Fat Kid Rules the World
Grade 8 Up-The opening lines of this first-person narrative immediately hook readers as they enter the lonely, troubled, self-deprecating world of Troy Billings, a 296-pound 17-year-old who contemplates ending his life by jumping off a New York City subway platform. He is interrupted by Curt MacCrae, a legendary punk-rock guitarist and sometime-student at W. T. Watson High School. When Curt connects with him and "saves his life," Troy is amazed that someone, especially someone as cool as Curt, wants to befriend him. An unlikely, almost symbiotic relationship develops between these two. Curt convinces Troy to be the drummer in his band, even though he hasn't touched the drums since seventh grade. He is flattered by the suggestion and believes that being in the band could be his key to acceptance. Troy's voice is candid, irreverent, realistic, and humorous. He imagines the events of his life in facetious headlines always related to his weight. Curt himself is the product of a dysfunctional family, and he has plenty of problems of his own, including a reliance on drugs. Going has created three-dimensional characters whose behavior rings true. There are many unexpected twists and turns, including the horrifying and hysterically gross depiction of Troy's first gig. Fans of Joyce Carol Oates's Big Mouth & Ugly Girl (HarperCollins, 2002) will love this wonderful, engrossing tale.Starred ReviewRenee Steinberg, Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.