Here The Whole Time

Vitor Martins's novel "Here The Whole Time" explores some ideas/struggles that every teen (every person) goes through: body image issues, questioning first loves, figuring oneself out.

["Felipe gets it -- he's fat. Not chubby. Not big-boned. Fat. And he doesn't need anyone to remind him, which is, of course, what everyone does. That's why he's been waiting for this moment ever since the school year began: school break. Finally, he'll be able to spend some time far away from school and the classmates who tease him incessantly. His plans include catching up on his favorite TV shows, finishing his to-be-read pile, and watching YouTube tutorials on skills he'll never actually put into practice.

But things get a little out of hand when Felipe's mom informs him that Caio, the neighbor kid from apartment 57, will be spending the next 15 days with them while his parents are on vacation. Felipe is distraught because A) he's had a crush on Caio since, well, forever, and B) Felipe has a list of body image insecurities and absolutely NO idea how he's going to entertain his neighbor for two full weeks.

Suddenly, the days ahead of him that once promised rest and relaxation (not to mention some epic Netflix bingeing) end up bringing a whirlwind of feelings, forcing Felipe to dive head-first into every unresolved issue he has had with himself -- but maybe, just maybe, he'll manage to win over Caio, too."] 

The book is body positive, in the way that the main character is fat (not in the totally embracing the way he is way that Fat Amy does--but in a I'm still figuring out kind of way). Felipe knows he's fat, and he doesn't care (not all the time at least) but he knows everyone else in society cares. Through the book, through finding first love and first kisses, Felipe also discovers that his body is beautiful, just the way it is (and that being skinny isn't always "beautiful" either).

Trigger Warnings: bullying, fat-shaming, body image issues, homophobia, etc

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