Slob: A Book for Boys To Read

Ellen Potter wrote to me recently and shared with me how her newly released book, SLOB (Philomel Books, May 2009), is yet another way to encourage boys to read. 

"Twelve-year-old Owen Birnbaum is the fattest kid in school. But he’s also a genius who invents cool contraptions – like a TV that shows the past. Two years ago something tragic happened, and Owen desperately needs to see the event in order to fix things. But genius or not, there is much Owen can’t outthink."

For me, SLOB is one of those tear jerker books because I know of a young person (very close to me) who suffers with weight issues. And this kid is constantly defending herself from kids who say, "I didn’t know you could run like that, since you’re so big." Needless to say, it hurts me when I read a book like this. However, Potter’s SLOB, fights the bully back with the brain not the fists. I added it to my son’s. Bravo, Ellen!