Big Guy »

That picture I sent? It was taken last year, before Mom left. Before I packed on all this fat. That was a good eighty pounds ago though: you wouldn't even recognize me if you saw me now. I barely recognize myself. Derek thinks he might be falling in love. The problem is, he hasn't been entirely honest with his online boyfriend. Derek sent Ethan a photo taken before he got depressed and gained eighty pounds. Derek hasn't been honest with his employer either. When he lied about his age and experience to get a job with disabled adults, the last thing he expected was to meet a woman like Aaliyah. Smart, prickly and often difficult, Aaliyah challenges Derek's ideas about honesty and trust. Derek has to choose whether to risk telling the truth or to give up the most important relationship in his life.

Children's Literature

Derek, 17 years old, is going through a lot of changes as he becomes an adult. The author does an excellent job of getting inside Derek's head and showing the emotions involved. Her approach is almost poetic, almost a stream of consciousness. As a young gay man, Derek is dealing with his first real romantic involvement, online, problems with his own body image, his father's non acceptance of his sexual orientation, his first job outside his comfort zone, and friends who are experiencing similar issues. He meets a young handicapped woman through his job. They help each other learn about their own shortcomings and strengths. He learns about family love from a female friend, also gay, whose family takes him in when his own father kicks him out. Despite the shortness of this novella, the author shines a lot of light on a lot of issues. Reviewer: Sue Poduska