So it's not a stretch to be standing on the wrong side of the yellow line giving serious thought to whether people would laugh if I threw myself in front of the F train. And that's the one thing that can't happen. People can't laugh. Even I deserve a decent suicide.

When Troy Billings meets skinny, semi-homeless, punk rock guitar prodigy Curt MacCrae on the subway platform he's contemplating whether throwing himself in front of a train would constitute a decent suicide. Soon Troy is buying lunch for his quirky, unreliable, dirty would-be savior. With a little lie, or so he thinks, here and there, Troy, the Fat Kid, finds himself being unwittingly propelled way outside his comfort zone and into Curt MacCrae's band. Thus begins Troy's journey to discovering that people aren't always what they seem including himself.

In Troy and Curt, Going has created a pair of all-too-human, realistic, and awesome characters. In the first person narration, Troy's voice is totally convincing. The story is full of his self-effacing wit, his considerable doubts and fears, his total befuddlement that this school legend of sorts, has, for some reason, chosen him, the Fat Kid to be his drummer. Troy barely sees himself as person, rather as the Fat Kid, and that someone considers him capable of doing something, anything other than huffing or jiggling or any of the rest of that "Fat Kid" stuff, catches him terribly by surprise.

And Curt. Curt is a brilliantly drawn character as well. Here's a kid that projects this self-assured street smart "I don't care what you think of me" sort of vibe, and yet, through Troy's eyes, despite Troy's total ignorance of it, emerges this scared, vulnerable, homeless kid for whom the only certainties in life are that things won't work out and that people can't be counted on. Troy needs someone to teach him his own worth, and Curt needs someone to be rock steady, and little does either of them know that that's what they need much less if they can be that for each other.

"That moment when you see through all the bullshit?" he says a moment later. "That's what punk music is all about. That's what anything great is all about. We're all just stuffing out faces, no matter what we look like, and people need to figure that out. When you can play that moment, you've got it."

This is a great story. It hooks you from the moment it begins. It's an unabashed look at really real characters. K.L. Going sets such incredible scenes and conveys poweful moments with few words, but not too few, and it all just works, and it definitely sees through all the bullshit.

I laughed, I cried, I loved it. ( )

Troy Billings is an overweight, unhappy seventeen-year-old contemplating suicide when a dirty, skinny stranger distracts him. The teenager identifies himself as Curt MacCrae, a local high school legend and phenomenal musician. Troy is fascinated by Curt’s strange behavior, and drawn to him out of awe for his talent and also because Troy doesn’t have any friends. Curt convinces Troy to join his band, even though he hardly knows how to play the drums. Troy is sure Curt will dump him, but against all odds and in spite of Troy’s urging to the contrary, Curt is determined to be Troy’s friend and teach him to play the drums. But Curt has problems of his own; he is homeless and addicted to drugs. Troy knows he has to do something, or Curt will die, but he is afraid he will lose his only friend and the purpose and direction he has found as a member of a punk band.

K.L. Goings does an impressive job of depicting the emotional, physical, and social difficulties of being an overweight teenager. Fat Kid Rules the World is a quick read with a lot of humor that is equally funny and heartbreaking. Overall the theme is a typical one, a teenager trying to find their place and voice, but I enjoyed the change in scenery via punk band instead of through a boyfriend/girlfriend or sports. I also though Going’s treatment of a teenager struggling with addiction was honest, only simplifying the seriousness of the disease just a little. Overall a very enjoyable read. ( )

Troy, aka The Fat Kid, is on the brink of suicide when he first meets Curt McCray. Curt is a punk rock god. He is a talented musician; unfortunately, the rest of his life is a disaster. He is homeless, using prescription pills, and is full of lies to try to get through the day. He is also full or talent and ideas. Troy is just the opposite. He is so self-conscious and lives in his head all the time. Troy got fat after the death of his mother and thinks his fatness defines his life. At times I got sick of his whining and insecurity, but eventually, he gets it together to move toward self acceptance. Curt and Troy come together as a punk rock band. A journey into friendship, self-discovery, saving someone, and rock and roll. ( )

Reviewed by Cana Rensberger for TeensReadToo.com

Troy knows that everyone is watching him. And laughing at him. Of course they are. At seventeen years old and almost 300 pounds, wearing what appears to be the same pair of tan pants daily, every move he makes is laughable. Will he be able to get out of the car? How many burgers will he eat? Even his effort to breathe is laughable as he huffs and puffs his way along.

He worries that he smells. You don’t understand. It’s not that he’s a pig or anything, he just has a hard time fitting in the shower.

Poised over the subway tracks, Troy contemplates whether he can find a form of suicide that will be so serious, so severe, that no one will laugh. Enter Curt. Semi-homeless teen, school dropout, legend at his high school, and uber amazing guitar player, Curt attaches himself to Troy after saving him from the tracks. He’s an itch that can’t be scratched, a tick burrowing under the skin. Before Troy realizes it, he’s agreed to buy Curt dinner and join his band as a drummer, even though he hasn’t played since seventh grade.

Who is he kidding? He can’t do this. He sees it in the eyes of his perfect kid brother, Dayle, as well as his military dad, the “disappointed dysfunctional parent."

But with Curt’s help, Troy learns to look past himself. He finds support in unexpected places. But it’s not until Curt is hospitalized that Troy finally has the guts to really take a risk.

This is a fast-paced book. K. L. Going immerses the reader in the world of punk rock through the eyes of the fat kid who yearns to have people really look at him. She has a great sense of humor that shines with lines of comparison, like when Troy compares himself to Dayle before the big gig. Troy thinks Dayle looks like he’s “ready to win the Super Bowl, while I’m ready to heave into one." Ms. Going does an amazing job of getting into the psyche of the fat kid. There is a fair amount of rough language, but even so, this book rocks! ( )

Going, K. L. Fat Kid Rules the World. 2003. G. P. Putnam’s Sons: New York.

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Themes: Drugs, Sexual Situations, Self-Esteem/Obesity, Suicide, Music.

Reading Level: Juvenile Grades 7-9, Ages 12-14

Awards:
Michael L. Printz Honor Book (2004)
Young Reader's Choice Award 2006
South Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee (2005-2006)
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice (2006)
Printz Honor (2004)
ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2004)
BCCB Blue Ribbon Book (2003)
ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (Own Your Freak, 2005)
ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (Bodies, 2010)

Plot Summary:
The book opens with our protagonist, Troy, a three hundred pound senior, standing on the platform waiting on the subway, contemplating jumping in front of the oncoming subway train. He is stopped by Curt MacCrae, a local high school legend/dropout. MacCrae then informs Troy that he owes him dinner for saving his life.
Curt is a guitar legend at Troy’s school, and is a dropout who mysteriously reappears occasionally on campus. Curt informs Troy that he is starting a new band and that Troy is his new drummer. Curt takes Troy to a club called “the dump” to watch his first punk rock concert. As the book progresses, Troy gains glimpses into Curt’s addiction. His addiction and erratic behavior leaves Troy confused and paranoid that Curt will stop hanging out with him, pushing Troy back to obscurity.
The “band” gets booked to play at the dump, and as it approaches Troy becomes more and more nervous, which leads him to throw up on stage as the gig begins. The embarrassment causes Troy to return to his shell and cut off contact with Curt. Eventually, Troy goes to find Curt. Curt is rather sick, sleeping in an abandoned subway station. Curt is hospitalized and Troy forces Curt to confront his addiction by convincing his father to let Troy live with them. Curt’s initial reaction is one of suspicion and distrust, but through the actions of Troy and his father, the book closes with Curt agreeing to try to stay clean.

Critique:
The novel fit so many characteristics, that it is hard to begin this section. Obviously, the drug addiction plays the part of the “problem” in the problem novel, but the book deals with other issues that are key to today’s YAs. The dialog and mannerisms described seemed to be very apt and should ring true to YAs reading it. The humor that is used serves to diffuse any tension created when addressing serious subjects like drug addiction and suicide. The settings (school, home, subway) are effective and appropriate for YA readers, however, the parts that take place in the “dump” seemed a little far fetched. The idea of an “intense” punk rock club in New York city letting High School kids inside, just seemed odd.

Curriculum Uses:
The novel would best be used as an introduction to the touchy subject of drug addiction ( )