Dimensions
144 x 175 x 13mm
'I want to lose weight but it's like I'm two people. Good Robbie and Evil Robbie and Evil Robbie is the one with all the pocket money.'
So writes Robbie Chambers, the self-styled "King of Large", 11 years old and 85 kilos. Like a lot of children today, he eats too much for his activity levels and his increasing size makes him embarrassed to run around or take much exercise. He's put on a strict diet by the doctor, but can't stick to it, and eventually on blood pressure tablets.
When the soccer coach finds that out he's off the team, a terrible blow, at last he gets to go to a Childhood Obesity Expert ("my Fat Specialist") and the dreaded gym class for overweight kids ("Flubber Training") and eventually he learns to change his attitude towards himself and food.
At the gym he's exposed to the "Great Humungo", 13 years old, 112 kilos and proud of it, and he's encouraged by his family and when we leave him he's down to 78 kilos and still going.
This is the story of a plump child who hasn't become the stereotyped school bully or the class clown just because he doesn't fit the standard size - he's actually a shy, intelligent and articulate boy who wrestles with self-doubt.
