About Me

I'm the school librarian at G.S. Lakie Middle School. As you can see - me, reading and comfy chairs go way back. I still enjoy Asterix and many other graphic novels. My main reason for blogging is for reviewing books for the students and anyone else that might be interested in YA literature.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Food, Girls and Other Things I Can't Have


Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff

I think this might be my favourite book this summer, I don't know, there was just something about it that made me laugh, believe in the characters and cheer with how things turned out. I've got it ordered for our library, so be patient in the mean time here is the summary from the publisher.
Summary:
Food, Girls and Other Things I Can't Have is the story of a boy who doesn't fit -- in his pants, in his family, in his school or in his life. If Andrew Zansky can only be thin enough, smart enough, or popular enough, he thinks everything in his life will be perfect. His father will come back home. The pretty girl in school will fall in love with him. His Mom will be happy again.
While he is working to achieve this fantasy future, Andrew eats. A lot. He buries his problems in his mom's mini-snacks, analyzing his world while stuffing down his feelings. "When I chew loud enough," he says "I can't hear myself think. It's like a little vacation." Food, Girls and Other Things I Can't Have follows Andrew's journey to self awareness and self-acceptance (by unexpectedly joining the high school football team.) By the end of the story , Andrew stops living in his head, and starts participating in life. Perhaps most importantly, he comes to understand that feeling different doesn't make him weird or special, it makes him just like everyone else.

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