Rosemary's first serious boyfriend, Kyle, is kind, athletic, and likable. Mother and daughter as well as aunt and grandmother reconnect in new ways. Her mother's illness shakes their world, worrying them both for obvious reasons, though neither is very good at expressing her concerns.

She starts seeing a therapist to discuss her health and her life. The two girls go on morning runs together, sharing secrets and silliness, bonding quickly, and Rosemary starts using her treadmill for more than a laundry dump. Then, with the help of an unlikely new friend - Kay-Kay, popular, slender, and athletic - she starts to exercise regularly. Though she begins with a crash diet, which worried me, then turned to Pounds-Away shakes and bars, I was relieved and glad when she got back on solid foods and learned to simply be conscious of her food and of portion size. Rosemary works alongside her mom at Heavenly Hair, a salon that's always bustling with activity and gossip.Īfter a particularly indulgent holiday season, Rosemary finds herself pushing 200 pounds and can't comfortably fit into her clothes. Rosemary has grown up in a town where everyone knows everyone, and in a house with her hardworking single mother, who gave birth when she was a teenager herself. The book covers about six months in the life of Rosemary, a fifteen year old girl who is just as aware of her weight as the classmates who taunt her - though she is more frustrated with her aunt's pointed remarks about it than those of her peers. Peel them away and you'll find a heartfelt story about family and friends, about self-esteem and healthful living. There are many layers in Artichoke's Heart.

Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee