Art of Starving, The

This fiction novel follows the story of a queer teenage boy who suffers from an eating disorder and body dysmorphia. Written in epistolary form, author Sam J. Miller leads readers through Matt's journey, a story told in the first-person. The story is presented as a manual for starvation, with Matt outlining his instructions to the readers and believing his hunger gives him the superpowers he needs to solve the mystery of his missing sister. In the process, the protagonist discovers the reality of his own illness and realizes that self-acceptance is the real superpower. "The Art of Starving" is appropriate for senior secondary students; its mature subject matter and themes present opportunities for classroom discussions about eating disorders, body image, the challenges faced by LGBTQ youth, friendship, and self-acceptance.