During this time of year, whether it’s family members getting too comfortable or seasonal depression, people use body mass and shape (more than usual) to gauge each other’s success (or themselves). even in “positive” statements and comments, there is an underlying undertone of fatphobia and body negativity.
You are reading: Books with plus size characters
To combat this extra helping of holiday negativity, we’ve compiled a list of books that feature fat, plus-sized characters being themselves. While we love adventure stories, sff and more, fat main characters in fiction are rare unless they wander into the realms of romance and/or coming-of-age stories (already). It’s probably no coincidence that women and femmes (whose bodies are more scrutinized) dominate these markets in terms of acclaim and book sales.
Despite the brevity and confidence of saying “fat,” the range of body sizes is so wide on this list that “plus-size” seemed like the best inclusion of all. Also, these books are set in different places and cultures, where one person’s thinness is another’s fatness, so we’ll keep a bit neutral with the word “plus size” unless the author says otherwise.
As well as the variety of sizes and people depicted, there are a variety of relationships to their bodies, meaning some are already confident, while others have work to do in addition to the main plot.
this bucket list romance follows chronically ill chloe brown facing new experiences (to “earn a living”) not often found in her very structured/organized life, especially number six, “make a living”. something bad”. If she has any hope of completing this list, she needs a backup, so she enlists the help of handyman by day, artist by night Redford “Red” Morgan.
Fans of the hae (happily ever after) or talia hibbert romance books should also check out the other two books in the “brown sisters” trilogy.
This romance follows artistic and ambitious brunette girl Charlie Vega in the very white suburbs of Connecticut. Charlie’s mom is always trying to make her more “acceptable” (white) by constantly suggesting that she straighten her hair and stay out of the sun, as well as leaving not-so-subtle weight-loss shakes in the bedroom. she. At school, Charlie starts talking to her cute classmate Brian of hers, and he accepts every part of her.
Things seem perfect until she finds out Brian asked her best friend Amelia (who is both athletic and popular) out first. This information sends Charlie into a spiral, wondering if her weight made her a second choice.
See Also: Top Activity Books for Kids Ages 9 to 12 – Imagination Soup
if you think this cover is beautiful, check out his 2022 novel without a filter and other lies.
Counting down the days until she can afford the weight-loss surgery she thinks will change her life, Plum Kettle hums at her day job answering fan mail for a teen magazine. everything quickly changes when a woman in bright clothes starts following her. plum discovers a hidden organization of plus size women who reject the rules of society.
Driven by camaraderie and a sense of belonging, Plum dives deep down the rabbit hole. The increasingly violent tactics used by the other women lead Plum to believe that she may be part of a terrorist organization.
amc produced a one-season adaptation (now cancelled), so there is also a tie-in edition of the novel.
In addition to rejecting the daily fatphobia of his family and peers, Sky Shin dreams of joining the world of K-pop. When she is presented with the opportunity to audition at an international television competition looking for future K-pop stars, Ella Skye jumps at it. Even though she is used to and has built-in defenses for American fatphobia, nothing could have prepared her for the world’s (including the K-pop industry’s) response to her body.
skye juggles unfathomable scrutiny with a willingness to succeed in competition and not be embarrassed in front of a competitor he’s developing feelings for.
See Also: 2 Ways to Read the Vampire Diaries Books in Order by L.J. Smith
if this entertainment-themed romance sounds interesting to you, keep an eye out for lyla lee’s 2022 release flip the script, which dives into k-dramas.
Weighing between 500 and 600 pounds, Arthur hasn’t left his home in Brooklyn in about ten years due to the strain of walking. About an hour away in Yonkers, a poor kid in a rich school, Kel, dreams of becoming a professional baseball player. Through the connection of Kel’s mother and Arthur’s former student (20 years earlier), Charlene, Kel, and Arthur develop a friendship and transform each other’s lives.
Winnie is living her best life working at her grandmother’s restaurant in the small town of Misty Haven for the summer before college. There’s the hustle and bustle of restaurant life, but he’s also left some great tips, he gets to wear this cute ’50s-themed uniform, he gets to see his grandma, and he’s platonically dating his long-time girlfriend, Kara. Ella’s life is turned upside down when she’s called the Summer Queen of Misty Haven’s matchmaking lore. She is paired with a king of summer, she is forced to be the center of attention of a misty haven and to so many public events with unsolicited advice.
(via twitter, image: seafaring books, vacation home and w. w. norton & company)
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