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lizlogan's review against another edition
5.0
A very well-written book. I read a lot of kids books because they aren't always given the credit that they should be and this is a great example. This is the story of Zinkoff who has a rather one track mind and who is noticeably different during a time period when special education was not the norm and when differences were punished because some people saw them as being lazy. Most of the story is told as a sympathetic viewer to Zinkoff who shares his quirks just as that, but as he gets older the others notice his oddities and decide that makes him a loser. Yet, Zinkoff himself is indestructible. He has a wonderful family who proves he is their "honeybug" no matter what, and gains a small group of people who love him from Z - A. Profoundly thoughtful and illuminating in its beauty, Loser is a short but worthy read.
kylielynelle's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book for so many reasons. It is clever, and seriously funny yet heart warming. However, as a read aloud for a fourth grade class, Loser fell a bit short. Most of the humor was from the point of view of an adult, so it fell a bit flat for 9-10 year olds. This story does teach an excellent lesson about acceptance of others. I might consider trying it as a read aloud again with a different group of kids.
comefromaway's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jwmcoaching's review against another edition
4.0
This is such a sweet novel with a lot of heart about the weird, fraught gap between childhood and adulthood and what it means to navigate it while also figuring out who you are. Spinelli can come up with some great descriptions ("a brick and hoagie town") to go with his deeply human characters. It's such a clever premise to portray events from the perspective of a so-called loser and then force the question of who the real losers are here.
mjenae's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sweetpoet's review against another edition
5.0
This book always be one of my #1 favorites, My teacher read this to me and my class in 5th grade than I read it again in 7th grade, this book I thought was really cute, and a a short read, I highly recommend it, it has the best ending so yes read this.
emilyvogt's review against another edition
1.0
Read this with Henry (he's 12). I wanted to like it - I really did. Henry and I felt like we waited the whole book for something to happen but even the climax left us thinking "that was it? Really?" We started reading it because Henry is such a quirky kid and often picked on - I figured he would be able to relate to the character, Zinkoff - but it ended up just being painful because Zinkoff didn't come across as believable.
elouisevb's review against another edition
5.0
This book was really good, I loved it. I felt really sad and sorry for Zinkoff as he has no friends and everyone clarifies him as the 'wired' kid. I thought it was so adorable how he was always prancing around and signing up for clubs, but most of all being the first one to his school (even before the school janitor)! I found it annoyed me a bit when the kids and teachers weren't nice to him just because he was different. Also, it was such a courageous thing Zinkoff did when he was out for seven hours looking for the young girl, Claudia, even though she'd been found many hours previously. Without doubt I'm giving this book a massive 5 stars, and would recommend it for people between 10 and 12 maybe 13.
crowyhead's review against another edition
5.0
This is just totally excellent and beautiful. Donald Zinkoff is a really special kid. He doesn't "get" other kids, really, but most of the time he has so much fun with his life that it doesn't really matter. He laughs so hard at words that he thinks are funny that he falls out of his chair and can't breathe. On the first day of every school year, he wants to know how many days of school are left until he graduates from highschool -- not because he can't wait to get out, but because he luxuriates in the notion of all that time. Spinelli introduces us to Zinkoff in such a way that the reader is completely won over, and then he gradually allows real life to intrude: Zinkoff is awesome, but to his classmates, he's a Loser.
What's amazing about this book is that Spinelli allows Zinkoff to hang onto his individuality and the things that make him both awesome and a loser, but the book remains realistic. In the end, Zinkoff is a hero of a sort, but there's no scene where his classmates realize that they were wrong all along, or anything like that. No, he's still picked on. It's just that he's found a way to be ok with himself, and there's a glimmer of hope that not all the kids will always think of him as just Loser.
What's amazing about this book is that Spinelli allows Zinkoff to hang onto his individuality and the things that make him both awesome and a loser, but the book remains realistic. In the end, Zinkoff is a hero of a sort, but there's no scene where his classmates realize that they were wrong all along, or anything like that. No, he's still picked on. It's just that he's found a way to be ok with himself, and there's a glimmer of hope that not all the kids will always think of him as just Loser.
briarrose1021's review against another edition
5.0
As a former teacher of middle school and high school - particularly middle school - I can remember seeing the development of the cliques that happen. The children who all played together in elementary school and were, for the most part, accepting of the differences among their classmates, suddenly become much more judgemental. In their quests to figure out who they are, they are quick to alienate anyone that doesn't fit into the mold they have created for what is acceptable. With that history, this book hit home for me, in a way that is probably particular to those who work with children and see their group behavior evolve as they age.
In this book, we follow Donald Zinkoff through elementary school and into 6th grade. Zinkoff is unlike the other children, though he does not realize it; and, for the most part, neither do the other children in the beginning. Zinkoff loves to laugh, much to the consternation of his teachers; he laughs when older kids make fun of him, not realizing what they're doing. Zinkoff loves school, arriving early whenever he can and trying to answer as many questions as he can, even if his answers are wrong.
Zinkoff is such a sweet child. He is unapologetically himself, and many times I felt for him so much: I felt for his innocence and naivete, for not realizing when he is being made fun of; I felt for his joy, his absolute love for his parents and who they are, his admiration for his father such that he also wants to be a mailman when he grows up; I particularly felt for how caring he was and how that caring was exhibited, from trying to help Waiting Man feel better to playing with Claudia on his walks and rides through the neighborhood.
Zinkoff's journey through school, in the eyes of the other children, is painful while also being poignant. In the early grades, Zinkoff is simply different, and the other children have not yet learned that those differences can be used against people. As Zinkoff grows, he moves from being simply different to being a loser after a particularly spectacular performance at the school Field Day to being invisible - a nobody. Despite the hardships, the best part of this book is that Zinkoff remains unapologetically himself, which is a great lesson for any child who is struggling to fit it, as well as for any child who notices someone else who is struggling to fit in.
I can remember reading Maniac McGee when I was in high school and absolutely loving it. This is the second book by Jerry Spinelli that I have read, as I didn't realize he had written other books, and it lived up to Maniac McGee for me. I will definitely be adding other books by Spinelli to my TBR list. I hope you join me in that.
In this book, we follow Donald Zinkoff through elementary school and into 6th grade. Zinkoff is unlike the other children, though he does not realize it; and, for the most part, neither do the other children in the beginning. Zinkoff loves to laugh, much to the consternation of his teachers; he laughs when older kids make fun of him, not realizing what they're doing. Zinkoff loves school, arriving early whenever he can and trying to answer as many questions as he can, even if his answers are wrong.
Zinkoff is such a sweet child. He is unapologetically himself, and many times I felt for him so much: I felt for his innocence and naivete, for not realizing when he is being made fun of; I felt for his joy, his absolute love for his parents and who they are, his admiration for his father such that he also wants to be a mailman when he grows up; I particularly felt for how caring he was and how that caring was exhibited, from trying to help Waiting Man feel better to playing with Claudia on his walks and rides through the neighborhood.
Zinkoff's journey through school, in the eyes of the other children, is painful while also being poignant. In the early grades, Zinkoff is simply different, and the other children have not yet learned that those differences can be used against people. As Zinkoff grows, he moves from being simply different to being a loser after a particularly spectacular performance at the school Field Day to being invisible - a nobody. Despite the hardships, the best part of this book is that Zinkoff remains unapologetically himself, which is a great lesson for any child who is struggling to fit it, as well as for any child who notices someone else who is struggling to fit in.
I can remember reading Maniac McGee when I was in high school and absolutely loving it. This is the second book by Jerry Spinelli that I have read, as I didn't realize he had written other books, and it lived up to Maniac McGee for me. I will definitely be adding other books by Spinelli to my TBR list. I hope you join me in that.