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More copies of this ISBN:Fruitby Brian Francis
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:Peter Paddington is thirteen, overweight, the subject of his classmates' ridicule, and the victim of too many bad movie-of-the-week storylines. When Peter's nipples begin speaking to him one day and inform him of their diabolical plan to expose his secret desires, Peter finds himself cornered in a world that seems to have no tolerance for difference. Peter's only solace is "The Bedtime Movies" — perfect world fantasies that lull him to sleep every night. But when the lines between Peter's fantasy world and his reality begin to blur, no one is safe from his imagination's machinations — especially Peter himself. Review:"Thirteen-year-old Peter Paddington suffers through a year of eighth grade in this entertaining debut novel, set in Sarnia, Canada, in 1984. In some ways Peter is an average awkward teenager — hair sprouting in unexpected places, a lack of friends, curiosity about religion. But in other ways he's different — he weighs 204 pounds, and swollen nipples ('two small cherries') have just surfaced on his doughy chest. Soon these nipples take on a life of their own, actually speaking to Peter and giving him unsolicited advice. A vividly drawn dysfunctional family fills out the novel's landscape; most of this dysfunction revolves around food and weight and Peter's menopausal, smothering mother, Beth. Peter's long-suffering father, Henry, works a factory job in Chemical Valley, his thin sister Christine does her best not to associate with her family, his sister Nancy dumps her fat boyfriend to discover her 'new' self, and his Uncle Ed is an overweight, closeted homosexual. The fluid, lively narrative is punctuated with a series of 'Bedtime Movies,' fantasies in which Peter is loved, popular and famous, propelled out of his fat, sad existence. Despite its fantastical twists, the novel hews closely to familiar coming-of-age formulas, but its hapless narrator is a winning hero." Publishers Weekly (Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information, Inc.) Review:"A promising debut from a writer with a great sense of empathy for a young boy struggling with his identity." Winnipeg Free Press Review:"A lively, comical tale that cleverly tackles the confusion that surrounds the coming of age of an awkward sensitive teen?" London Free Press Review:"[This book] feels like it was written for everyone..." The Edmonton Journal Review:"A riotous piece of work chock full of somber, deadpan humour." Xpress Review:"Parts of this novel are heartbreaking, yet the truth of growing up is very funny...a simply beautiful story." Scene Magazine About the AuthorBrian Francis has worked as a freelance writer for a variety of magazines and newspapers. In 2000, he won the Emerging Author Award, presented by the Writers' Union of Canada. He lives in Toronto. Fruit is his first novel. What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
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