Tuesday, June 24, 2025

A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner

 

A Work in Progress   by Jarrett Lerner  361 pages

Will is the only round kid in a school full of string beans. 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 knows he doesn't have a chance with -- string beans only date string beans -- 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. 


Very fast read.  Addresses a topic that I know is important to teens, but very hard to read.  It shows how an overweight teen feels on the inside and how words DO hurt! 

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