Fruit Book

The Barnes & Noble Review from Discover Great New Writers
In this wry coming-of-age story, 13-year-old Peter Paddington, overweight and under-loved, is faced with a most embarrassing situation: his nipples have swelled to female proportions, forcing him to duct-tape them into submission. In addition, the hated nipples have begun speaking to him, threatening to lay bare his most shameful secrets before the cruel scrutiny of his junior-high classmates, from whom he already feels alienated.

Life at home isn't so great, either. Peter's mother encourages his deplorable eating habits, and his two sisters shrug him off as the socially inept teenager he seems ever more certain to become. His primary solace comes at night, when "The Bedtime Movies," comforting adolescent and hormone-induced fantasies, soothe him to sleep.

Bright and insightful, Peter manages to form a life plan -- to lose lots of weight and find a "boy friend" to replace his tempestuous alliance with a precociously foul-mouthed Italian girl, Daniela, who conveniently lives next door. But Peter's kindhearted efforts to help the wayward Daniela illustrate his ability to be a true friend to those willing to accept him.

First-time novelist Francis displays his skill as a writer who has managed to craft Peter's touching plight into a laugh-out-loud story of endurance, spirit, and hope. (Holiday 2004 Selection)

Library Journal

In his debut novel, Francis details the unhappy life of an overweight 13-year-old, reminding us all how agonizing eighth-grade adolescence can be. Peter Paddington bounces back and forth between misery at school and discomfort at home. Besides his weight and newly sprouted nipples ("two small cherries"-the fruit of the title), he has to contend with a dysfunctional family. To find solace, Peter invents the "Bedtime Movies," in which he fantasizes about the crush he nurtures on his favorite paper route customer, Mr. Hanlan, and the bad perm that Mrs. Hanlan (Peter's arch nemesis) has adopted. Peter slowly becomes more immersed in his fantasy world as a way to avoid the difficult process of examining his sexuality and what that would mean for his life. This title might appeal to an advanced teen reader; however, the plot is uneven and the dialog a bit formulaic. A tough sell to most library customers.-Christopher J. Korenowsky, Columbus Metropolitan Lib. Syst., OH Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.