Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Published by

Sarah Ann

on

February 6, 2026

Wintergirls is about two teenagers and best friends who suffer from anorexia and bulimia. It’s by Laurie Halse Anderson, who also wrote Speak.

Lia and Cassie vowed years ago to the be the skinniest girls in school, and even competed with one another for the title. One day, Cassie is found dead in a motel room, after having a fight with Lia and calling her 33 times. Lia feels guilty for not calling Cassie back, thinking maybe Cassie would still be alive if she had only picked up.

Cassie starts haunting Lia, stalking her as a ghost, coaxing her to maintain their pact and become the skinniest girl ever. So Lia does just that—partly out of guilt, and partly as a way to mourn Cassie. She continues starving herself and lying to her family about her condition as her organs gradually deteriorate one by one.

Lia’s family loves her, so they do everything they can to try to save her despite Lia’s resistance. If Lia doesn’t start eating soon, it won’t be long before she joins Cassie in the afterlife.

Wintergirls is one of a few YA books I still had lying around from the old days, when I listened to Taylor Swift and watched CW shows. I’ve outgrown this genre, so I thought I’d knock it out. But you know what, this one was beautifully written.

I’m glad Laurie Halse Anderson describes what happens to your body on a physiological level with anorexia or bulimia. She doesn’t mock these diseases, or glorify or sensationalize them in any way, not even through her characters’ voices. As an influential YA author, she’s incredibly tactful and responsible, and I respect her for that.

Anorexia and bulimia aren’t just about feeling hungry all the time and losing weight—there’s much more to it and you can seriously harm your body and die. Reading the scenes where the girls’ eating disorders physically catch up to them made my heart race, and I felt so terrified for those girls in those moments.

Wintergirls has a lovely reading guide at the end of the book—I say “lovely” because it features a few dozen questions that really make you think. For instance, one of the questions is, “Does Lia want to lose weight so she will look thin and pretty?” Great question, because Lia doesn’t mention those desires at all. So, why does she REALLY want to get skinny?

If you find yourself in possession of Wintergirls, I suggest giving it a chance. It’s a really short read, and the story grows on you. Definitely very moving and touching, and definitely very sad.

Other books by Laurie Halse Anderson include:

What are your thoughts about Wintergirls? How did this book make you feel?

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