The Supervillain's Guide to Being a Fat Kid by Matt Wallace (Bump) is heartfelt, reassuring and gracefully humorous, and spotlights the benefits of body positivity via a clever protagonist desperate to assert his worth.
Eleven-year-old Max is bullied for being fat. He won't tell teachers ("what they think is bullying is a lot different from what I think it is") or his mom (her getting sad won't help him) so he writes to his hero, a fat supervillain named Master Plan, asking for advice. "Other kids don't see me the way I see me," shares Max, who wants his classmates to give him a chance. What ensues is a dynamic mentor-apprentice relationship that equips Max with the faculty to ward off his nemesis and befriend his crush. As his bullies' attentions drift away, his fear subsides. But soon, he's not sure that being left alone is a big enough goal.
Max's authentic voice shows the difficulties victims of bullying endure--he avoids normal activities (changing for PE class, looking in mirrors) and copes by cooking because it "shut[s] his brain off"--and his struggles ("anything cool is never in my size") acknowledge social discrimination against fat people. Luckily, Master Plan is there to correct harmful stereotypes, like "people of size are weaker or less intelligent" than their thinner peers. This fun, well-paced and smartly structured middle-grade novel is packed with insightful commentary on how simply existing when different can be a challenge. Wallace exemplifies how, with the necessary support system, tools and motivation, kids can regain or maintain self-esteem when allowed to harness their individuality. --Samantha Zaboski, freelance editor and reviewer