Top Heavy

Fifteen-year-old dancer Esme, dubbed “top heavy” by her teacher for her breasts (“At my sternum,/ my double D’s thump in unison”), narrates DeChambeau’s verse novel debut. Esme feels perpetually encumbered by her breasts, which cause physical pain and emotional insecurity about her appearance, are the subject of unwanted attention, and force her to give up ballet and tap for contemporary lyrical dance. She and her petite and wealthy best friend Mia, whom she met in dance class at age four, dream of being selected for their studio’s elite team; when their dream comes true, they learn that they’ve displaced two older girls and encounter unexpected hostility that mars their joy. As dance classes become unnerving, family financial difficulties, worsened by her father’s need for surgery following a spine injury at work, grow overwhelming and Esme’s desire for a breast reduction seems even more unattainable. The only bright spot is a crush that gradually develops into romance. At the core of this somewhat meandering narrative that tackles typical teenage identity and friendship issues is Esme’s relationship with her breasts and her passion for dance, personal explorations that are bookended by a supportive family structure. Esme reads as white; Mia is described as biracial. Ages 12–up. (June)