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A review by listen_learn
Loser by Jerry Spinelli
4.0
The voice of Spinelli's third person omniscient narrator in this book was "You and I both know this kid should be miserable, because he doesn't quite fit into society and is pretty clueless and hapless in many regards, but he's got a nice family, occasionally encounters kind teachers, and despite his "loser" existence is happy and kind, and doesn't that make you want to root for him?"
It certainly tugged at my heartstrings, and yes, I was rooting for Donald Zinkoff as he zipped through childhood. His endless laughing, trying, falling and rising, dreaming, burping, working on his atrocious handwriting, feeling empathy, and growing through his rather ordinary life made him a character to remember.
It's not going to make it to five stars, because I don't think this a story I will want to read again and again. It has a great message. It warmed my insides with some smiles. It gave me moments to reference when I'm faced with inadequacy. Yet, the voice made me feel removed from the story - it kept the whole thing a little too unreal. It kept me from falling in to Zinkoff's life and staying there. The whole time I was reading I felt like I kept being reminded, "Sweet, but not real. Close, but not quite."
Still I do recommend for those who like to read about school, who like stories about children who are ordinary heroes, and highly recommend to those who thrill at a story with well-adjusted, kind adults, specifically good parents. (Is there anybody else out there? Well, even if it doesn't thrill you, if you know of any stories with that last piece, please recommend them my way!)
It certainly tugged at my heartstrings, and yes, I was rooting for Donald Zinkoff as he zipped through childhood. His endless laughing, trying, falling and rising, dreaming, burping, working on his atrocious handwriting, feeling empathy, and growing through his rather ordinary life made him a character to remember.
It's not going to make it to five stars, because I don't think this a story I will want to read again and again. It has a great message. It warmed my insides with some smiles. It gave me moments to reference when I'm faced with inadequacy. Yet, the voice made me feel removed from the story - it kept the whole thing a little too unreal. It kept me from falling in to Zinkoff's life and staying there. The whole time I was reading I felt like I kept being reminded, "Sweet, but not real. Close, but not quite."
Still I do recommend for those who like to read about school, who like stories about children who are ordinary heroes, and highly recommend to those who thrill at a story with well-adjusted, kind adults, specifically good parents. (Is there anybody else out there? Well, even if it doesn't thrill you, if you know of any stories with that last piece, please recommend them my way!)