# Loser

**Author:** Jerry Spinelli
**Grade range:** Grades 4–6
**Age range:** 9–11
**First published:** 2002
**Page count:** 224
**Genre:** Realistic Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9780007143788`
**ISBN-10:** `000714377X`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/loser
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

From renowned Newbery-winning author Jerry Spinelli comes a powerful story about how not fitting in just might lead to an incredible life. This classic book is perfect for fans of Gordon Korman and Carl Hiaasen. Just like other kids, Zinkoff rides his bike, hopes for snow days, and wants to be like his dad when he grows up. But Zinkoff also raises his hand with all the wrong answers, trips over his own feet, and falls down with laughter over a word like "Jabip." Other kids have their own word to describe him, but Zinkoff is too busy to hear it. He doesn't know he's not like everyone else.

## Themes

- families
- family
- elementary schools
- family life

## Where this book is assigned

### Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Arkansas — [source: Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award — Arkansas's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.](https://www.fortsmithlibrary.org/sites/default/files/2024-07/CharlieMaySimonWinners.2023-24.pdf)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Arkansas — [source: Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award — Arkansas's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.](https://www.fortsmithlibrary.org/sites/default/files/2024-07/CharlieMaySimonWinners.2023-24.pdf)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Arkansas — [source: Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award — Arkansas's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.](https://www.fortsmithlibrary.org/sites/default/files/2024-07/CharlieMaySimonWinners.2023-24.pdf)

### Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association)

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Michigan — [source: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Michigan — [source: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Michigan — [source: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)

### Maine Student Book Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Maine — [source: Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.](https://www.librarything.com/award/183.1/Maine-Student-Book-Award-Winner)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Maine — [source: Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.](https://www.librarything.com/award/183.1/Maine-Student-Book-Award-Winner)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Maine — [source: Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.](https://www.librarything.com/award/183.1/Maine-Student-Book-Award-Winner)

---

_Generated from primary-source citations indexed on ReadingList.school. For the full HTML view with reading-list cross-references, see https://readinglist.school/book/loser._