Jack's best friend Leah reveals her mother is giving her a boob job for her 16th birthday. Jack, despite being a boob man, is concerned enough that he researches the risks. What he learns leads to undercover consulting appointments with surgeons and picketing Leah's surgeon's office, which attracts national attention. The story comes off as a message-heavy issues novel (plastic surgery is bad for teens, see the numbered list of reasons why on pages 28-29!!!), which is a bit of a turnoff. But the topic is unique enough in YA lit that it will draw the curious, and the prose is easily digested. What next, a novel on the dangers of tanning beds? Texting while driving? ( )

Jack has never wanted to be an activist like his parents and brother, but when his best friend Leah decides to get breast augmentation for her sixteenth birthday, Jack decides to take action with unpredictable results. This hi-lo young adult novel immediately catches readers with an extensive list of euphemisms and slang for breasts. From there on, the novel moves fast and keeps readers’ attention while discussing the issue of plastic surgery in a non-preaching tone. Told from the first person viewpoint of Jack, Plastic engages readers with the issue of plastic surgery for teens. Jack is open about his sexual interest in women’s breasts without reducing women to mere objects, and the combination of a male protagonist and the largely female issue of breast augmentation make for a read that boys and girls alike may enjoy. Like many hi-lo novels, some subject matter may be inappropriate for younger readers, though this novel does not cross genres into urban fiction. It is worth noting that Jack comes from a solidly upper-middle class family and attends a school for the best and brightest, two facets of his character that may make him less approachable for some readers. A valuable addition to a public or school library’s collection of hi-lo young adult novels. ( )

In this hilo teen read, we follow a high school student as he attempts to stop his best friend, who is only 16, from getting a breast augmentation by taking to his roots as a member of an activist family. Although he supports a peaceful protest, he has a falling out with the friend he is trying to support in loving herself for who she is. He soon learns that he cannot change everybody and that not everyone is what they seem but in the end his peaceful protests prevail in not only helping his friend change her mind, but in also changing the practices of plastic surgeons in his community. Recommended for teens. ( )

Jack is obsessed with boobs, he has an entire notebook dedicated to them but when his best friend says she's getting a boob job for her sixteenth birthday he freaks. Then Jack decides to do some research and begins to protest plastic surgery on underage teenagers. This book draws attention to an important cause, but not one that most teenagers deal with on a daily basis. But it still is a good message, Jack stands up for what he believes in throughout the book and is willing to admit when he is wrong. This books draws attention to family dynamics and how not every family looks the same from the outside. Recommended for ages 14-16.

Breasts--that is all 15 year-old Jack can think about until his best friend Leah decides to get breast augmentation done for her 16th birthday. Jack is shocked and mystified that a doctor would perform this kind of surgery on a teenager. He conducts some goes undercover to do some research about breast augmentation and does not like what he finds outs. This leads Jack to protesting cosmetic surgery performed on teenagers. The storyline gives a convincing account of an adolescent boy’s mind, which makes it seems more realistic. Though the topic in this hi-low appears a bit mature, the simple vocabulary and simple text, keep the interest of many ages. Additionally, many teenagers deal with this teen plastic surgery issue and it has become a hot topic. Recommend for ages 13-18. ( )