The Supervillain's Guide to Being a Fat Kid

Matt Wallace, author of Bump, presents a personal, humorous, and body-positive middle grade standalone about a fat kid who wants to stop his bullies . . . and enlists the help of the world’s most infamous supervillain. Perfect for fans of Holly Goldberg Sloan, Julie Murphy, and John David Anderson!

Max’s first year of middle school hasn’t been easy. Eighth-grade hotshot Johnny Pro torments Max constantly, for no other reason than Max is fat and an easy target. Max wishes he could fight back, but he doesn’t want to hurt Johnny . . . just make him feel the way Max feels.

In desperation, Max writes to the only person he thinks will understand: imprisoned supervillain Master Plan, a “gentleman of size.” To his surprise, Master Plan wants to help! He suggests a way for Max to get even with Johnny Pro, and change how the other kids at school see them both.

And it works! When Master Plan’s help pays off for Max in ways he couldn’t have imagined, he starts gaining confidence—enough to finally talk to Marina, the girl he likes in class who shares his passion for baking. With Master Plan in his corner, anything seems possible . . . but is there a price to pay for the supervillain’s help?

* A Junior Library Guild selection *

An Unlikely Friendship: Max needs advice on handling a bully. He writes to the only person he thinks will understand: Master Plan, an imprisoned supervillain who also happens to be a "gentleman of size." Middle Grade Humor: With a supervillain in his corner, Max’s schemes to get even with his tormentor, Johnny Pro, are clever, funny, and never physically violent. Body Positivity: A heartfelt story that champions self-acceptance, inspired by Master Plan’s own philosophy that there is nothing wrong with the word "fat." Books About Baking: As Max builds his confidence, he finally finds the courage to talk to his crush, Marina, bonding over a shared passion for making incredible desserts.