Spinelli, Jerry. Loser. N.Y.: Scolastic Inc, 2002. 218 pages. (Realistic Fiction)The main characters in this book are Donald Zinkoff and his parents. This story takes place in a small town. The problem that Donald faces is, trying to get through elementary school with a good reputation and a lot of friends. But there are many problems with this because he laughs at almost anything, he has a problem with his stomach that makes him throw up 3-5 times a week, and one day at the end of 4th grade his life gets scared forever. At the end of the last and most important race of the day he causes his team to lose the championship. He is the slowest kid in class and after the 2 fastest kids in 4th grade give him about a 10- 15 yard head start he still loses and his team comes in last place. For the next few school years he tries to make a good new reputation in school.
One interesting event that happens in this book is one day while Donald is 7, his father takes him on a take tour son to work day. Donald’s father is a mailman and that’s what Donald had always wanted to be ever sense his father got the job. While Donald is delivering mail that he made himself over the past week he comes to this one house with a really old man staring blankly up the street. After Donald asked his father about the mysterious man, his father told him that the man has been staring for 32 years waiting for his brother to return from the war.
I thought this book was one of Jerry Spinelli’s better books because he described things very vividly, and was very specific in his sentences. If I rated this book I think I would personally give it a 6-8 because it was simple and well written. If I was to give this book a one word description I would say it’s interesting because it takes you through a lot of the different stages in the main characters life. One other thing I really liked about this book was the cover because it sticks out so much. The front and the back cover are of a chalk board with the word Loser on both but on the back is partly erased so it keeps you wondering.
Dangling on the Edge
