like high blood pressure and diabetes – a direct result of being overweight,” says Vivens. “A light bulb went off. If we could bring attention to se-rious problems, like obesity, in a way that a child could understand and relate to, we could affect real change.”

Vivens enlisted the help of an old friend, José Dominguez, an illustrator whose own personal struggle with weight gave him the understand-ing and insight needed to bring the characters to life. “I think there’s a character in Chunky and Friends to whom everyone can relate,” says Dominguez. “Furthermore, in going with a comic book style, the stories transcend all ages, making them enjoyable for children and parents.”

“CHUNKY AND THE O-BEAST” is currently available in paperback on amazon.com ($24.99) and digitally via the publisher site ($9.99).

Information on the Chunky and Friends series, including its blog and links to social media pages, can be found at www.chunkyandfriends.com.

New Comic Book Series, Chunky and Friends,

Tackles Childhood Obesity, Self-Esteem, Peer Pressure and More!

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H i, my name is Chuck... When I was a kid every-one called me

“Chunky.” It was the name that stuck with me ever since my little sister Candy had a hard time pronouncing my real nickname, “Chucky.” I was a good hearted and lov-ing kid. My mom always said that my big brown eyes had an inner glow that exud-ed joy and confidence. See, you’d think because I was over weight for my age, being called, Chunky, would have an effect on my personality and attitude.

New Comic Book Series, Chunky and Friends,

Tackles Childhood Obesity, Self-Esteem, Peer Pressure and More!

Memphis, TN - January 28, 2013

Encompassing the perfect mix of humor and education, and a fun, relatable cast of charac-ters, the new children’s series, Chunky and Friends, seeks to bring awareness to some of the most daunting and pressing social issues facing kids today.

The debut book in the series, “CHUNKY AND THE O-BEAST”, tackles the dangers of child-hood obesity and stresses the importance of eating well and engaging in physical activity.

Synopsis: Chunky is a 10-year-old boy who finds out that he is in danger of becoming obese. With his vivid imagination, he con-fuses what was discussed during his doctor’s visit and believes he will soon transform into an “O-BEAST.” Can Chunky make sense of it all and stop the O-Beast from taking over?

The author, Joseph Vivens, got the idea for the first book after hearing concerns from his wife, a pediatrician, over the disturbing number of overweight children and families she was encountering. “She would talk about these children who were coming in with very serious health problems

However, I was taught by my family to not fear words and to be myself. I told my

friends and family that I welcomed the new nickname because I would not let words hurt me. One day, the doctor told my Mother and me that I was in danger of becoming obese. Since that day I’ve been learning how to live a healthier lifestyle because I know it’s important for me to live a long life.

The thing is, everything I learned when I was a kid made my imagination run wild.

With my friends and little sister I often created situations that resulted in discovering valuable lessons. I want to share with you our adventures and how we learned the importance of eating a healthy diet, exercising and most of all believing in ourselves.