By Josh Galarza
“‘I’m Brett.’ I shove the next words through. ‘I’m a compulsive overeater.’
No, no. Why did I say it?”
Summary
While working through the grief of losing his adoptive mother, Brett Isaias Harrison picks up an eating disorder and a drinking problem. His low self-opinion puts him at odds with his best friend, a could-be model, Reed. All of this is complicated by the fact that Brett now lives with Reed and his single father, Marcus, great guys who don’t know exactly how to support their struggling new family member. So, Brett hides. A lot. He hides in food, in a comic series he has created, and in his old, empty house. When someone posts a page from Brett’s tell-all journal on social media, an unexpected onslaught confronts him: some of his struggling peers want him to be their eating disorder hero boy on display. Now, unable to hide, Brett’s most powerful option is to figure out how to save himself.
Quick Info
- Year of Publication: 2024
- Number of Pages: 320
- Awards/Nominations: National Book Award Finalist, Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Winner, Kids Indies Introduce / Next List Selection
Why I Chose to Read The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky
As a bulimic in recovery (almost ten years!) I was curious to read this male-led story about a high schooler with an eating disorder.
Teaching Considerations
Audience: Booksellers list this as “14-18 years.” This is a book I wish I’d read in high school. There’s a lot of cursing, which Brett apologizes for throughout the book. The underage drinking and binging and purging are honest and culminate in a satisfying, healthy outcome.
Key Themes: body liberation, eating disorders, masculinity, acceptance, identity, mental health, grief, creativity as an outlet, friendship, and family.
Grouping Recommendation: I’d definitely recommend this to individual students who seem receptive and could benefit from knowing they’re not alone if they’re struggling with an eating disorder. This would also be a strong book choice for a full-class unit on masculinity and femininity.
Instructional Ideas:
CHARACTER
Brett is a truly fun and complicated character. His fatal flaw here is so compelling. Reading The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky is like watching a car accident in motion. Still, Brett has gone through so much, and he’s infinitely rootable. I believe Galarza pulls this off by slowly revealing the traumas Brett has experienced and by allowing us to witness him trying his best to interact with people (Evelyn, Reed, Mallory, Marcus, Ms. Finch, etc.) and become a better person. His friendship with Reed was inspiring, and his relationships with Evelyn and Marcus were imperfect but heartwarming. I actually found the built-out comic world Brett created to be a kind of noisy distraction, but it was so goofy and kidish that I appreciated its place in this YA book.
CONVENTION
***SPOILER ALERT!***
I love that Galarza didn’t fall into clichés here. No one fell for and then humiliated the fat girl. Brett didn’t end up falling in love with Ms. Right. He took care of himself.
***SPOILER ALERT!***
Key Excerpts
“Today, Reed’s mom boarded a plane to San Diego, where a guy who’s not Reed’s dad waits for her.
I say, ‘She’ll visit. I’m sure she will.’
‘No,’ Reed says. ‘She won’t.’
I want to give Reed a hug, or maybe tell him I’ll always be here for him, but I’m stopped by a force field that seems to grow from inside me. We’ve already said too much, I think—we’ve already broken the rules of being men somehow, though I’m not exactly sure how—and if I say the wrong thing or if I try to touch him, it’ll only make things worse.” – Page 130
In what ways are Reed and Brett portrayed as secure men throughout this book? Do they get it right every time? In which ways are they insecure? Do either or both of them grow to be more secure? When you read this, do these characters seem real to you, or invented by an adult author?
“Evelyn’s voice comes pounding between my temples. Never reduce a character to an archetype, Brett. People are gloriously complicated. You’re gloriously complicated.” – page 190
How do Brett’s interactions with Evelyn strengthen this story? What do they tell us about Brett?
Book Talk Excerpt:
How do you think students at this school would react if this journal entry were posted on social media? How would you react? (Feel free to speak from the writer’s or the reader’s perspective.)
My Thoughts and Reflections
★★★★★
For its perfect, ridiculous title alone, this book deserves all the stars. Beyond that, this book takes on so much and manages to juggle it all effortlessly. It showcases strong, deep friendships, healthy and unhealthy parent-child relationships, illuminating interactions with mental health practitioners, and centers a male protagonist who truly respects women and learns to respect himself. I’m certain I’ll recommend this numerous times in the future.
Topics/Ideas/Books/Authors I’m Curious About As A Result of Reading The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky
I’d like to write a YA book about a bulimic girl surviving high school and college… Perfect, Fat Chance, Skinny, Paperweight, Wintergirls, and Purge would be good for research.
I haven’t read any YA books that navigate college life. Fangirl, American Panda, Emergency Contact, Loveless, Every Body Looking, The Black Flamingo, and Study Break: 11 College Tales from Orientation to Graduation look compelling.
Leave a Reply