Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have

by allen zadoff

now on sale

from the back:

What's worse than being the fattest kid in your class? Being the second fattest.

Andrew Zansky is a seriously overweight teenager who doesn't fit: in his pants (size 48), in his family (parents are divorced), or in school (a too-small desk, a too-beautiful girl). If only his mom weren't a caterer. if only his parents were back together. If only he were thin - Andy imagines his life would be completely different. But she is, they're not, and he isn't. What to do? Discover a hidden talent for football, of course.

This compelling and laugh-out loud funny YA novel follows the trial, tribulations, and triumphs of a thoroughly believeable character, complete with AP American History, a libidinous best friend, and the new girl who sees beyond the obvious. As Andy inches toward adulthood, he comes to understand that feeling different doesn't make him weird or special; it makes him just like everyone else.

my review:

i read a lot of young adult fiction, and ninety-some percent of it is from a female perspective. obviously i would be more drawn to those stories because they are (shocker!) easier to relate to. i really loved this story though. even though the main character is an overweight boy and i am a thin adult woman, a lot of the issues he deals with are ones that i either dealt with in high school (fitting in, trying to be popular and well-liked) or can currently relate to (just because i am thin and exercise does NOT make it ok to eat an entire bag of chips in one sitting. seriously not ok).

the way the story plays out in the end was a little unexpected and andy grows throughout the book. there are lessons to learn from the story but it is in no way preachy or moralistic.

i recommend this book - check it out on the publisher's webpage or buy it on amazon.