Description

A young boy struggles with body image in this poignant and perceptive (Publishers Weekly, starred review) middle grade journey to self-acceptance told through prose, verse, and illustration. Will is the only round kid in a school full of thin ones. So he hides…in baggy jeans and oversized hoodies, in the back row during class, and anywhere but the cafeteria during lunch. But shame isn t the only feeling that dominates Will s life. He s also got a crush on a girl named Jules who he knows he doesn t have a chance with, because of his size–but he can t help wondering what if? Will s best shot at attracting Jules s attention is by slaying the Will Monster inside him by changing his eating habits and getting more exercise. But the results are either frustratingly slow or infuriatingly unsuccessful, and Will s shame begins to morph into self-loathing. As he resorts to increasingly drastic measures to transform his appearance, Will meets skateboarder Markus, who helps him see his body and all it contains as an ever-evolving work in progress.