Reviews (36)

A Coming-of-Age Journey
Virginia Shreeves, a "larger than average" fifteen year-old, lives by the Fat Girl Code of Conduct, part of which entails no romantic relationships. Still, she's aching to be French-kissed. Enter Froggy Welsh IV, her new catch. They "don't score high on the communication front" but he's an a-okay kisser. Plus, he makes adolescent life a tad better for Virginia, who comes from a picture perfect family consisting of a beautiful, skinny sister named Anais, a father who confesses he prefers skinny women, a brother, Byron, currently enrolled at Columbia U, and a fit and trim mother who fills three-quarters of her dinner plate with salad, while advising Virginia to do the same. Virginia contemplates her existence in such a household, one that seemingly would be 100% ideal - without her, that is. High school life isn't much better. A member of the bony clique of "Bri" girls makes a weight comment in the school bathroom that seriously dents Virginia's self-esteem. Virginia's stuttering best friend has moved to Walla Walla (no pun intended). She feels alone. Eventually, however, she expands her horizons, branches out, and chooses to at last spread her wings. She is able to confront Froggy about their secret rendezvous, tell her father to stop commenting about her weight, and accept herself for what she is: beautiful. She comes to understand that numbers on the scale are not significant - physical and mental good health are. And Virginia's admiration for Byron, with his good looks, smarts, and charm, quickly changes with one phone call from Columbia. She also finds that people change, often times into not what you'd want or expect. Still, we all must deal with this or something like that one time or another in life. Mackler has done it again with this fab follow-up to her debut, "Love and Other Four-Letter Words."

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things
Virginia Shreeves is a teenage girl with ordinary teenage problems. Virginia is an overweight teenager and is always pressured by her mother to lose weight. Her mother is like this because when she was a teenager she was also overweight but now, is skinny as can be. Her father is a slim man with a very good job. She also has a beautiful sister who is also skinny but does not live at home anymore. She is in Africa for the Peace Core. Finally, Virginia has a brother, Byron, who is very handsome and seems to be perfect. At the beginning of the book, Virginia only has one good friend. It's her best friend, Shannon. Shannon moved to Walla Walla, Washington for the whole school year. This is hard for Virginia in school because she doesn't really have any other friends. This is especially hard at lunch when she does not have a table to sit at. Ms. Crowley notices this and tells Virginia she can go to her room during lunch. Virginia goes to her room almost every day. Ms.Crowley and Virginia become really close. Another person very important in her life is Froggy Welsh the Fourth. They like each other and they hang out at her apartment sometimes but, Virginia follows her "Fat Girl Code of Conduct." It says that she can't show affection for any boy in public. They get in a fight and don't talk for a long time. Around this time, Byron date rapes a girl at a party and is suspended for the semester at Columbia. This helps Virginia realize that her brother isn't perfect. That no one in her family is perfect. Virginia has been on a diet for a while at this point but, food is her comfort and she needed it at this time. Shannon helped her get away from everything by inviting her to go to Seattle with her and her parents for thanksgiving. Virginia's parents don't want her to go so; Virginia buys a non-refundable ticket to Seattle. Her parents are upset with her, but still allow her to go. In Seattle, even though Virginia knows her mom won't like it, she gets her eyebrow pierced. When she gets back home, Virginia misses Shannon a lot. For Christmas, the family always attends a fancy party at a friend's house. For the party Virginia buys a purple dress, her Mom does not like it. She says it doesn't go with her hair. After this comment, Virginia dies her hair purple to match her dress. On the way home, even though her Mom doesn't like the things she has been doing recently, she tells her that she wishes she was as brave as Virginia. Virginia likes that her Mom admires this about her. When Virginia gets back to school she finds out one of her teachers has died from a heart attack. Virginia has made a new friend in school, her name is Alyssa. Alyssa helps Virginia start a club for a website she would like to make. It's for teens that want to speak there mind. The website is great, many people helped, as well as Froggy. This is when Froggy and Virginia become friends again. The ending to this book is fabulous. Overall, I enjoyed the book very much. I loved Virginia's emotional and physical journeys throughout the entire book.

A little mature for people under 10, but a great read...
I currently read this book, and would definitely put it under one of my favorite re-reads. It is a combined book that teaches you many different lessons like don't compare your body to other people, never compare your self to other family members, and so many well taught lessons.
Virginia Shreves is not you "skinny as a pencil" kind of person. She isn't like other teenagers, she wouldn't know what to do without the web, eats junk food like it is good for her, and lives by the "Fat Girl Code of Conduct". She also isn't your "most popular" person in the world, even if fact the school, but she will live.
Virginia's bff just moved to Walla Walla, Washington for a year, and just like her computer, she doesn't know what to do without her. Since she is on the "lager-than-average" size, she doesn't have friends. Her only friend is Shannon, and now she is gone. Virginia thinks that her life is ruined but maybe not....
I think that Carolyn Mackler did a fantastic job on the plot and this book deserves a medal. You can relate to Virginia, she is like your average teenager, except with some problems. You can understand how she feels in the book, or at least I know I did. I felt that I was right next to Virginia, and feeling and seeing what she did.
This is a great book, and I recommend it to everyone. Why? It is written extremely well, a great plot, and you can relate. Now that is some pain points that I look for in a great book, and this is one of them.

Make sure you have time to read it all in one sitting!
I promise you, once you pick up this book you will not want to put it down. Virginia is a girl all teenage girls can easily relate to. She feels she isn't good enough and that she HAD to of been switched at birth. Virginia begins to rebel, and goes against her parent's rules. All teenagers, well girls at least, should read this book and know that to be loved, you have to be who you are.

Coming-of-age with a teenage twist
Virginia Shreeves' journey of self-acceptance and self-discovery is sure to become a favorite novel for any teen, whether they have confidence or lack in that area. Mackler has created a real character with real feelings who deals with the real problems and questions of a real life. THE EARTH, MY BUTT... strays from the usual teenage fluff I'm often drawn to in the Borders/Barnes YA section.

Virginia is insecure for being "larger than average." A so-called romance is heating up between her and Froggy Welsh IV, yet he refuses to acknowledge her outside the Shreeves' apartment, which is where in-between or after-class rendezvous take place. Virginia does not have the self-esteem to realize she deserves a happy and sincere relationship. In fact, sadly enough, she doesn't think she deserves one at all.

Even sadder is her best friend, who recently moved away to Walla Walla, the only person at school Virginia truly connected with. Her brother Byron was once her hero and seemingly perfect with his rugged good looks - but a phone call from Columbia U changes everything. He's been accused of date rape and he returns home, not necessarily a changed person. Viriginia's just beginning to see his true colors and at times, it's a difficult thing to accept.

Byron isn't the only home life problem. Mr. Shreeves openly prefers skinny women, Mrs. Shreeves incessantly fills her plate with salad and only cares about weight, and the only normal family of the Shreeves clan, Anais, Virginia's sister, is away in another country as part of the Peace Corps. What is so ironic is that Mrs. Shreeves is a renown psychologist who talks to adolescents of their problems, yet she cannot seem to address the problems so clearly present in her own family.

As she battles low self-esteem, imperfections, and a seemingly perfect family, she expands her horizons and realizes people can change, not always for the better, and that those who you know can easily jump out and reveal their true selves. The result of that isn't always pretty. She also comes to see that perfect really never is ideal - and that it doesn't exist, for that matter. Readers will rejoice to find a heroine who is just like them or at least a protagonist, with whom they can indeed relate to. There's a little bit of Virginia in all of us, I do believe. ... Read more

Book Description

Make lightning in your room! Keep paper dry under water! Lose weight by going upstairs! See colors that aren’t there! Experience the magic of science with these quick, easy experiments and activities from Jean Potter. You can complete each activity in ten fun-filled minutes or less. Clear, step-by-step instructions and illustrations help you get it right every time. The projects help you learn about everything from why eggs aren’t round to how submarines surface and submerge. You will find most of the required materials already in your home, backyard, or neighborhood, and you can perform the experiments practically anywhere. The 108 activities in this book cover twelve different subject areas, including air, animals, energy, gravity, magnetism, light, the human body, and much more. You’ll make a rainbow right on your floor, pop a balloon with a magnifying glass, make a coffee can roll back to you after you’ve pushed it away, and bend water as it streams from your faucet—all with the help of a leading educator. Children Ages 8–12 ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not all it is cracked up to be
I bought this book for my 3 year old son since he has an interest in science. When I got the book I was disappointed in the experiments listed, such as disecting an osyter and fish. Not that I have problems with that, but I was looking for something that you can find objects around the house and more cause and reaction type thing.

Jean Potter makes science fun
My kids and I love Jean Potter's science books. Not only are the instructions easy to follow, the experiments are always lots of fun. I find I learn as much as my kids!

FUN BOOK FOR KIDS!!!
My children loved this book becasue they had fun with experiments. But my husband and I loved this book because it taught our children science conepts that we could never teach. We used this book until it got raggedy and torn and then my kids insisted on getting another copy!
We highly recommend this book.

Karen and Fred

Science in Seconds for Kids
My children and I have used this book until it has become tattered and torn. Not only are the science activities easy to understand, they are easy to do and don't require any special equipment. I would highly recommend this book...I loved it so much, that I now have a collection of all of this author's books. ... Read more

Book Description

Fifteen-year-old Colie is spending the summer with her eccentric Aunt Mira while her mother travels. Formerly chubby and still insecure, Colie has built a shell around herself. But her summer with her aunt, her aunt's tenant Norman, and her friends at the Last Chance Diner&150teaches her some important lessons about friendship and learning to love yourself. ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Not her best book, and hopefully her worst
After I finished reading this book, I found I really didn't like it. The narrator is kind of boring and whiney. The secondary characters however, are a lot stronger than the main character. Isabel, the pretty waitress, is one of Sarah Dessen's best characters ever. She has great lines, a great personality, and is really well drawn. You could picture her character as a real person; she isn't cliched.
The story, especially for a Sarah Dessen novel, is extremely ordinary and obvious. It's been done ten thousand times over. I like Sarah Dessen's books because most of the time they have unusual storylines. This one is just the typical "former fat girl has low self-esteem but learns that loving who you are is true beauty" plot. It also had the typical "father and son don't get along because the son won't go into the family business" storyline with Norman. This book might still have had a chance to be saved if not for the extremely predictable ending where Colie realizes she's fallen for Norman.
The best part of this book is the "Chick Night". It has great descriptions and is really fun and believable (aside from the cheesy part where they dance around singing "I Will Survive").
Sarah Dessen became my favorite author because she didn't write typical young adult books like this one. She favors an unusual story and memorable characters, and writes great depictions. This book, however, while it has awesome description, is strongly lacking in the other areas.

Dessen lover
I absolutely love Sarah Dessen! Her books are amazing, and really get the point of view of a teenage girl across. This was the last of the 5 of her books that I've read, and I loved it! The main character is a fifteen year old girl named Colie. After loosing 45 and a half pounds on her "recently-slim" mom's new diet plan, Colie finds herself in Colby, North Carolina. There, she is supposed to spend the summer with her Aunt Mira. Colie expects the worst but ends up finding out who she really is, and that even she has the ability to be special. Through the unexpected friendship with Isabel and Morgan, Colie learns that there's more to her than the "used-to-be-fat" and rumored "easy" girl that she has come to be recognized as, as well as the companionship of Norman, artist extrordinar and collector of everything! I sincerely recomned this book to anyone who's ever had or has self-esteem issues, a fan of Dessen, or any girl that wants something to do on a rainy day!

Keeping the Moon.
On her website, Sarah Dessen claims that this book is her favorite of hers because it describes how she was when she was a waitress.

Colie is a young lady who has a famous mother (she has weightloss products galore) and she lost a lot of weight. In the beginning of her life she moved a lot but now she stayed in one place. When she finally lost weight she was caught with a boy looking at the stars but was thought to be having sex with this young man.

She has been called very nasty names and is hated by just about everyone. One summer her mother makes her spend time at her eccentric aunt's home and she finds out what it is like to actually have friends.

In this book Dessen shows how she feels and this is a coming age story.

Keeping The Moon
This is a really great book for many reasons. the first reason is that everyone can relate to the main character because everyone goes through the same things that she does. The second reason is that you start to root for the character to do the right thing.

the main character is Colie, a girl who is sent to to live with her unique aunt in Colby while her mom, a fitness guru, is on a european tour. while in colby she gets a job as a watress and makes friends with two other waitresses and the fry cook. each of these people and her aunt help her realize things about herself that she never took the tiem to notice

Colie fumbles with her confidence
Colie Sparks is now a skinny girl, thanks to help from her internationally renown mom who is fitness guru Kiki Sparks. The two of them have come along way from living inside cars and gorging Twinkies. Now, 45.5 pounds lighter, Collie should have confidence. She should love herself and be ready to face the world and its troubles ahead.

She's not even close to that point.

Colie hates herself and listens to music that hates just as much. She pierced her lip, knowing it couldn't possibly bring her down another rung on the social ladder, being she is as low as she can be. Defenseless as far as wicked and beautiful Caroline Dawes is concerned, she feels ugly and is desperately in need of both a physical and mental makeover.

And she thinks her summer will suck. Being her mother is heading off on a summer tour, she's got no place to put Colie, so she ships her off to her Aunt Mira's in Colby, North Carolina. Aunt Mira, an eccentric woman who has grown to not care of the surrounding towns people's opinions of her, welcomes Colie into her home.

Colie gets a job at the Last Chance Bar & Grill, where she meets Morgan, along with her seemingly snobby best friend, Isabel. However, Isabel is the one who will give the makeover Colie so desperately needs for she too once was an ugly duckling. Colie becomes a pretty girl, a feeling that's wonderful and new and fantastic. That, along with newfound confidence, much courtesy of Isabel, are vindicating of bad self-esteem. At last, Colie feels beautiful. At last, she can stand up to Caroline Dawes and understands her self-worth.

Though this Dessen novel excruciatingly predictable in areas, I did rather enjoy it - it's a worthwhile read overall. The characters are likeable - Isabel turns out to be my favorite in the end, while Morgan, with her men dramas, seems to have somehow dodged Isabel's positive and self-respecting influence. This book is lighthearted and fluffy, a little bit glossed over on some of the issues. Other times, its stance will ring clear and true to readers. ... Read more

Book Description

I am so scared.
I feel like I'm silently screaming for help
and no one pays any attention of tries to hear me.
I can't control anything anymore.
It's all out to get me!

When Kim can't handle things, she eats. Then she purges. Sometimes she fasts. She knows she isn't as thin as the other girls on her gymnastics team, and she's worried that now, away from home for the first time as a college freshman, she won't be able to live up to expectations -- especially her own. Eating is the one thing she can control -- or can she?

Reviews (20)

Not a good read if you want accurate eating disorder info.
Here's yet another diary "edited" by Beatrice Sparks, this one about a seventeen-year-old girl's struggle with eating disorders and the pressure to fit in with the other girls on her college gymnastics team. The book opens up with Kim hoping to get accepted to UCLA, her college of choice. Not only does she get accepted, but she also has an opportunity to join their gymnastics team, something that Kim has always dreamed of. Faced with the pressures of roommates, soririty, gymnastics, keeping her grades up, and other things, Kim starts to feel as if she were fat, ugly and disgusting, so she starts to purge after every meal and occasionally fasts or starves herself at the end of every meal. She writes about the horrible feelings and depression associated with eating disorders, and how she always feels fat no matter what. This book would be a good read if you want to know an eating disorder from the point of view from someone whose been there. The back of the book also includes some basic information and Q&A about anorexia and bulima, although the diary itself does not really give you that much information about eating disorders. I think it would be a good read for anyone who has enjoyed Beatrice Sparks' other diaries, or anyone who wants to read about a fictional girl with an eating disorder.

Brittany Marshalls

Great Read!!!!
Kim: Empty Inside by Beatrice Sparks is a biography and it has 162 pages. It is the diary of a anonymous teenager who is facing day to day problems. College, family, friends, and gymnastics add to all that she thinks is going wrong in her life. But her main problem is eating. She thinks that she is fat so she fasts or she purges. One time she even put her food behind a plant just so her parents would think that she ate even thought she didn't. It was shocking to me to read something like this because I never tought that girls would go this far to fit in or be accepted. I give this book 4 stars because its that truth and everything real.

Not the best...
It would've been a better book if "Kim" wasn't so intensely immature and ignorant. It seems as if it is written by a 13 year old instead of 17 year old. (Actually, I'm 13 and don't write half as stupidly). Not only that, the writing styles and love for CAPITAL LETTERS, phrases like "Wow, that's SUPER!!!" and hundreds of exclamation points is the exact same as Beatrice Sparks' other books she "edited".

Naturally, she wrote it herself, and I'm sure she doesn't realize that most teenagers actually don't sound as silly as Kim, the heroine of the book, does.

The book does have morals and a good plot-line.. it's about a girl's descent into the world of anorexia, purging, and weight-obsession. Yet, I must emphasize, that the writing is so unrealistic, clumsy, and hyperly immature that I could barely look past the flaws to the book's inner depth.

Kim: Empty Inside
An anonymous teenager's diary: 'Kim: Empty Inside' is a lesson for all teens. This powerfull book tells the true story of a weight conscience college girl named Kim. In the diary Kim starts believing weight is everything, and gets so caught up in wanting the "every teens dream body." She starts to lose herself mentally and physically. For being a fit gymnast, Kim's weight should not be an issue. But inside her mind it is. With incredible characters and a powerful storyline, this book touches many. Kim is homesick for her Arizona home when she leaves for UCLA. While trying to fit in, get her love life straight, and just make it through college, she doesn't even notice her dangerous eating disorder. This marvelous story touches all. The true storyline is superb. This novel is for mature 13 year olds and up. Other diaries by anonymous teenagers are 'Go Ask Alice' and 'It Happened to Nancy'.

Excellent book
This was a great book and every girl from the age of 12-21 should read it. Kim is such an ordinary girl; her story could easily be any other girl's story. I was especially moved by her account of the time she ate dog food because she was so desperate from starving herself. What an illness she has, but thank god its curable. I hope anyone who reads this will get help for their eating disorder. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

I loved this book so much
I was in 5th grade 11 years ago and this was one of the books our class was required to read on our reading list and to write a book report on. I could completely relate to this book at the time, because although I never had weight problems like Elsie in the book, I was treated as an outcast in class and could relate to how Elsie must have felt. I think the kids were really mean to her, and her mother was an insensitive individual with no feelings, but once they began to see her for who she really is, Jenny and Diane became friends with her after Jenny started getting math help from her and grew to like her as she got to know her and her struggles better. I liked the parts where they had the sleepover party and how they got into the stranger's car. A good read.

This is a wonderful book...
... I'm 23 years old, and I still love this book. It was an ever present staple of my childhood reading library. This book was my first paperbackpurchase, which I bought after I became really obsessed with the book and was denied from taking it out of the library anymore, because it seemed that I -always- ahd it checked out. This book was absoulutly great because it shows how even "big fat theives" need friends too.

When a girl named Elsie Edwards is a new student in Jenny Sawyers 5th grade class, the class makes fun of her (behind her back of course) because of how heavy she is. When some of the class' lunch money starts disappearing, they discover that it was Elsie who's been taking it. After a while, after Elsie, a math whiz, tutors Jenny in math, Jenny befriends Elsie and so does alot of kids. The ending really shocked me when I first read it, and I know you'll be shocked too!

I highly recommend this book to any parent looking for great reading material for their kids. In fact, I was so shocked to see that Amazon carried this title, that I actually placed a copy of it on my OWN Wishlist, so that my children can enjoy it when they've grown

This book is cool
When I read Nothing's Fair in Fifth grade by Barthe Declements it just got my interest. This book is an excellent and amazing book. Anyone could enjoy reading it. It is about a girl name Jenny when she's in fifth grade. She had a fantastic time before a new girl came. The new girl's name is Elsie. Everyone from the school is making fun of her because she's fat. Elsie has been robbing the school. Elsie is on a strict diet. She is not suppose to even eat one fast food but she did so now she has to eat in the office. The school can't take Elsie anymore. So they want to throw her out of the school. Jenny wants to rescue Elsie from getting kicked out. So she tries some crazy ideas. One of them is to get Elsie skinny. There are about three more ideas. Find out if Elsie gets kicked out of the school or not.

Extremely disappointing
I bought this book on the strength of the reviews I read in Amazon, and all I can guess is that these reviewers are friends of the author because this is not a good book at all. My nine year old daughter and I read it together and she was very upset by the constant ridiculing of Elsie, the fact that the author had to restate over and over again what a freak she was, as fat as a circus act, can't look at her feet, has multiple chins, etc. Okay, we get it, she's fat! Now can we get on to the humanity of the child? The other girls, including the narrator, were unlikeable for so long that we almost didn't care when they started to realize Elsie was a person with feelings. And my daughter was very concerned with Elsie's mother's abuse of her, and very much hoping the mother would come to some kind of understanding of her daughter by the end. I read the last two chapters before she did, and when I told her that no such event occurred she refused to read the end of the book.

As a writer myself, I was disappointed by the author's lack of a grip on story structure. The characters had very little arc, and there were no likeable characters to relate to. In addition, the utterly terrifying chapter where the children are kidnapped by a truck driver and taken outside the city limits has no place in a book like this. Nor did the slap on the wrist outcome by the police. My daughter also was very confused by this.

I respect the opinions of those who liked this book, but I couldn't disagree more.

Nothings Fair In Fifth Grade
My book is called, Nothings Fair in Fifth Grade. I really reached out to this book. It's a kind of a book that teaches a few lessons. If you would read this book you could really learn something.This book is realistic fiction.

In the book Nothings Fair in Fifth Grade, a girl, Emily, just transferred to a different school. She did not have a lot of friends at first but after a while she had a friend named Danny. She helped Emily by being her friend.

My opinion of this book is the book is a great book, because it talks about the important thing every one should do be nice to each other. ... Read more

Book Description

Catundra is a very fat cat, and all the other animals make fun of her. It takes friendship, exercise, and healthy foods for Catundra to be happy again. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Catundra: A delightful book showing kids the importance....
of healthy living through food and exercise. This book teaches children that food should not be an escape from reality, it should be a fuel for our bodies and minds. I read this book as a child and I received a copy as a gift the other day. I don't think that the writer of this book meant for people to take his story as saying that fat people and animals aren't accepted, like so many of you have written. I think he wants us to all learn the importance of healthy living. Catundra is my favorite book in the world.

Stephanie

offensive! Spreading Intolerance and ignorance about obesity
In this book, a cat (very cute cat)is teased and insulted by the other animals who ostracize her for her differences. The book furthers that this is HER fault--after all, she chose to be obese and all she has to do is stop pigging out and excercise and everyone will like her....The harassment this character receives from other animals is considered justifiable because of her appearance--talk about sending the wrong message! And yes, in the end when a young mole appoints himself her personal trainer and decides to teach her that being fat is bad, all the animals do indeed come to like her and feel sorry for the way they acted. Only in a fantasy world.

Teaching tolerance
It is always difficult to look and see the differences. It can also be painful to point them out to persons. I love these books that encourage us to be compasionate and understanding of others situations. If you've never had a weight problem it is difficult to understand, as with other disabilities. Thank you Steven Cosgrove for stepping across the line to teach in a fair and kind way. Lessons can be painful but they put us on the path of knowledge which leads to understanding and acceptance and yet so vital for children to learn.

Very Sad.
I remember this book from when I was a child. The sad illustrations and storyline would cause me to become teary-eyed. It was successful in getting the point across that it is very mean to tease fat kids. I always defended the chubby kids after reading this book. There is one picture in this book that became burned into my memory- of the cat eating a sandwitch with tears running down her face.I could cry just thinking about it!

Fat Cat in Kids' Book Gets Personal Trainer, Self-Worth
My children and I were charmed by the beguiling illustration of a cat on the front cover of Catundra, so we checked it out of the library. Once home, I was dismayed to find that after the first page, I had to rely on improvisation, as the text was simply too offensive to read aloud. The story (as told by Cosgrove) goes like this: there was a rotund female tabby who was tormented by the other animals in "a perfect part of the forest." The other animals ridiculed this cat, which of course led to an eating disorder. She gorged herself on cake and starches until she met a "mole" (my three-year-old took one look at the grey, furry-pawed, long-tailed animal and correctly pronounced it a mouse!) To save his own hide, the male "mole" offers to become Catundra's personal trainer. After forced marches and a crash diet, the cat lost weight, and found new energy. "Most importantly, the other creatures of the forest didn't call her names because she had slimmed down to the prettiest cat they had ... Read more

Reviews (10)

An Okay Read
Jelly Belly is a good book about balance. It's a little bit old...try ,like, 15 years, but is okay. Ned dealing with his weight problem makes readers sympathize with him. He wants to get thin, but he eats and snacks way too much. Then he gets sent to a "fat farm" and meets some new friends. The rest of the book has a very "diary" feel to it, with Ned talking about his weight "changes" (I'm just going to leave it at that...)
The book has a very dated feel to it, thanks to the rather HORRIBLE, cartoony, exagerated, and mis-informed illustrations and the laughable character relationships. For instance, at the "family day" at camp, Ned says "sucks". His dad corrects him...that's pretty 1986. All in all, an okay fat story.

I thought this book was hillarious.
Ned, the main character, is sent to a fat camp. I like his adventures at the camp. I also like his grandmother who keeps telling Ned not to eat sweets. I would recomend this book to kids who want to escape from fat camp.

Fernanda's book review!
This book was about a boy named Nathaniel but they called him "Ned", he was too fat. He was so scared to mean people, and also to a boy at school, and that's why he couldn't take the bus anymore. One day his parents told him that he was going to a camp to lose pounds. He didn't like the idea, but he had to do it. At camp he met a lot of friends and he lost 14 pounds. When he went to camp his weight was 114 punds, so now he was 100 pounds. When he came back from camp, his dad told him that if his weight was 75 pounds, he would take all the family to Disney World. You should read the book to find out if his dad took them to Disney World. I recommend it a lot... Its cool!

very funny- exciting from cover-to-cover!!!
Funny, yet sometimes I wonder why I even read a book a fat kid trying to lose weight. The only answer is that it is funny, exciting, interesting, and suspenseful. You sometimes feel as if you really are Nathaniel.... well, better not give the whole story away, so I'll just finish it.
IT IS A GREAT, SUPER, AWESOME, INCREDIBLE, FANTASTIC BOOK!!! YOU ARE NOT WASTING A PENNY ON IT!!! BELIEVE ME!!! (but not my sister)

Beware of profanity
I am reading this book to my children ages 6, 9, 10.
I was disappointed to run across profanity used by "Richard" in and shocked that "Ned" told his dad that "Camp Lean Too [stunk]".
Needless to say, I've had to modify the story for my children.

We loved the other books by Robert Kimmel Smith such as Chocolate Fever and At War with Grandpa.

Jelly Belly is a disappointment! ... Read more

Book Description

When a hot-tempered dragon seizes the local bridge, the people of

Berryville are cut off from their supply of beloved strawberries until they can

correctly answer three questions related to weight. The grownups of the town

are stumped, but one very smart little girl saves the day with some facts she

learned in school.




... Read more

Reviews (1)

Perfect For Teaching The Concept Of Weight!
With a great ending this book will help to teach kids about weight and entertain them too. Vivid, colorful illustrations and a well-paced story make this a must for primary elementary classrooms! Another great Step into Reading PLUS MATH! ... Read more

Book Description

No collection is complete without the latest adorable additions to the ever-popular, always brimming with personality, Mr. Men and Little Miss family.

He's sick of being the skinniest guy in Fatland. Do Dr. Plump and Mr. Greedy have the cure? ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Feast for the Mind
Mr. Skinny is a skinny fellow. The problem is that he lives in Fatland. Everything there is fat but himself. How will he fit in, being the thin peg in a fat hole world? Thankfully, with the help of a portly doctor, and a suprise cameo by another of the Mr. Men tribe, there is a solution to Mr. Skinny's problem! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ellie is frantic. Her two best friends seem to be living life in thefast lane while she putters along the curb. Glamorous blond Magda has got athousand cute boys buzzing around her, and Goth girl Nadine has just been askedto take part in a national teen modeling contest. All Ellie has are massivepanic attacks about her weight. So she decides to go on a diet. But instead ofcounting calories, Ellie just tries to stop eating altogether. Soon she'sstarving, miserable, and lying all the time to her friends and family. Luckily,a frightening encounter with a real anorectic, and an encouraging dose of arthistory from a handsome new teacher ("Beauty is just fashion. Male artists haveused beautiful women throughout the centuries but their sizes and proportionskeep changing") help Ellie realize that size is just a state of mind.

In this second installment of the Girls trilogy, fabulous British authorJacqueline Wilson keeps her trademark funny bone firmly in place whilesimultaneously raising some sobering questions about issues like eatingdisorders and teens' overemphasis on appearance. Despite the laughs, Ellie verynearly lapses into anorexia, Magda gets a scare when her chronic flirting almostleads to date rape, and Nadine realizes that the modeling business could careless about her individuality or intellect. Wrapping serious messages in a sugarycomical coating is always the best way to make the medicine go down. Recommendedfor those teen female readers who want something both funny and filling.(Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Magnificent
When Ellie comes up with the idea to go shopping for Christmas presents at the mall she doesn't realize there's a model search going on. Soon her two best friends (Magda and Nadine) are dragging her along so they can try out. The only problem? All the girls are so skinny and perfect and Ellie is fat (in her opinion) and not perfect.

Soon Ellie begins to stop eating, and starts throwing up when she does eat. But with the help of a friend (Zoe), who's anorexic and begins slowly killing herself, Ellie realizes that being thin doesn't mean anything, it's what's on the inside that counts.

This is a great book, and I recommend it to all fans of books such as "The Princess Diaries" and "Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging".

Good Book
The book "Girls Under Pressure" was a good book. It was a book about a girl named Ellie. Ellie has a brother named Eggs her dad and a step mom named Anna. She has two best friends, Magda and Nadine. Ellie thinks she is fat and goes on a diet. But this isn't just an ordinary diet where only nutritional food allowed, Ellie stops eating completely. But occasionally when she forgets and ends up stuffing herself, she runs to the nearest bathroom and makes herself throw-up by shoving two fingers down her throat. Magda is obsessed with boys and is the wealthiest out of the three, plus she's an only child. Nadine is the thinnest out of the three and she tries out to be the model on the cover of a magazine, she has a younger sister named Natasha that she can't stand to be around. This book relates to some girls, because some girls think of themselves as fat and end up starving themselves and turning anorexic or bulimic. I would recommend this book because it can help people, especially if they think they're fat.

Not that good
I would not recommend buying this. If you are extremely bored and just looking for a way to pass the time, I suggest checking it out from the library. I have read the first three "Girls" books and this is my least favorite... The characters aren't very likeable in my opinion in any of the books, frankly, they are all way too self centered and just annoying. And the ending seemed like it was cut too short, and not an accurate portrayal of an eating disorder. An anorexic/bulemic doesnt just suddenly decide that she doesnt want to end up that way and simply go eat, its not that easy. I am disappointed in this series and will not waste my time or money on the 4th book.

AWESOME!!!
i have literally reread this book FIVE times. i think out of the GIRLS quartet this book is definitely the best. i couldnt get enough of it. ellie is so hilarious and funny with a brilliant british accent, and yet she also remains very realstic with some very real problems many girls can deal with. i love jacqueline wilson, and among her books this is definitely one of my faves. i esp liked how her family wasnt the perfect little loving extended family that books often have. they definitely arent all angels, esp her father. her conflicts with them, along with her friends, are things i have totally experienced and felt. i dont kno how wilson does it, but she really does remember what life was like as a teen. not just the typical 'Oh im so lonely life sucks' sort of thing a lot of books display, but how teen life really can be hellish, which is shown when ellie struggles thru anorexia. even tho she keeps her sense of humor and the book overall is a fun, quick read, it really does reach out to some complex emotions and hilarious events that reader will LOVE

Not at all good
This book was not good at all! Well, let me take that back. It was rather interesting and semi-accurate in some parts, but in others lagged off and was not at all what one [truly] suffering from an eating disorder would feel/respond like...Maybe this sort of view is as much as can be expected of a fictional book, and by a woman who has probably never had an eating disorder--God forbid--but, I was expecting more. The story's plot faltered at many angles, and, sorry to be redundant, was not at all a correct portrayal of an eating disordered mind. The book ends with the main character seeing the impact of eating disorders and life of Anorexics in an Eating Disorder rehabilitation type setting, and then--not wanting to end up in that same situation--goes off to lunch. At this point, what I would like to call my "what-the-heck" moment came about. What on earth sort of ending was that? Even if she, an eating disordered person, had wanted to stop hurting herself in that way, and wanted to go and eat, there would be no way that she could simply hop up and eat fearlessly. Not without compensatory behaviors afterwards. She could, yes, seek help in her struggle to break free of the chains of an eating disorder--but she could never do it alone. Maybe I am reading into this too thoroughly. Possibly the book was only a fable-type read to persuade girls to love their bodies and themselves...either way, the type of stage that was set was quite inaccurate.

I gave this book two stars for the attempt, and also for it's slightly interesting parts in-between what really sucked to me. If you are looking for a quick read, a true "story" in the fact that it is quite inaccurate and very lacking in information, this is for you.

(...) ... Read more

Book Description

Move over J.Lo! Thanks to Gordo's latest student film project, Lizzie and Miranda are about to star in their own music video. That's until Gordo shows the girls some photos he took of them during a rehearsal and Miranda totally freaks, claiming she looks way too fat. Can Lizzie help her friend come back to reality before Miranda starves herself? Plus, Gordo gets a complex of his own, when he starts thinking he's not tall enough. ... Read more

Book Description

Beauty pageant winner, homecoming queen--Lara has the world at her feet.Until she gets fat.

Despite a strict diet and workout schedule, Lara is soon a nameless, faceless, 200-pound-plus teenage blimp.She's desperate to get her to-die-for body back--and to find an explanation for her rapid weight gain.

When she's diagnosed with a mysterious metabolic disorder that has no known cure, Lara fears she'll spend the rest of her life trapped in a fat suit.Who will stand by her?Her image-conscious family?Her shallow friends?Her handsome boyfriend?Or will she be left alone in the land of the fat girls? ... Read more

Reviews (131)

this book rocked
The fascinating book that i read is about a girl named Lara Ardeche with a perfect life that drastically changes. She's a junior in high school and has just won Homecoming queen. She weighs 118 and has been in many different beauty pageants. Her life turns upside down to her when she keeps gaining weight. This continues to the point that she weighs 218 lbs. She doesn't know what to do. She tried different diets,barfing, laxatives and even not eating at all. Nothing works. Her parents are having marital problems and she dumps her boyfriend Jett. Her best friend molly used to weigh a lot more than her and now she weighs more than her best friend. One doctor finally tells her that she might have Axell-Crowne syndrome. This is a disease that causes you to gain weight no matter how much you eat. And if you don't eat at all then you gain more faster. Her family soon finds out that her dad is having an affair they all move to Michigan so he doesn't see this Tamara woman again. She starts her senior year at a new school but ends up making friends with the geeks. She has a thing for piano so she starts taking private lessons and ends of meeting a ton i great new friends. This really starts to make her feel better about herself. She starts to like her life more and even starts losing weight. The disease might be wearing off. I would recommend this book ro people who like teen fiction. Read to see if her family stays together.

Life in the Fat Lane- Adolecent Novel Review
Life in the Fat Lane is 260 pages long, with 19 chapters and takes about 4 hours to read. The reading level is 5.2 and the interest level is for grades 9-12. I don't recommend this book for anyone who is below the 9th grade because of issues with body image, family relations and minor adult content. While this book's genre is coming of age, I would recommend it mostly for female readers. Life in the Fat Lane has a lot of dialog between characters and is extremely detailed. This novel could easily be made into a movie. The story is through the eyes of Lara Ardeche. The reader reads what she is cognitively thinking, what she says, and discovers all events as Lara encounters them. The overall theme for Life in the Fat Lane is that self acceptance is more important than if others accept you or do not accept you. I liked this book and enjoyed reading it.

Life in the FAT Lane -- AMAZING NOVEL !!!
As a teenager I love reading books that I can relate to, and Life in the Fat Lane is the best, addicting, funny, amazing, realistic, favorite book I have read in my fourteen years of life. In a weird way I can relate to the book, how the character, Lara, thinks, and the problems that surround her. How life is not perfect, and everybody has issues that you can overcome. I could not stop reading this book, I actually got involved with the book and understood every single thing about it. I liked how it read in the novel how a doctor felt more superior to its patient because he had gotten AIDS from a needle and not transmitted sexually, and how should Lara not feel superior to other fat people because she had a disease and that was her excuse. When I finished the book, I just felt like reading more, reading actually became more interesting for me, I discovered I liked reading books that I could relate to, novels that include real life problems. This is the best novel I have ever read! I really look foward into reading more novels from Cherie Bennett.

endings..
totally for
anybody.
beautifully written
with the most wanted position in high school society to
another aspect

Cherie Bennett captured it all.

Body Changes Causes Teenager to See the World Differently
Life in the Fat Lane is an interesting book that tells of the life of a teenager whose mind and body changes due to a metabolic disease. Lara Ardeche, a former beauty pageant contestent, has been diagnosed with a disease known as Axel-Crowne. She gains an immense amount of weight in a short period of time and goes through social problems with her family and friends. The elements setting and style, theme, and characters make this book interesting and captures you in the story.

The setting changes throughout the story making it seem that Lara is a real girl. Living in Nashville, Tennesee opens up many opportunities for Lara. Before Lara gains weight, she is submerged in beauty pageants and surrounded by friends and family concerned about self image. When she gains weight, family problems emerge and the family moves to Michigan to start a new life. She learns to make new friends and contiue with her life.

Cherie Bennett's writing style is distinct from other authors. The chapter titles are the weight that Lara is and the last chapter is open ended and left for you to determine.

During the book the theme is forced at the reader many times. However it doesn't keep the reader from enjoying the book, the theme does teach a valuable lesson about prejudice and intolerance.

The characters within the story are very well delineated due to the great thought provoking words Bennett put together. Main characters in the story are important to the meaning and understanding of the book.

This book is hard to put down and would be a joy to read for any age group. Due to the wonderful elements that bring together the book, we give Life in the Fat Lane 4 stars. ... Read more

Book Description

Arthur Woodbury is tired of being called fat.So he¹s purchased a special product that is supposed to help him lose weight.But when he puts on the helmet like the instructions say, his world vanishes before his eyes.Now he is trapped in REM World, a place where nothing is as it seems. And it¹s not enough just to find his way home. By entering REM World, Arthur accidentally released a terrible creature called Nothing and it¹s now up to Arthur to save the world! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A fun Fantasy
I think this book is a brilliant piece of work with a lot of fun parts.
The author writes about what we can relate to ,and what we like to read
about in a book. This book is a very interesting fantasy. In this book a boy
named Arthur Woodburry finds in a magazine an ad where we can go to
sleep fat ,and wake up thin. So he bought the device and he put it on ,and he
went to sleep. Then he woke up and he wasn't thin. He took the device and
threw it at the floor and he said what a waste. He walked out of his room ,and he was in a beach. He looks back and there is no door. Then he meets a
creature called morph who is his guide. Arthur does not have his helmet on
,so he does not have a way to go back home. So he goes on a journey to find a way home . I give this book two thumbs up.

REM WORLD is a fascinating book about....
REM WORLD is a fascinating book that will spark the imagination of those who read it. After many years of being called nicknames such as Biscuit Butt, Goodyear Blimp, and Jelly Belly, Arthur Woodbury decides that he is to be fat no more. He buys a losing weight device that garuntees that you will go to sleep fat, and wake up thin. But when Arthur wakes up, he finds himself in a fantasy world full of creatures he has never seen before. When Arthur finds out that he has let out the Nothing, which will destroy everything in the universe, he must find a way back home and save the universe. With the help of his guide Morf, Arthur faces many challenges throughout his journey. Will Arthur save the universe from the Nothing? Find out by reading this great book that I recommend for all ages.

One of the strangest books I have ever encountered
Make no mistake, I like strange books and fantasy, but REM WORLD had one of the most peculiar storylines I've ever heard. it is about a boy named Arthur (or "Biscuit Butt" as the kids at school have dubbed him) who sees an ad in the back of a comic book for a helmet that, when you fall asleep with it on, makes you thin. Naturally Arthur orders it, and falls asleep in his basement with it on.

He wakes up in a different world still wearing the helmet. He takes the helmet off, and when it disappears, Arthur's adventures start, because without the helmet he needs a new way to return home. Galump, the leader of these giant toadlike creatures who live in REM world, alerts Arthur to another problem: Arthur is still REALLY asleep in his basement in OUR world, and because the Arthur in REM world got rid of the Helmet, there are now two Arthurs in two different worlds, which causes Nothing to come. The Nothing is sort of like a blackness that just eats away at the universe, destroying everything. Of course, its up to Arthur to find a way home so he can get rid of the Nothing.

Arthur has quite a journey and meets up with many strange characters, like Morf, who was dry and cardboardish but still rather amusing, and the Cloud People. The story had an extremely rushed and fast pace, with short chapters. All the action happened quickly; never did it slow down and dwell for long on anything. Although many chapters ended in cliffhangers, I did not feel much suspense. REM World was a quick read for me, and although it wasn't GREAT, I still enjoyed it.

Loved it
I loved this book. Arthur enters the magical REM world. This science fiction novel has great characters ranging from Cloud People to Morf. It definitely ranks with Philbrick's Freak the Mighty in my book. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very enlightening and entertaining
This book is about a small boy who's elephant is taken from him by the Emperor. In order to get his elephant back, the Emperor challenges the boy and his village to come up with the elephant's exact weight. The boy lives a simple life but is not to simple to outsmart the Emperor. The challenge was believed to be an impossible one, however the boy uses basic logic to come up with a method to weigh the elephant and is reunited with the elephant after providing his correct weight to the Emperor. The book is touching and thought provoking and the art work is excellent as well. A book I would highly recommend for your children.

Terrific !
A discovery of a scientific principle, inside marvelous story.The watercolors set the mood beautifully.A winner for ALL ages ! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Roxie's Review
When Mama Elephant put the family on a diet, their will power remains strong until Grammy sends a cake. With the jogging before breakfast and the jogging after school there isn't much time to think about food, the Elephant family is sure to lose weight, right? Wrong! Maybe Elephants are meant to be fat! The illustrations are very good. Each has terrific deatail and facial expression. A warning is due for this book however because of the focus on weight loss. I'm not so sure the book goes about the issue as sensitively as it should. The first words of the text are "I'm Fat." Although Mama stresses the Elephant family should "get fit," not lose weight, the focus is still on being fat. Knowing the damage being called fat can cause, this book should be read in an educated manner if you choose to read it to your child. After reading it, try to have a short discussion of the healthy foods the Elephant family could eat instead of cake.

Brilliant
An excellent book, both for reading to children and for new readers to read themselves. The antics of the Large Family will have you in stitches! ... Read more

Book Description

How, in a boat that only holds 100 pounds, can a boy transport himself, a dog, and assorted gear that weigh more than that?

Math Concept: Weight ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Wonderful
I bought this book when it first came out, when I was in the sixth grade, and had just entered middle school. It was around this time that I was beginning to learn about the dangers of eating disorders, drugs, and alcohol in Health class. This book make a nice learning supplement.

Judi wants desperately to be thin, because she thinks that she's fat. However, reading her diary, you see that she is just an average girl: her height and weight are average, and she should have nothing to fear. Leslea Newman captures the effects of peer pressure and the want to be thin wonderfully. Judi soon drowns in a world where the perfect weight is 100 pounds, and she will stop at nothing to acheive that goal.

Now, six years later, I still read this book with fervor; the only difference is that it takes only one or two nights to get through it, as opposed to the week and the half I spent reading it before. I look in the mirror and don't always like what I see, but keeping this book in mind, I will never try to get thin by becoming bulimic or anorexic.

Fat Chance
Judi Lebowitz always dreamed of being thin. Since she was on the heavy side, she would do almost anything to look like the models on the covers of magazines. Judi tried every diet int he book, but none of them worked. One day in the bathroom at school she heard someone throwing up. It was her classmate and idol Nancy Pratt. Nancy let Judi in on her "dieting" secret. Judi thought that if the most popular girl in the school could throw up and lose weight, why couldn't she. As of that day Judi started to binge and purge. No one knew about it except for Nancy. In a weird way, this started their friendship. Judi hid this from her mom and from her best friend Monica. In school, Judi kept a diary for and English class assignment. In her diary she wrote down all of her feelings and thoughts on subject such as, school, boys, friends, and her body image. One day when Nancy was throwing up after lunch and Judi was guarding the doorway, Judi thought that Nancy was taking longer than usual. When Judi finally got the door open, she found Nancy on the floor passed out. After that incident, Judi swore that she would never throw up again, but she wa unable to keep that promise. The next few days, Nancy was in the hospitals recovering. Read the book to see what happends to Judi and Nancy. I think that Judi was the most interesting character because she took the readers for a journey through her mind. While you read, you feel like you know Judi like a best friend. I would definitely recommends this book. I think that people in their teens could relate to this book. I think that everyone thinkgs that they need to fix their body image, or they find some sort of flaw. I would give this book two outstanding thumbs up!

Surviving 6th-8th Grade
Fat Chance by Leslea Newman was an awesome book. This book is about a girl named Judi Lebowitz in 6th-8th grade. Judi thinks that she is fat and will do almost anything to be skinny. One day she went into the bathroom and herd someone throwing up. She asked if they were ok and shecouldn't believe her eyes when the most popular girl in school Nancy Pratt walked out. Judi asked Nancy if she was ok and that is when it all happined. Nancy Pratt let Judi in on her 'dieting' secret (binging.) Judi figured that if the most popular girl in school did it then why couldn't she? So from then on Judi and Nancy covered for each other while they did their 'buisness.' Their signal was holding two fingers up and moving their hand up and down. Judi decided that binging might not be such a great idea when Nancy was taking longer than usual in the bathroom. So she decided to check up on her and found her passed out in the bathroom stall. Judi promised that she would not ever throw up again. This did not seam to work for long. Read the book to find out what happins to Judi and Nancy. Do they stop for good or keep binging? This book is very suspensful. It keeps you on the edge of your seat untill the end. I reccomend this book mainly to girls and I just want every girl to know that even if you might be big people still love you and care for you. You might get teased but there are still people in this world who do not care for your size or shape or color they love you for who you are.

One Fat Mistake
The book Fat Chance is about a girl Named Judi Liebowitz. She is a normal teenage girl in the 8th grade who is so worried about her body and wants to lose weight and want to become the prettiest girl in school. She has tried every diet in the book and she starts this new diet and she keeps on eating and can't stop. But then one day she goes into the bathroom and hears a person throwing up, and you won't belive who it was. It was the prettiest and most popular girl in school. Her name is Nancy Pratt. She is so skinny and pretty and Judi wants to be friends with her. Nancy told her that is how she is so skinny. Then Judi trys this and that started her new friendship with Nancy Pratt. But then one day when Judi was guarding the door she knew that something was up because Nancy was taking way to long and when she was opening the door she saw the Nancy was sprawled out on the floor and passed out. But now Judi's life is out of control and she is between life and death. You have to read the book to find out what happens. My feelings about this book is very strong. This book is so happy at the begining but them when she is talking about her weight and she is being negative toward herself. I would recommend this book to someone who is struggling with his/her weight. This book isn't just for girls. It can be for anyone who is haiving trouble with their body image. The climax for this story is when Judi finds Nancy Pratt in the bathroom throwing up. You wouldn't think that one day you would find the most popular girl in school who purges her food to lose weight.

The girl who had a problem
This story is about a girl named Judi who thinks she is fat. One day she goes in to the bathroom and hears a popular girl named Nancy throwing up. Judi askes Nancy if she is alright and Nancy says that throwing up helps her to keep skinny. At first Judi thinks it is gross but then she starts throwing up. She tries to stop but she can't. One day in the bathroom Nancy is throwing up and she faints. You will have to read the book to find out what happens to Nancy and Judi! ... Read more

Book Description

I used to have a mother, and a friend, and anotherfriend. Now I got relationships.

Elvin Bishop is fourteen--an official Young Adult. Having barely survived the sports camp that he and his best friends, Frankie and Mikie, attended in SLOT MACHINE, Elvin is actually ready for high school to begin. Or so he thinks.

Suddenly, he's hurled into a whole now social scene, where relationships-the right relationships--are the name of the game. Leave it to Elvin to fall for exactly the wrong kind of girl--the kind of girl who is definitely not a part of any guy's cool plan. And that's just the beginning of his problems. With an appetite that forces him to shop at the Big and Tall, a mother who still talks to her long-dead husband, and a nasty case of hemorrhoids, is becoming cool something that Elvin can even pull off?

00-01 Tayshas High School Reading List

Reviews (11)

All teenagers must read this book
This book tells it how it is. This is Lynch's best book yet. An extremley funny, overweight teen named Elvin has a hilarious adventure with girls, friends and parties. A must have for all teenagers. You will never put this book away before you're done. I read it and I can relate to almost anything that happened to him. Any Jr. High or High school student will love this book. I recomend this book to everyone. Enjoy!

Extreme Elvin is Extremely Funny
Elvin is an overweight kid who is starting high school. Unlike his two best friends Frankie and Mike, he is not prepared for what high school has in store for him. He is overwhelmed by the concept of his weight, meeting girls at the school dance, and the peer pressure of some high school seniors wh