Parents' Guide to

Fat Cat

By Terreece Clarke, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Girl-geek makeover tale with a great healthy eating message.

Book Robin Brande Body Awareness 2009
Fat Cat Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 12+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Twinkle Toes
Twinkle Toes Adult
April 19, 2020
age 13+

Lots of humorous dialogue

I really liked this book! It was an easy to read page turner--read it in 2 days which is a little unusual for me! The leading character is a witty overweight girl who has a fondness for science. I found the dialogue with her friends to be very engaging. There is a little talk about sex, and the characters are around 17 years old. Her journey to reinvent herself is fun and challenging, as is the surprising underlying incentive to do so.
lolliepop918
lolliepop918 Adult
August 30, 2011
age 10+

LOVED IT!!!!

My daughter and i really loved this book i would reccomend it to anyone! but it may be a wee bit innapropriate for some kids...

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Catherine Locke has always had a love affair with junk food, Matt, and science. When Matt betrayed her in seventh grade it ended their friendship, but not her love of food and science. Cat became \"Fat Cat\" and put all her energy into beating Matt at least once in a science fair. When a tough, make-it-or-break-it science class project looked like it would break her she got prehistoric with it. She vowed to live like early human ancestors on a basic foods diet and no modern conveniences. Giving up Snickers and Diet Coke was tough, but what she learned about food, her body, and herself was worth so much more.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (5 ):

FAT CAT took a tried and true premise -- fat chick gets skinny and popular by senior year -- and added an interesting angle to it. Author Robin Brande created a story that uses science and a commitment to research to motivate "Fat Cat" to get thin and healthy. No crash diets, no dangerous exercise, just good old-fashioned (caveman inspired) healthy eating and prehistoric transportation: her feet.

Readers will love Cat's perserverance and identify with her pain from both being called fat and giving up her junky diet of diet soda and chocolate. Hopefully teens will read this novel and realize they can take control of their own diets while learning how processed food can affect their mood and bodies. Cat's story eventually gets sidetracked by standard boy/girl drama, and it's disappointing that her experiment detoured into some Pretty Woman-style shopping experiences and boy-magnent experiements, but overall the message is positive and inspiring.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the effects of processed foods. What feelings do you associate with eating junk food? How about after you eat it? Do you crave it more or less?

  • What simple changes can you make to eat healthier?Is it easy to make the change to eating unprocessed foods --why or why not? How does money affect eating habits?

  • Do changes in appearance really matter or is it how you carry yourself? How did Cat's physical transformation change her socially?

Book Details

  • Author: Robin Brande
  • Genre: Body Awareness
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Knopf
  • Publication date: October 13, 2009
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 17
  • Number of pages: 336
  • Last updated: March 5, 2019

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