Matthew Venza

26 Cents Matthew Venza

Fourteen-year-old Rupert Samuelson, aka "Fat Boy," just wants to fit in--or at least not stand out. But when you're a 6-foot-tall, 280-pound middle schooler, people tend to notice you for all the wrong reasons.


A bully at school twists a simple act of kindness into a video that goes viral and turns Rupe into the butt of an ugly joke, and there's nowhere to hide.


When Rupe's best friend, a tiny but spunky girl named Sam, stands up for him, neither could have guessed that things were only about to get crazier. But once a "Fat Boy" always a "Fat Boy" because everyone knows the internet lives forever.


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It is estimated that one in four teens will become a victim of bullying and that one in ten will experience cyber-bullying. For some, the scars of bullying last a lifetime. 26 Cents takes an honest look at how bullying affects today's children and teens. It is written with the understanding that life isn't always wrapped up with a tidy bow.