Suck it, Fat Maggie! Eddie Shows You How It's Done.

Yesterday I made a post about a book designed to teach girls about dieting.  Let's look at it again, shall we?

 Look at how Fat Mags is staring in a mirror, holding up a dress that is too small for her.  She longs to fit into that damn dress.  What message does this send?  She wants to lose weight because of how she looks.  That's what's important for little girls, of course.  To look pretty in pink dresses.

Contrast Maggie's book with this one, called Eddie Shapes Up.  Here the protagonist is a male.  Here is the description provided by Amazon:  "...Eddie Shapes Up is the story of a boy who with the support of his friends and family decides to change his lifestyle in order to make his life happier and healthier. With a forward from President Bill Clinton and beautiful illustrations by Jonathan Hoefer, this anticipated bestseller will inspire readers of all ages to eat right, exercise regularly and to always join the fun."

What do you notice?  Eddie, our fat boy, is shaping up to be healthy and have fun.  The cover is happy and evokes play and physical activity.  On the other hand, Mags, our fat girl, is dieting so that she can look pretty.   UGH!

Wouldn't little girls respond to a book about getting healthier and active?  Why do we have to stoop to shaming them about how they look?