XL

Fiercely funny, honest, and poignant, this story of a growth spurt gone wrong is perfect for readers who love Becky Albertalli and Jesse Andrews. Will Daughtry is a late bloomer--at least that's what everyone tells the high school sophomore, who is just shy of five feet. By his sixteenth birthday, Will is resigned, bitterly, to being tiny forever. His only comfort is his best friend and stepbrother, Drew (6'3"), and their pal Monica (5'10"), the girl Will's secretly pined for since fifth grade. With them, he feels whole; everyone else sees him as a half man. But when Will stumbles onto Drew and Monica kissing, he realizes he's on his own. That's when he starts to grow. And grow fast. Astonishingly fast. For the first time in his life, Will is happy with his height, and with himself. He can barely keep up with the new possibilities that are opening up to him: sports come naturally, girls are throwing themselves his way. But as his growth spurt shows no signs of slowing, it starts to affect his relationships with Drew and Monica, the people who've meant the most to him. Now Will has to figure out what to do with himself--and all of this new "himself" he never expected to have.