Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders

Herbach, Geoff. Fat Boy vs the Cheerleaders. 2014

This book is a copy of Gabe's testimony after he and the other "geekers" - band geeks, chess nerds, etc. - waged war against the cheerleaders who have stolen their funding and eliminated band camp. Gabe is telling his side of the story to a lawyer, and interspersed with the tale of Gabe's arrest we find out about his family life, the teasing he puts up with at school, and his job at the donut shop. Gabe doesn't hold anything back, and his story is hilarious. Throughout the story we do get to watch Gabe take control of a life that has spun very far out of control, all the while laughing at his crazy antics.

I picked this book up about six times before I actually checked it out of the library. The cover and the title told me the book should be funny, but I was afraid I'd be disappointed in what would count as "humor." I shouldn't have worried. This book is really funny, and teens who have grown up on a diet of Diary of a Wimpy Kid will enjoy this book. I always enjoy books where the spineless protagonist eventually realizes s/he has a problem and takes control; this is one of those books. See below for other funny read-alike suggestions.

Recommended for: young adults
Red Flags: language, some minor violence, minor use of alcohol,
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Read-Alikes: Notes from the Midnight Driver,  Butter,  Steering Toward Normal,  Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong,  Ungifted