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Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going

Summary

Seventeen-year-old Troy, depressed, suicidal, and weighing nearly 300 pounds, gets a new perspective on life when a homeless teenager who is a genius on guitar wants Troy to be the drummer in his rock band.

187 pages, 6th grade and up

Discussion questions

Warning! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

  1. Is coming into contact with Curt good for Troy or is it bad or did it not make any change at all?
  2. What did you think of Troy's relationship with his father? With his brother?
  3. Did these relationships influence Troy's other relationships? If yes, how so?
  4. Was Troy real to you?
  5. What was your first reaction to Curt? Did you change how you felt about him?
  6. Why do you think Curt was so popular with the other kids?
  7. Why did Troy do whatever Curt said?
  8. What did being in the band mean to Troy? What did performing mean to Troy and to Curt?
  9. Several of the characters experience change in this book. What were some of those changes? Which ones seemed the most significant to you?
  10. What do you think happens to Curt and Troy after the book ends?
  11. Sometimes characters in young adult books get into trouble because they don't do the things adults want or expect them to do. Troy always tries to do what his dad tells him to do. Does this cause problems for Troy?

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Snacks: Little Debbie Snack Cakes, french fries with ketchup, Ho Hos.

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