The Loser List (The Loser List, Book 1)

by H. N. Kowitt

Overview

Diary of a Wimpy Kid watch out -- Danny Shine and the other kids of Thorn Underwood Middle School aren't bestsellers yet, but they're on their way!When Danny gets caught trying to cross his name off the "Geek" list in the girls' bathroom, he's sent to detention. Bullies torment him mercilessly -- until they discover that Danny can draw. He enjoys his new "bad boy" status, supplying tattoos and graffiti, until he's unknowingly drawn into a theft. Turns out the bullies took a comic book from Danny's favorite store. Can he steal it back before they get caught -- and break off with the bullies before he gets in too deep?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545501453
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	11/01/2012
Series:	Loser List Series , #1
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
Lexile:	480L (what's this?)
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

H. N. Kowitt has written more than forty books for younger readers, including The Loser List series, Dracula's Decomposition Book, and The Sweetheart Deal. She lives in New York City, where she enjoys cycling, flea markets, and gardening on her fire escape. You can find her online at www.kowittbooks.com.

Editorial Reviews

In a book that mimics Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid series both in scope and design, seventh-grader Danny is trying to navigate choppy middle-school waters. "I'm about halfway down the food chain," he explains. "Not president of the Mathletes, but no one's saving me a seat at the Cool Table. I can't afford a lot of slippage." After the budding comics artist refuses to hand over his beloved drawing pen to a classmate, she adds his and his friend Jasper's names to the "Loser List" scribbled on the girls' bathroom wall. Danny's attempt to eradicate their names lands him in detention, where he finds an unlikely ally in school bully Axl, which alienates Danny from Jasper, among other complications. The story unfolds in a handwritten-looking font on lined pages amid ample spot illustrations. Danny's cartoons, sidebars, and lists ("Top Three Signs You're Going to Summer School") should enhance the book's appeal for reluctant readers. The design of Kowitt's (The Sweetheart Deal) story ought to attract Wimpy Kid fans, and the book's "be yourself" message makes it a more earnest alternative. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly