Author: John Lekich CAN
Publication: Toronto: Annick Press
Publication Date: 2002
ISBN: 1-55037-752-3 (pbk.)
Pages: 249 (regular print)
Summary: Alex Sherwood, a self-proclaimed "loser" with cerebral palsy is surprised to find himself as the inspirational leader of the losers at his high school. He doesn't like his role, but he accepts it anyway, and tries to make life a little easier for his fellow losers as they deal with Jeremy Whitman (the school bully) and his band of thugs. At the same time, he must try and keep his new-found-freedom a secret when his father gets into trouble and has to go into hiding. To do this, he gets his friend's neighbour (Harry) to act as his guardian. Everyone refers to the neighbour as "The Beast," (because of the way he acts) but Alex discovers that he and Harry have a lot in common.
Major Characters: Alex "Saviour" Sherwood, Winston "The Short One" Chang, Rupert/Manny "The Fat One" Crandall, Jerry Whitman (bully), Harry "The Beast" Beardsley (neighbour and pretend guardian)
Comments: This story is great if you're looking for a good laugh. It is mainly written for boys, but girls will like it too. It is a great story of triumph for the losers of the world. There is some offensive language, but there are many more lessons about understanding people and accepting their differences. The book also addresses a lot of real-life situations, such as death, alcoholism, bullying and pressure from parents. Canadian readers will like the fact that the author makes quite a few references to Canada in the book.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 13+
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