Bibliographic Information:
Going, K. L. Fat Kid Rules the World. New York: Penguin Putnam Books, 2003.
Plot Description: Troy is an overweight teenager just trying to get through high school. He doesn’t have any friends, his brother is constantly bugging him, and he knows he is a disappointment to his father. One day he is standing over the subway tracks not far from his home in Manhattan when he strikes an unlikely friendship with Curt, a homeless rock star legend he knows from school. When Curt asks Troy to drum for his punk band, Suddenly Troy’s life doesn’t seem so bleak as he follows Curt’s lead to become more than just some “fat kid.”
Quantitative Reading Level: Lexile 700, GL 4.3
Qualitative Reading Analysis: This book follows a simple, chronological text structure, with a fairly predictable storyline. The language is accessible to the average teen, although it includes swear words and many musical and rock band references. Sentence structure is mostly simple with some complex sentences. And while the meaning in the story is straightforward, the themes and life experiences are pretty heavy – drugs and alcohol, depression, suicidal thoughts, and the loss of a parent.
Content Area: English Language Arts, Reading Literature
Content Area Standard(s):
CCSS for Reading Literature, Grades 9-10: 2) Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text; 3) Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
Curriculum Suggestions: Despite the lower quantitative reading levels, the themes in this book are challenging and thus I would recommend it as an independent reading assignment for a mature high school student, possibly one who expresses a love for rock music.
Supporting Digital Content: Movie clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vfstM5G12A; Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEpw8FrDLt0
Subjects/Themes: Depression, suicide, drugs and alcohol, friendship, obesity, bullying
Personal Thoughts: Troy makes several offensive sexual references to women in the text that I’d invite students to think critically about.
booksareforlovers 