A young boy struggles with body image in this poignant middle grade
journey to self-acceptance told through prose, verse, and
illustration.
Will is the only round kid in a school full of string beans. So he
hides...in baggy jeans and oversized hoodies, in the back row during
class, and anywhere but the cafeteria during lunch. But shame isn't the
only feeling that dominates Will's life. He's also got a crush on a girl
named Jules who knows he doesn't have a chance with--string beans only
date string beans--but he can't help wondering what if?
Will's best shot at attracting Jules's attention is by slaying the Will
Monster inside him by changing his eating habits and getting more
exercise. But the results are either frustratingly slow or infuriatingly
unsuccessful, and Will's shame begins to morph into self-loathing.
As he resorts to increasingly drastic measures to transform his
appearance, Will meets skateboarder Markus, who helps him see his body
and all it contains as an ever-evolving work in progress.