Loser book report

By Harrison D.

The book loser is a story of a boy named Donald Zinkoff, He is often called names like loser by his classmates for his Clumsiness, and his lack of athletic and school performance. The book shows him in his elementary and middle school years. He was usually referred to as just Zinkoff rather than his full name. He wasn't good at school and had little to no friends but he loved school and refused to miss a day. When Zinkoff enters the 3rd grade he has to have surgery to fix an upside down valve in his stomach causing him to vomit often. He had to miss the first few weeks of his 3rd grade year recovering from the surgery. During this Period he decided to try and conquer his fears of the "Furnace Monster" as he called it. As the weeks go on Zinkoff slowly makes his way to the bottom of the stairs and conquers his fear of the "Furnace Monster."



One Thing Zinkoff Loves more than school is his father's job. His father is a mailman and Zinkoff wants nothing more to be a mailman when he is older. During his 3rd grade year take your kids to work day rolls around and zinkoff begs his father to take him but he is not allowed to be in the truck as it only had one seat. Zinkoff's dad saw how sad this made him so that sunday Zinkoff's dad made some fake letters and told Zinkoff they were to deliver these letters in his normal truck. Zinkoff was sad it wasn't a real mail truck but he really wanted to learn his dad's route. The final stop on the route was the 900 block of willow. This is where Zinkoff saw the "Waiting Man" His father said the man in the window had been standing in the window for years, Just waiting for his brother to come home from the vietnam war.
Zinkoff enters the 4th grade where he starts not being known a loser all thanks to his teacher who shows everyone he isn't a loser, That all changed on field day however, Zinkoff was in the relay race and he was the last one, He was supposed to bring home the trophy however because of his lacking athletic ability he lost his team the race and was called a loser by all members of his team. Zinkoff soon got over it and eventually returns to his old self, Now more mature. He doesn't laugh at certain words or scream "Yahoo". Once he is in fifth grade, Zinkoff tries to fit in and briefly befriends a kid named Hector though their friendship doesn't last long. After being told by a classmate that he is a loser and shouldn't bother showing up to field day he purposely avoids it so that he doesn't let anybody down. When he graduates elementary school he knows that he will miss everything about Elementary school, even the bad.
This book is a great representation on how someone who is hated and outcasted by so many can still have love in there heart and only want to be nice. Jerry Spinelli did a great job on showing how teachers can also play a part. How in 2nd grade Zinkoff's teacher saw him as annoying and a nuisance and he was treated the same as his classmates. Then in 4th grade his teacher takes interest in him and understand his position in life the other kids start receiving zinkoff better. Zinkoff shows his true colors and heart when in the middle of a blizzard he begins looking for a missing toddler from his neighborhood. This book helps show that we should not put down others because they are challenged. Whether it be in academic work or sports or in any situation. Most of the time the people who are bullied the most have the biggest hearts and just want to be nice and kind to everyone.

Critical Assessment:
I really liked the way the author showed you the different teachers over his years. From his first grade teacher overlooking the goofy looking kid and seeing someone who just loves life and wants to see the big bright world to his 2nd grade teacher who was spiteful and hated Zinkoff when he just wanted to be at school and learn. His teacher even prayed for him to miss school and tried kicking him out of her class. His 4th grade teacher was the only one to truly see Zinkoff's position in life and see how he just wanted to be accepted and be friends with everyone.
I didn't like how they never developed on the "Waiting Man" Character. I think it could have improved the story if Zinkoff maybe got the man to look at him and talk and even help each other. Zinkoff with his bullies and the man with understanding the loss of his brother and having someone else to keep his mind off it. Another dislike I had was with how they did not describe every teacher Zinkoff had We only heard about 1st, 2nd and 4th. It could have made some difference if we learned a little more of them and how they treated Zinkoff.
A like I have for the book is that they made Zinkoff stay true to himself instead of making him become sad and a lone wolf they kept him so he always tried to make friends and stick to who he was. No matter what he was always nice and tried to help in anyway he could. When he is delivering mail he goes up to a kid on a porch and tried to hand him a letter, The kid in turns tells Zinkoff it's a fake letter and mail doesn't get delivered on sunday and to leave him alone. Zinkoff instead walks back to the truck and goes about his day. He doesn't get down and out over that he carries on and has fun with his dad delivering mail.

Big Question:
The big question, Do I recommend this book? The answer is yes. I myself am not a big reader but I often found myself reading this during a block and after school. It was a good book very well worded and put together. It helped paint a picture of a kid who wants to be nothing but accepted and I think we can all relate to this book in away. We all wanted to be accepted at one time and most everyone was bullied or was the bully. I relate to this book because i'm always called the quiet kid, Someone who just simply just flies undetected, So when zinkoff hit middle school and became a nobody that's like what happened to me. This book is great for anyone who wants to read a feel good book about a kid with nothing but kindness and not receiving anything back but negativity and then finally at the end he finally starts receiving positivity in the end and all is right you feel almost a sense of excitement for him.


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