Fat Boy Swim

'Powerful, empowering… crackles with teenage anger and pain' — The Times

From award-winning author, Catherine Forde, comes Fat Boy Swim, a story that will make you realise that anything is possible.

Jimmy Kelly is fat. Lardy. Ginormous. Clinically obese. Inside, Jimmy doesn't feel like Smelly Kelly, Fat Boy Fat. He's just normal. His bedroom's a pit. His feet stink. He hates getting up on school mornings. If any of his classmates bothered to talk to him, instead of slagging him off, they'd find he was just as clued up as they were on films, on books, on telly, even on sport. But he wouldn't tell them that his secret talent is cooking. And Jimmy has another secret that even he doesn't know yet. A secret that will change him forever.

Catherine Forde — author of Sugarcoated, Skarrs and Firestarter returns with a brilliant, bittersweet story of first love, forgiveness and a family coming to terms with the past. A gripping, emotive and insightful book for young adults. Perfect for readers who enjoyed Judy Blume's Blubber and fans of Annabelle Pitcher.

“Should be force-fed to every secondary school child in the country” — The Sunday Telegraph

“This is a moving, tumultuous, roller-coaster, acid-etched story (with) a galaxy of distinctive, memorable characters” — Bookseller

Catherine Forde was discovered on the slush pile. Before turning to writing full time, she worked as a lexicographer for Collins and taught in secondary schools. She lives in Glasgow with her husband and two sons. All her books have received wide acclaim and Fat Boy Swim won the Grampian Children's Book Award and was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Award and Booktrust Teenage Prize.