Chunky

by Yehudi Mercado, Yehudi Mercado (Illustrator)

Overview

In this full-color middle grade graphic memoir for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jerry Craft, Yehudi Mercado draws inspiration from his childhood struggle with his weight while finding friendship with his imaginary mascot, Chunky, as he navigates growing up in a working class Mexican-Jewish family.

Hudi needs to lose weight, according to his doctors. Concerned about the serious medical issue Hudi had when he was younger, his parents push him to try out for sports. Hudi would rather do anything else, but then he meets Chunky, his imaginary friend and mascot. Together, they decide to give baseball a shot. 

As the only Mexican and Jewish kid in his neighborhood, Hudi has found the cheerleader he never had. Baseball doesn’t go well (unless getting hit by the ball counts), but the two friends have a great time drawing and making jokes. While Hudi’s parents keep trying to find the right sport for Hudi, Chunky encourages him to pursue his true love—comedy.

But when Hudi’s dad loses his job, it gets harder for Hudi to chart his own course, even with Chunky’s guidance. Can Chunky help Hudi stay true to himself or will this friendship strike out?

* A TLA Maverick Graphic Novel of the Year * Banks Street Best Children's Books of the Year * ALSC Graphic Novel Pick of the Year * 2022-2023 Virginia Reads Middle Grade Book Winner *

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062972781
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/22/2021
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	149,535
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Yehudi Mercado is a former pizza delivery driver and art director for Disney Interactive. He is currently a writer-artist-animator living in Los Angeles. His books include Sci-Fu, Hero Hotel, Rocket Salvage, and Fun Fun Fun World. He is currently showrunning the Hero Hotel podcast and writing and directing an original animated short for Nickelodeon. You can find him at supermercado.pizza.

Yehudi Mercado is a former pizza delivery driver and art director for Disney Interactive. He is currently a writer-artist-animator living in Los Angeles. His books include Sci-Fu, Hero Hotel, Rocket Salvage, and Fun Fun Fun World. He is currently showrunning the Hero Hotel podcast and writing and directing an original animated short for Nickelodeon. You can find him at supermercado.pizza.

Editorial Reviews

11/15/2021

Bespectacled, salmon-skinned Hudi, who is Mexican and Jewish, can make everyone—including the medical staff at his frequent doctors’ visits—laugh. He also sports an orange shirt that shows a slice of his rounded belly, a symbol of frequent worry for those same health-care professionals. Attempting to address the specialists’ continual apprehension about Hudi’s weight, his thin mother and muscular father enroll him in sports ranging from baseball to swimming, all of which Hudi earnestly tries, though never really flourishes in. While Hudi nevertheless begins making friends, his sharp-toothed, fuchsia-colored imaginary mascot, called Chunky, becomes worried when Hudi starts pretending to fit in and the school’s football coach weaponizes Hudi’s size. Mercado deftly balances humor (“This is a comedy. A sports comedy,” Chunky opines, breaking the fourth wall) with the family’s financial concerns, as Hudi’s sister’s Bat Mitzvah approaches and their father gets laid off. Vibrant full-color panels accentuate Mercado’s thick linework, visually embodying Hudi’s infectious self-acceptance. An uplifting graphic novel and a rollicking series opener. Front matter features an author’s note. Ages 8–12. Agent: Charlie Olsen, InkWell Management. (June)

Publishers Weekly

"Hudi’s a master at deflecting his shaky self-esteem with zingy one-liners. The digital artwork and sports scenarios play for laughs. Mercado notes in closing remarks, “Being ‘Chunky’ isn’t about being fat. Being Chunky is about feeling like you don’t fit in.” And that’s a theme plenty of middle graders can relate to."

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"As good-natured a romp as its highly appealing main character. The art evokes a light tone with simple, effective characteristics. A swift, funny tale."

Booklist

"In “Chunky,” the writer-artist-animator and former Disney art director Yehudi Mercado turns to graphic memoir, and writes in a funny and endearing way about being a fat kid in Texas. The story is brought to life with illustrations that are vivid and often poignant." — New York Times Book Review

"Relatable insights into the life of a child who is eager to fit in but also coming into his sense of self, sometimes with the help of adults and sometimes in spite of them. A compelling coming-of-age memoir." — School Library Journal (starred review)

"Hudi’s a master at deflecting his shaky self-esteem with zingy one-liners. The digital artwork and sports scenarios play for laughs. Mercado notes in closing remarks, “Being ‘Chunky’ isn’t about being fat. Being Chunky is about feeling like you don’t fit in.” And that’s a theme plenty of middle graders can relate to." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"As good-natured a romp as its highly appealing main character. The art evokes a light tone with simple, effective characteristics. A swift, funny tale." — Booklist

"Young read­ers, whether or not they have faced a bru­tal sports match or inse­cu­ri­ties about their appear­ance, will relate to Hudi and Chunky’s quest to thrive." — Jewish Book Council

From the Publisher

"In “Chunky,” the writer-artist-animator and former Disney art director Yehudi Mercado turns to graphic memoir, and writes in a funny and endearing way about being a fat kid in Texas. The story is brought to life with illustrations that are vivid and often poignant."

New York Times Book Review

"As good-natured a romp as its highly appealing main character. The art evokes a light tone with simple, effective characteristics. A swift, funny tale."

Booklist

"Young read­ers, whether or not they have faced a bru­tal sports match or inse­cu­ri­ties about their appear­ance, will relate to Hudi and Chunky’s quest to thrive."

Jewish Book Council

"Hudi’s a master at deflecting his shaky self-esteem with zingy one-liners. The digital artwork and sports scenarios play for laughs. Mercado notes in closing remarks, “Being ‘Chunky’ isn’t about being fat. Being Chunky is about feeling like you don’t fit in.” And that’s a theme plenty of middle graders can relate to."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

★ 05/01/2021

Gr 4–8—Middle school student Hudi has become a regular at his local hospital, due to a variety of injuries and other health issues, including losing a lung. His doctors and parents are fearful that his weight isn't helping his health, so, despite a lack of interest and natural ability, he finds himself thrust into the world of team sports. But Hudi's humor and imagination keep him going—along with support from his imaginary mascot, Chunky, a chipper, furry, horned pink creature who calls himself Hudi's "biggest fan"—as life at home with his family becomes more stressful. Drawing from his childhood experiences, Mercado's memoir emphasizes his humor and creativity as his younger self tries to figure out who he is and how he fits in, using jokes to cope with fatphobic adults in his life. Linework is strong and steady, with tropical golden and green tones punctuated by the deep but radiant magenta hues used to illustrate Hudi's pal Chunky. Mercado relies on a variety of panel layouts, borderless panels, and perspectives to keep the eye moving, and each chapter ends with a fun fourth-wall breaking postgame wrap-up. Hudi is Mexican and Jewish, while secondary and background characters present as Black and white. VERDICT Mercado offers relatable insights into the life of a child who is eager to fit in but also coming into his sense of self, sometimes with the help of adults and sometimes in spite of them. A compelling coming-of-age memoir.—Alea Perez, Elmhurst P.L., IL

School Library Journal