How to Be Manly

Gr 8 Up—It's the summer after "Fatty" Matty Sullivan's freshman year, and it seems like his world is falling apart. He just keeps getting fatter, his grandfather is succumbing to dementia, and his grandma thinks it's Matty's responsibility to take care of their elderly neighbor and his dog. All he wants to do is think about Cassie, the cute girl from school who talks on the phone to Matty but only about the crush she has on another guy. At a garage sale with his grandma, he finds a book called How to be Manly, written by an ex-NFL player. He secretly begins following the advice in the book on how to eat right, get stronger and win the girl. Matty is a sympathetic character, and he's easy to root for. However, he's the only character that has much depth. The subject matter and the age of the character suggest this was written for an older reader, but Matty's voice feels much younger. It's unclear if the big reveals in the book are meant to be surprises to readers or just to Matty. Regardless, he is totally in the dark about everything his actions have set into motion, and readers know all along how things are going to turn out, making the plot less than compelling. Matty's story has potential but unfortunately falls a little short.—Mandy Laferriere, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX