A funny, touching look at the life of a social media influencer who starts to question the #goals life she has created for herself.
Every day, Ellie motivates her hundreds of thousands of followers to become the best versions of themselves by posting videos of exercise routines and high-protein breakfast recipes. Far from the shy teenager that she was, she is now in a very public relationship with singer Samuel Vanasse, and together they have become one of the most popular influencer couples in the country. She has succeeded. She shines.
And yet, Ellie worries that her life is not as flawless as she makes it seem on YouTube and Instagram. Between her obsession with the “ideal weight,” her growing attraction to another man, her family’s disdain for her career as a content creator and a collaboration with another influencer who Ellie can’t stand, a thought haunts her. What if, by trying to become everything she wanted to be, she’s lost herself along the way?
Suck It in and Smile is an intimate exploration of our obsession with appearances and the hypocrisies that appear when you must craft the perfect online life.
Key Text Features
chapters
vignettes
dialogue
A funny, touching look at the life of a social media influencer who starts to question the #goals life she has created for herself.
Every day, Ellie motivates her hundreds of thousands of followers to become the best versions of themselves by posting videos of exercise routines and high-protein breakfast recipes. Far from the shy teenager that she was, she is now in a very public relationship with singer Samuel Vanasse, and together they have become one of the most popular influencer couples in the country. She has succeeded. She shines.
And yet, Ellie worries that her life is not as flawless as she makes it seem on YouTube and Instagram. Between her obsession with the “ideal weight,” her growing attraction to another man, her family’s disdain for her career as a content creator and a collaboration with another influencer who Ellie can’t stand, a thought haunts her. What if, by trying to become everything she wanted to be, she’s lost herself along the way?
Suck It in and Smile is an intimate exploration of our obsession with appearances and the hypocrisies that appear when you must craft the perfect online life.
Key Text Features
chapters
vignettes
dialogue
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Oct 4, 2022 |
| Specifications | 328 pages | 5 in x 7.5 in |
| Keywords | media power and ethics; mental health; occupation; overcoming anxiety; pop culture; eighth grade; youtuber; fake famous; ingrid goes west; inclusive; respect for self; bias; personal narrative; |
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Supporting Resources
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Excerpt Teacher's Guide |
| Written By |
LAURENCE BEAUDOIN-MASSE has written two novels: Suck It in and Smile (originally published as Rentrer son ventre et sourire) and its sequel. She is a concept editor for Radio-Canada. Laurence would like to help girls who, like her, never feel like they measure up. She lives in Montreal, Quebec. |
| Written By |
|
LAURENCE BEAUDOIN-MASSE has written two novels: Suck It in and Smile (originally published as Rentrer son ventre et sourire) and its sequel. She is a concept editor for Radio-Canada. Laurence would like to help girls who, like her, never feel like they measure up. She lives in Montreal, Quebec. |
| Audience | ages 12 to 17 / grades 7 to 12 |
| Key Text Features | chapters; vignettes; dialogue |
This unfiltered look at being a successful influencer strips away the glitz and glitter to show the emotional and physical tolls of fighting for demographics and followers ... A perfect crossover title. STARRED REVIEW
” —BooklistShort chapters and compelling social dilemmas make the narrative compulsively readable … Through balancing Ellie's humanity and flaws, this book provides a clarifying exposure of influencer culture that can help high schoolers and new adults better understand the pressures and lures of social media.
” —Children's Literature Comprehensive DatabaseA timely story about the fictional life of a social media influencer.
” —Canadian Children's Book NewsIn Suck It In and Smile, Beaudoin-Masse shows the ephemeral nature of online fame and the stresses associated with presenting and maintaining a persona that isn't real. An amusing and heartfelt read, the novel will open the eyes of many and may help them accept who they really are.
” —CM: Canadian Review of Materials