Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy

Gr 8 Up—Carlos Duarte, 16, has tremendous confidence. He does what he does and makes few apologies—and what he does best is makeup. The teen is fearless in his determination to realize his dream of becoming a makeup artist to the stars. His first job is at the FeatureFace counter, the premiere makeup company in Macy's flagship store. He is sure that this job will launch him into the stratosphere of fame, but pride and ambition cause him to take action without considering the consequences. Carlos struggles to develop a sense of accountability, and making his life more difficult are his sister's abusive boyfriend and his own one-sided crush on a boy in school. Readers will simultaneously root for and marvel at this fascinating character, though their support will be tested by his mean-spirited comments. Unfortunately, Carlos tends to overwhelm the plot and the other characters, who fall a little flat in his shadow. It is a relief that Wright does not give the story a tidy ending, opting instead to leave a few strands untied. After all, Carlos still has places to go.—Naphtali L. Faris, Youth Services Consultant, Missouri State Library, Jefferson City, MO