Coby Ryan Harris Is Officially Fat!


Children - Social Issues
82 Pages
Reviewed on 11/30/2016
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Coby Ryan Harris Is Officially Fat by Joni Klein-Higger and Flora Zaken-Greenberg revolves around the relevant topic of child obesity. Coby is a seventh grader and his BMI is higher than it should be, so the doctor tells him that it can cause serious health problems. Coby’s mother is nervous, but the doctor hands over a booklet on a variety of healthy foods with a front cover that says “A Guide to Healthy Family Eating.” The doctor advises Coby to be mindful of the food he eats and to exercise more to reduce his weight. Coby did not want to hear it from the doctor. Now he knows he is ‘officially fat.’ Will Coby be able to reduce his BMI by regulating his diet and exercising?

Child obesity is common nowadays and the author does a clever job of handling the topic through Coby’s story. The book is entertaining and many parents and children will be able to connect with Coby’s plight. Coby’s feelings of hurt and being the butt of jokes are tangible. The story also has a bullying angle with C.J. Wright always troubling Coby, then girls, and divorce. The author weaves these themes seamlessly into the plot with expertise. All the characters in the story are well portrayed, real, relatable, and memorable.

It’s a good bedtime storybook and can also be used for read aloud sessions in classrooms and school libraries. Storybooks like this are good for children to read so as to help them understand the message and the concept clearly when narrated with the help of a story.