BSEL Library: Healthy Self-Image with "How to Be Comfortable In Your Own Feathers"

Did you know that 22% of children and adolescents struggle with disordered eating?* Unfortunately, this a real issue that educators and parents need to address even at a young age. But it can be tricky to tackle such serious topics with kids. Thankfully, books are a great tool to help us do just that.

Through Bluebird, his Food Voice, and the differences between a diet and a "live it," Julia Cook has written an age-appropriate book to start discussing disordered eating and healthy self-image.

It's titled "How to Be Comfortable in Your Own Feathers," and it's a must have for your home or classroom!

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Here are a few things I love about this book, a couple notes to be aware of, and some ideas of ways to use this in your classroom!

What I love:
-  How to be Comfortable in Your Own Feathers puts difficult topics in child-friendly terms. It doesn't beat around the bush and mentions things like diets and going to the gym, but it also uses phrases like "frumpy" and "the bird doc" and a "food voice counselor." This makes it both realistic and appropriate for readers.
- The book acknowledges that oftentimes, body image issues begin with comparing ourselves to others. It does a wonderful job of pointing out that we each have unique bodies built to do unique things. This is incredibly important piece of the conversation!
- The illustrations by Anita Dufalla support the story in meaningful visual ways. You can see Bluebird start to get dull and lose feathers when she's not healthy, there's a difference between Bluebird herself and what she sees in the mirror, and the pictures portray when Food Voice is in control of Bluebird vs when Bluebird is in control of Food Voice.  For such a visually-related topic (i.e. body image) this really adds to the story!

Some things to be aware of:

• The book is geared towards a bit younger audience, so it may not be the best option for working with teenagers. I would definitely use this in elementary school and maybe in middle school, but not older than that.
• "How to be Comfortable in Your Own Feathers" talks about feeling guilty after eating "bad foods" but it never explicitly addresses behaviors associated with bulimia. It also doesn't address food anxiety. It focuses mostly on disordered eating around controlling food intake and going to the gym in order to be thin.

How to use "How to Be Comfortable in Your Own Feathers" in your classroom:
Read this individually with a student who is struggling with disordered eating. If you have a student who you know struggles with body image or disordered eating, or that you suspect may be struggling, this is a book to read with them or recommend to their parents. It can really open the conversation around what supports are available for the child.
Read this with a small group that meets on the topic, like a healthy eating support group. This may be a good book to read and discuss in a group of 3-5 or so students who meet for support on the topic. They may be able to identify "hummingbirds" in their own life, what things their "food voice" tells them about food and their body, and create a Live It plan to support healthy habits. 
Read this book with your class to open the conversation. We may not be aware that students are struggling - and it is not only girls that struggle either! Reading this book in SEL time or during a unit in health class or during a confidence week could support students you don't even know need it. It can also foster empathy between students who better understand others who may have difficulty with healthy eating.

Let us know how you use "How to be Comfortable in Your Own Feathers" by Julia Cook in the comments below!

​We already know books provide opportunities to teach just about any skill, and that includes behavioral, social, and emotional skills, too! Through character, conflict, and more, BSEL skills can be found on nearly every page. A library of BSEL books gives you endless options to incorporate academics as well. Grab some BSEL books and get teaching! ***This post contains affiliate links. Braving BSEL makes a small commission when you purchase using our links. Thank you for your support!***

​*López-Gil JF, García-Hermoso A, Smith L, et al. Global Proportion of Disordered Eating in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis . JAMA Pediatr. 2023;177(4):363–372. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.5848