Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Summary: Heather Wells is an ex-teen pop star. Ex being the key word. Since leaving the spotlight, she has become a size 12 and is now working as assistant director at a residence hall in a top New York City college. Heather suspects foul play after the first of two girls are found dead..cause of death: elevator surfing. Heather doesn't plan to give it up until she gets to the bottom of things. Because everyone one knows, of course, that girls do not elevator surf. Cooper Cartwright, brother of Heather's pop star ex-boyfriend, has let Heather live in his NYC brownstone located right down the street from her newly-acquired job. Cooper is employed as a private investigator, which is just what Heather needs (and secretly wants). Together, they attempt to unravel the mystery of the deaths, if there is one to be unraveled. Along the way, Heather's boss, Rachel, who is no size 12 thanks to her petty diets and extreme workouts, makes it clear that she is interested in Cooper. Although Cooper does not share this interest, Rachel learns of Heather's suspicions about the recent deaths, which had earned her a Pansy award for putting her through so much in so little time. But, no one knows, Rachel may have had a littler more to do with the so-called accidents than just packing up belongings and calling dead girls parents...only until Heather proves that big girls can do big things, that is.

Review: Meg Cabot uses unexpected plot twists and reveals nail-biting events that keep the reader wanting more throughout the whole book. Size 12 Is Not Fat tests Heather's courage and determination to uncover the truth. The beginning of the book focuses more on the theme included in the title. A size 12 is the size of the average American women. Heather displays confidence in herself and shows she's happy in her own body. This is an important quality to have, especially as a young adult in today's stick-thin, beauty-filled, and judgemental society. Teens can also relate to the busy environment of being a student, or being around students in Heather's case, and the curiousity that sends Heather snooping.