The Secret Fruit of Peter Paddington

by Brian Francis

Peter Paddington is in the eighth grade and has a big problem: he's fat. At 204 pounds, he's developed "man boobs," which include rather large nipples. Did I tell you that his nipples talk to him?

At heart, this is the story of a young man struggling with his weight, as well as discovering his sexuality. That's a lot to deal with, particularly when surrounding by family members at war and cruel classmates.

Peter finds solace in his newspaper route and his foul-mouthed friend, Daniela. And chocolate bars. A lot of chocolate bars.

This was a fun and quick read. Peter is an endearing protagonist, who never overdoes it with adolescent angst.

8/5/08