Losing It - Softcover

Fry, Erin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1477816682 ISBN 13: 9781477816684

Publisher: Two Lions, 2013

Synopsis

Bennett Robinson loves baseball, especially watching Dodgers games with his dad while munching on burgers and fries—the perfect “game food.” Baseball even helped Bennett and his dad get over his mom’s death from cancer. But there’s no way Bennett could ever play baseball. Bennett is fat, the kind of fat that gives you belly button sweat stains and makes it tough to get off a sagging couch. But on one perfect, baseball-watching day, everything changes. Bennett’s dad is taken away on a stretcher, and Bennett doesn’t know if he will live or die. Now Bennett has to move in with know-it-all Aunt Laura. And she’s making it her personal mission to Get Bennett Healthy. Bennett knows that Aunt Laura will take over his entire life if he lets her. It’s time for Bennett to step up to the plate. Because maybe there are some things a Fat Boy can do...like talk to a girl, run a mile, and maybe even save his own life. Erin Fry explores the issue of obesity with heart, depth, and humor in this unforgettable debut novel.

About this title

About the Author:

Erin Fry ran her first mile—gasping and barely shuffling—at age thirty-two. Since then she and her running shoes have become a dynamic duo, eventually conquering the L.A. Marathon. When Erin’s not running, she’s often writing about running, coaching kids who like to run, or driving one of her three kids to cross-country practice. She is also a curriculum writer, book reviewer, kickboxing instructor, and teacher. Losing It is her first novel for middle-grade readers. She lives in Glendora, California, with her family. Learn more about the author: www.erinmfry.com and www.erinmfry.blogspot.com

From School Library Journal:

Since his mom died when he was five, Bennett and his dad have been enough for each other. Their favorite pastime is cheering on the Dodgers in front of the TV with burgers and fries close at hand. Then his father has a stroke, and Bennett goes to live with relatives. At first he resents Aunt Laura’s controlling nature as she cuts fast food from his diet and encourages him not so subtly to lead a healthier lifestyle. But seeing his dad in a coma has shaken him. Uncle Jim suggests they start walking together, and soon Bennett is jogging. His interest is sparked when he sees cross-country team flyers at school, and he apprehensively attends the first meeting of the season. As he gets involved in the sport, he has moments of sheer misery when he wants to quit, but the dawning realization that he is improving enables him to stand up to being harassed and to better help his father through a slow recovery. Even when his best friend, also overweight, tries to discourage him from his new interests, Bennett perseveres. While this story tackles serious topics, it is not heavy-handed: Bennett is engaging, and readers will recognize many of the challenges that he faces. The way that he matures as he juggles visits to his convalescing father with his other commitments and learns to appreciate his extended family is believable and inspiring. Fry has a great ear for middle school dialogue, and her light, humorous touch will ensure that readers keep turning the pages until the uplifting conclusion. —School Library Journal November 2012 Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA

About this edition

• Publisher: Two Lions
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1477816682
• ISBN 13: 9781477816684
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 261