Who is Eliana?

Eliana is an overweight tween girl living with an older brother and sister in Texas. Eliana has been overweight since she was a child, and her weight causes immense tension between her and her mother. Her mother constantly pushes Eliana to try new diets and recently began pushing for bariatric surgery. Eliana enjoys swimming in her pool at home, trying to “starfish” and practicing taking up space in the world. Eliana’s best friend, Viv, moves to Indiana at the beginning of the novel and she worries about how she will make it through the school year without her. She soon meets her new neighbor, Catalina, and is initially suspicious of Catalina’s thinness and does not believe they could have a genuine friendship. Catalina proves her wrong and the girls embark on a mutually supportive, honest, friendship.