 It was listed by the "School Library Journal"'s 20th century 100 most significant books for children and young adults.The story was inspired by a class Meaker taught by going into high schools and talking to students about writing.One overweight girl wrote stories Meaker characterized as "really grotesque"; when her mother, a local do-gooder, found out Meaker was encouraging her, she complained that Meaker was trying to get her daughter to "write weird."