The New David Espinoza

This story from the acclaimed author of The Closest Ive Come unflinchingly examines steroid abuse and male body dysmorphia. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Matt de la Pea. David Espinoza is tired of being messed with. When a video of him getting knocked down by a bullys slap goes viral at the end of junior year, David vows to use the summer to bulk up do what it takes to become a manand wow everyone when school starts again the fall. Soon David is spending all his time and money at Iron Life, a nearby gym thats full of bodybuilders. Frustrated with his slow progress, his life eventually becomes all about his muscle gains. As it says on the Iron Life wall, What does not kill me makes me stronger. As David falls into the dark side of the bodybuilding world, pursuing his ideal body at all costs, hell have to grapple with the fact that it could actually cost him everything. A Chicago Public Library Best Teen Fiction Selection A Banks Street Best Children's Book of the Year