XL

January 1, 2019
When you surpass the scale to which you've drawn your ideal self, are you man or monster?4'11" isn't a height, it's a sequence of numbers that makes growth-stunted Will Daughtry invisible in high school's wild kingdom. His diminutive height is countered by a hearty wit, his defense against the pain of not getting what he really wants: a girl and a growth spurt. The girl, Monica, is brainy, beautiful, and unfettered in San Diego's domestic homogeny. They've been pals since he and his best friend-cum-stepbrother, Drew, discovered an uncharted beach with her, solidifying their bond as a trio. When Will gets the courage to break the vows of their rule book à trois and 1) deceive Drew 2) ask Monica out, he falters only to have the nail of failure driven further in when Drew and Monica hook up instead. With their triptych fractured, a monstrous frustration mounts in Will--so does an appetite and subsequent growth. Will meets another challenge: His ego is growing, too, and the three that once were, might possibly never be again. Will's first-person narration is ripe with a humor that marries dry wit, invented vocabulary, and an honest-to-goodness good time even when things are dreadful. The son of a zoologist, Will examines his Californian enclosure like a brash and bawdy Goodall. Will, Drew, and most secondary characters are white; Monica is cued Latinx. A coming-of-height specimen whose humor you won't outgrow. (Fiction. 13-18)

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March 1, 2019

Gr 9 Up-Will Daughtry is under five feet tall and very bitter about it. His height infiltrates his every thought and is obviously why he's never had a girlfriend. At least his family is supportive, especially stepbrother Drew, who is over six feet tall and a local basketball star. Hanging out with Drew and their best friend Monica, a book-obsessed and talented surfer with whom Will has been secretly in love forever, is the only break Will gets from constantly thinking about his stature. When Will finally musters the nerve to share his feelings with Monica, somehow she and Drew end up together and their little trio becomes weird. Then everything gets even odder when Will starts growing. And keeps growing-until everyone is worried there is something physically wrong with him and he has to regularly go to the hospital to be tested. Brown gives readers so much to connect to and relate. Obsessing about physical attributes, hiding romantic feelings, and bubbling envy and anger are portrayed realistically. Characters are sincere, especially in their introspective frustrations about feeling small (physically and metaphorically) and in realizing that so many things are out of their control. VERDICT A great choice for middle to large collections, especially where humor circulates well.-Emily Moore, Camden County Library System, NJ

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2019
Grades 8-11 The last thing Will wants to do is celebrate his sixteenth birthday. It's a reminder that he's in the bottom one percent in stature at four feet, eleven inches tall. Making things worse, Will catches his two closest friends?Drew (his stepbrother) and Monica (his secret crush)?kissing. Just when things can't get any lower, they start getting weirder. For the first time in years, Will starts growing. And not in tiny amounts either. As his spurts take him above five, then six, and even seven feet, he gets a radically different view of the world?one in which he isn't the butt of hobbit jokes. Nevertheless, no matter how extra large his new body, it is dwarfed by the long-held insecurities he still must contend with. Heavy on wit and humor, Brown's be-careful-what-you-wish-for tale is a delightful romp with heart. Will's sardonic voice strikes the perfect tone, and the cast of characters plays wonderfully off his bizarre situation. A great read for teens, who will readily identify with the double challenge of physical and social changes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)