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Loser
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Read Loser

Loser (2002) (edit title/settings)

by Jerry Spinelli (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

Donald Zinkoff is an unusual boy who doesn't have many friends. He is a "Loser" according to his classmate until Zinkoff turns into a hero...

Summary edit see section history

Donald Zinkoff is one of the greatest kids you could ever hope to meet. He laughs easily, he likes people, he loves school, he tries to rescue lost girls in blizzards, he talks to old ladies. The only problem is, he's a loser. Until fourth grade, Zinkoff's uncontrollable giggling sloppy... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Donald Zinkoff is one of the greatest kids you could ever hope to meet. He laughs easily, he likes people, he loves school, he tries to rescue lost girls in blizzards, he talks to old ladies. The only problem is, he's a loser. Until fourth grade, Zinkoff's uncontrollable giggling sloppy handwriting, horrible flute playing, bad grades, clumsiness, and ineptitude at sports go largely unnoticed. When he blows a race for his team, however, his transition to loserdom is complete: "<Loser> is the word. It is Zinkoff's new name. It is not in the roll book." Fortunately, he doesn't really notice. As he did in Stargirl, Newbery Medal-winning author Jerry Spinelli again explores the cruelty of a student body and how it does and doesn't affect one student, pure of spirit. Presumably if Loser makes one child view a "different kid" as a three-dimensional character, Spinelli will consider his book successful. The author recounts Zinkoff's story--a case study of sorts--in short sentences from a deliberately reportorial point of view, documenting the first years of the boy's life and his evolution into a loser. What makes the book charming and buoyant is that the reader, like Zinkoff's parents and his favorite teacher, appreciates the boy's oblivious joie de vivre and his divine quirks. What is less compelling about the novel is the "let this be a lesson to us" heavy-handedness that accompanies the reportorial approach. Still, Spinelli comes through again with a lively, often moving story with humor and heart to spare. (Source: Amazon)

Characters/People edit see section history

  • zinkoff: nice, cute, funny, unique, easy to make friends with.
  • Claudia - a little girl who has gone missing in the neighborhood: Claudia- a little girl Zinkoff befriended
  • Hobin: He is the main bully, who called Zinkoff a loser when he lost the relay in 4th grade field day. He said YOU are a loser - a stinking loser.
  • Andrew: This is a boy who moved out of his old house and he was very depressed about that. Zinkoff tried to be a good friend to him. Andrew moved next door. Andrew was the same age as Zinkoff. At the soccer game, Zinkoffs team won but Zinkoff offered Andrew his trophy so he wouldn't feel bad.
  • Donald Zinkoff: The main character of this book. People in his class call him by his last name, "Zinkoff".
  • Miss Biswell: This is Zinkoff's second grade teacher. She was not nice to Zinkoff. When he threw up in the classroom, she told him to get out of her classroom and to never come back ever again.
  • Mrs. Shankfelder: One of Zinkoff's teachers
  • Polly: Zinkoff's little sister.
  • John: A funny book
  • Hector Binns: He was in Zinkoff's class since second grade. He was a little weird because he was making a candle out of his earwax and instead of saying yes - he'd say I guess. And instead of saying no, he'd say I guess not. Whenever he talks to somebody he stares at the beyond.
  • Andrew Orwell: Zinkoff's friend and neighbor in second grade.
  • Gary Hobin: The fastest kid in the grade. He won't allow Zinkoff to be on his team two years in a row and jeopardize his chance of winning.
  • Mrs. Biswell: the teacher who is never happy and supposedly doesn't like children. Zinkoff causes her distress.
  • Mr. Yalowitz: Zinkoff's favorite teacher. He teaches fourth grade. He lets 'Z' be first and Zinkoff gets to sit in the front for the first time.
  • Miss Meeks: She was the first grade teacher and she made a wonderful speech. She told them that they have a long journey to graduate from first grade to 12th grade. Her speech made Zinkoff feel like it was long time til graduation but she tried to get them excited.
  • Donald Zinkoff: naive boy
  • Zinkoff: Is a boy who loves a good competition but never accomplishes them. He keeps on trying though.
Show all 17 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “"My handwriting is atrocious!" he announces to his parents at the dinner table that day. His father, seeing how proud his son is, replies, "One thousand congratulations." His mother gives him a star. pg. 54”
    narrator
  • “"But new eyes arrive nevertheless. Big-kid eyes replace little-kid eyes. Little kid eyes are scoopers. They just scoop up everything they see and swallow it whole, no questions asked. Big-kid eyes are picky." p. 99”
    narrator
  • “"He knows that he could lose a thousand races and his dad would never give up on him. He knows that if he ever springs a leak or throws a gasket, his dad will be there with duct tape and chewing gum to patch him up, that no matter how much he rattles and knocks, he'll always be a honeybug to his dad, never a clunker." pg. 108”
    narrator
  • “"It's just a cellar, it's just a cellar." pg. 87”
    Zinkoff
  • “It never occurs to Zinkoff that all the fuss is more than a simple A can account for. It never occurs to him that the loudest and showiest of his congratulators are really not congratulating him at all, but mocking him for blundering into the only A he is ever likely to get. pg. 135”
    narrator
  • Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
  • time by itself is nothing, is emptiness, and that a person is not made for emptiness.
    Highlighted by 33 Kindle customers
  • As with all discoveries, it is the eye and not the object that changes.
    Highlighted by 32 Kindle customers
  • He knows that he could lose a thousand races and his father will never give up on him. He knows that if he ever springs a leak or throws a gasket, his dad will be there with duct tape and chewing gum to patch him up, that no matter how much he rattles and knocks, he’ll always be a honeybug to his dad, never a clunker.
    Highlighted by 26 Kindle customers
  • Best friends are always together, always whispering and laughing and running, always at each other’s house, having dinner, sleeping over. They are practically adopted by each other’s parents. You can’t pry them apart.
    Highlighted by 23 Kindle customers
  • But Zinkoff doesn’t notice. Neither do the other pups. Not yet.
    Highlighted by 18 Kindle customers
  • They forget, never to remember again, that they are pups from the same litter. And they discover something: They like winning more than losing. They love winning. They love winning so much that they find new ways to do it:
    Highlighted by 15 Kindle customers
  • One is a baby sister, the other is a neighbor. The baby sister is Polly. The neighbor is Andrew.
    Highlighted by 15 Kindle customers
  • “Loser.” “Loser.” “Loser.” “Loser.” “Loser.”
    Highlighted by 13 Kindle customers
  • Around fourth grade something similar happens with eyes. The baby eyes don’t drop out, nor are there eye fairies around to leave quarters under pillows, but new eyes do arrive nevertheless. Big-kid eyes replace little-kid eyes. Little-kid eyes are scoopers. They just scoop up everything they see and swallow it whole, no questions asked. Big-kid eyes are picky. They notice things that the little-kid eyes never bothered with: the way a teacher blows her nose, the way a kid dresses or pronounces a word.
    Highlighted by 11 Kindle customers
  • atwitter. “Donald,” he
    Highlighted by 5 Kindle customers
Show all 15 quotes from this book

First Sentence edit see section history

You grow up with a kid but you never really notice him.

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

  • Heroism: The main character desire to be a "hero".

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Jerry Spinelli (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Harper Collins
Country: USA
Publication Date: 2002
ISBN: 0060540745
Page Count: 218

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Main character endures cruel treatment from classmates.

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • Taking Sides
  • The Report Card
  • The Penderwicks
  • Bud, Not Buddy
  • Drums, Girls, & Dangerous Pie
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid
  • Dog Days
  • The Misfits

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