case--and in a definitely good way! Instead, we dive into the life of Hannah, an eighth grader who is moving to a new school and whose parents just happen to be A-list celebrities. But that's not all. Hannah's mom is sick, Hannah doesn't quite fit in at the new school, and she's stuck hanging out with the B-Squad, a group of girls who are fake and not like Hannah at all. As a result, Hannah finds herself transforming into somebody she doesn't even know. The old Hannah used to keep a notebook full of reasons to be happy, but the girl who used to love running and making art now faces the harsh reality of dealing with change and death. So what does she turn to--bulimia.

Kittle dives into this complex subject and how self-esteem can affect a young teen. What I love about this story is that Hannah is a strong girl and we witness an amazing transformation of how she finds herself again--much by traveling to Africa with her Aunt who is a documentary filmmaker documenting the plight of the country's orphans. Along the way, Hannah's journey reminds us all of what we have to be grateful for and as Hannah says herself, the most important one is knowing who you are.” - Examiner.com

“This book should mandatory for every single junior high student” - So Many Books, So Little Time

“Ok, the colorful cover fooled me into thinking this was going to be a light read. I was expecting a cute story about what it means for a young teen girl to be happy. I thought that this would be a quick read where I would go about my day after reading it. I got a 1/4 of the way in the book and then WHAM! I knew then that this was not going to be an easy story to read.

Hannah is the daughter of two Hollywood actors and the niece of a famous documentary filmmaker. One would think that she would have the perfect life but she's horribly dissatisfied with it. First off, her mother has caner. Then she goes to a new school and is immediately schooled by the popular crowd of what is in and what isn't. According to them, most of what Hannah does/wants to do is not in. Desperate to fit in, Hannah stops doing many things that she likes and starts doing things that begin to harm her.

This is one of the very few books I've that portray bulimia so realistically. Other books I've read kind of skim over the difficult parts. Kittle really takes us into the mind of a bulimic. We witness the entire process of Hannah's addiction with it. We see her first time trying it and the power she feels from doing it to how it becomes her entire life to where she almost gorges herself to death. It's a completely eye opening experience that is very painful to read. One scene that really stood out to me is when Hannah tells her aunt she would rather be anorexic because it's not as disgusting as bulimia. Her aunt then shows her how disgusting anorexia can be as well. Something else I really applauded was that Kittle shows that this is a struggle that Hannah will have to face the rest of her life. Relapses can happen and it's not just something that she can switch off. A lot of other books tend to make it end in a snap but that is clearly not the case.

In addition to Hannah's struggles at school and her bulimia, there is also a section where she goes to Africa with her aunt. This trip transforms her and makes her see more about her life and how to find happiness. It's done very well and it helps the reader and Hannah both see more about life outside of our bubble.

Overall, I really loved this book. As I said, I went into it expecting one thing and came out completely different. Even though the main character is a young teen, I feel readers of all ages (well teen and above) will benefit from reading this novel. This is Kittle's first YA book but I hope it is not her last. There needs to be more contemporary YA books like this. They will make lasting impact on their readers. HIGHLY recommended. ” - Books, Movies, and Chinese Food

“My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Katrina Kittle's Reasons to Be Happy is a book that explores the overarching theme of beauty. Juxtaposing Hannah's North American life with the time she spends in Ghana, Kittle allows Hannah to realize that inner beauty and learning to accept oneself are much more important than outer beauty; and in the process, enables Hannah to see the little joys in life once again.

Hannah is a girl that anyone can relate to, especially tweens – the intended target of Reasons to Be Happy. Feeling like you don't belong, wanting to be prettier and trying to please your parents are all things most people experience growing up, and Reasons to Be Happy definitely made me remember those times. To make herself better and regain some control over her life, Hannah however resorts to binging and purging.

Kittle's portrayal of eating disorders is very realistic and her vivid description of Hannah gorging on food – frequently stolen – and then trying to vomit it up sometimes made me nauseous. It's often harder for people to notice bulimia because unlike anorexics, bulimics usually tend to be normal in weight or be overweight. Thus, nobody notices that Hannah seems to have a problem even as she desperately wants somebody to help stop her.

A novel that will resonate with readers and leave them thinking about their own reasons to be happy, Reasons to Be Happy was released by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky on October 1, 2011.

Comments About the Cover: The cover doesn't really show that the book is about bulimia, and it's kind of got a cheerful vibe as opposed to the book which has a more serious tone.” - Musings of a YA Reader

“I usually consider it a spoiler to reveal too much more than what the back cover of a book delivers, but this book is about bulimia. I thought I knew what bulimia was before I read this book, but I realize now I barely knew anything. The author paints a gruesome look at all of the dirty, embarrassing details of the eating disorder, without sugar coating anything. She creates an honest, and still very compassionate, view of a young girl with bulimia.

I think this book could be really helpful if you know someone with this eating disorder. It really helps to understand what the disease is and what the person is going through.

Hannah's relationship with her dad is so honest, especially since he is going through a disease that has many similar qualities. In the end when you can tell he finally understands, it is really bittersweet.

When Hannah goes to Ghana with her aunt, it really puts her decisions into perspective for both Hannah and the reader. I thought this was a really interesting perspective on the disease.

Jasper was too adorable as a love interest. He was much more mature and accepting than most 8th grade boys in my opinion (and probably more mature than most adults for that matter). Sometimes, I felt like Hannah was a little older than 8th grade as well. The book felt more mature than a middle grade book, so I think I would classify it as YA instead of MG.

Main Characters: 5/5
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Cover: 3/5
Writing: 4/5

Bottom Line: There's so much to mention about this book and not enough space. But overall, it is an honest, compassionate look at the effects of bulimia.” - In The Hammock

“As I began to read this book, it quickly became apparent that it was not a light, fluffy read. I wasn't quite sure what