Because eating disorders often manifest differently in boys, they can be harder to detect by parents and healthcare providers. Stigma is another issue.

It is believed that a quarter to a third of those struggling with an eating disorder are male, and disordered eating behaviors are reportedly increasing at a faster rate in males than females. It is also suggested that for boys, eating disorders may onset earlier, sometime during early and mid-adolescence, one of many nuances (Frank C, 2023, Nagata JM, et al., 2020).

Author and children’s librarian for Bookelicious, John Schu, knows firsthand the inner turmoil that comes with facing an eating disorder. His powerful book, Louder Than Hunger, is a fictionalized account of his own personal struggles in the ‘90s with anorexia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and depression. He shared with Psychology Today, “Writing Louder Than Hunger helped heal my heart, inspired me to dig deeper within myself, and clarified why I care so much about connecting through story.”

How did you know that writing in free verse would bring this story to life in such a profound way?

I love novels in verse. They helped me connect with poetry again during college. I knew right away that Louder Than Hunger needed to be told in verse. I cannot imagine the story told in any other way. The white space helped me write the story. The line breaks helped Jake find his voice.

"The Voice"........

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