Ann Herrick Books for Kids & Teens
Also Known As Lard Butt
Laura discovers that Ricky, the boy who created her horrible nickname, “Lard Butt,” has moved back into town—and immediately schemes to keep him quiet. After all, she can’t let her new swim teammates, especially drool-worthy Noah, hear the horrible name! No way!
She’s determined to put a million years between grade school and junior high—even in the face of a father who drives an éclair, a would-be-movie-star mother who suddenly moves back home, and a past that comes back to haunt her with the dreaded nickname.
Although Laura’s embarrassed about how she looks in a swimsuit, she tries to stay true to her vow to take risks. She even lets Maria talk her into going to the school dance, where she braves negotiating a truce for a quarreling couple.
New friendships form, Laura’s mother starts getting too domesticated for Laura’s comfort, and hints of romance start to develop—or do they?
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Reviews
“…the conversational tone…was really good and the speech was fluent and realistic.
The characters and moral message of the story were its diadems. The characters were all real and easy to visualise. It was also nice to see the protagonist as an average person. Honestly, YA has some pretty unrealistic expectations for teenagers – we can’t all be wizards or shadowhunters or end up with the hottest guy at the school, and Also Known as Lard Butt made that ok.
…because body image is so topical in everyone’s lives, particularly teenage girls, I think having Laura be a great person who succeeds in what she wants despite being afraid of what people think she looks like is really inspiring and to be honest I think we all need a little more Laura in our lives.”
~~Hebe, Notwerkinghereplease Blog
5 Stars
“Hoping there is a second, third and fourth!!!
Also known as lard butt was a great book! I really hope there is a second so I will know how things go with Ricky and if Laura won….”
~~ BOOKLOVER46 Kobo
5 Stars
“…a must read for every tween, no matter where they are in the social and political ladder of the jungle that is school and growing up. Delightful reading… Ms. Herrick knows how to create a tale that breathes life into every character while sneaking in a secret message for everyone. Oh! The humor, trust me, after meeting Laura’s family, you will see how normal yours truly is, unless of course, you have been driven around in an eclair!”
~~Diane, Tome Tender Reviews
5 Stars
“Loved the characters…fast paced and fun!”
Brenda Romine, Amazon
5 Stars
“… wonderful read … The story was really cute and I enjoyed reading about Laura, her life, her family, friends and school life … adorable read with a great cast of characters … a topic that will hit home with quite a few girls (and maybe boys), since teenagers often worry about their weight. Add to that the bullying that happened to Laura, and the snickers/remarks that to this day she gets, and I am sure lots of girls will be interested in this story and seeing how Laura works through her life.”
~~Mehsi, Twirling Book Princess Reviews
5 Stars
“…Ann Herrick has pulled it off once again! Her entertaining, heart-rending story took me back to the bittersweet insecurities of my own tween years, and I could easily connect with the main character, Laura. Not only is Also Known As Lard Butt humorous in parts, it also contains an underlying serious message about taking new risks regardless of the consequences. A five star winner that I’d heartily recommend to young readers–as well as adults who want to be a tween again for a few delightful hours.
~~SIL, Amazon
“…a fun read. I’d recommend it to anyone who knows what it’s like to feel self-conscious about something you can’t easily change.”
“Valuable lessons about life, love, friends, and family…cute and clever and a really sweet way to promote the idea that it is okay to have a healthy body image, make friendships, and even lose with grace and dignity…A cute, funny read that middle school students will love!”
~~Janelle Fila, Readers’ Favorite
5 Stars
“This book should be read by ALL girls no matter what age they are, even if it means reading the book to each other so girls can understand each other’s feelings…
This book is so inspiring because as a girl, it is hard not to worry about my size and weight. This book really changed my perception of my body! …”
~~Angel, 5 Girls Book Reviews