From the Back of the Book"Zack Delacruz is unnoticed at his middle school - and that's just the way he likes it. But a school assembly, a typhoon of spit, and an uncharacteristic moment of bravery are all it takes to change everything. Suddenly Zack is in charge of the class fund-raiser. Worse, his partner is the school's biggest bully! If they don't sell enough chocolate bars, there will be no dance for the sixth grade. Zack never wanted to be a hero, but with his classmates' hopes on the line, can he save the day?" WeaknessesIn the opening chapter, Anderson makes it clear that Zack is an outcast and constant victim of bullying. He is made fun of because of how he looks, "'Enrique Potter'", and the clothes he wears, "'Did you see his pants? That little boy needs to shop in the toddler's section next time'" (2). Zack's coping mechanism is through is humor, which took me a while to get on board with it. Initially I took it as being pessimistic and negative. For example, after being berated by his classmates for looking for a seat at an assembly, he finds refuge next to the wall and claims it as a respectful ally. "Walls never kick you or insult your clothes, and they always support you. In fact, I could lean on Gym Wall, and I did" (3). Humorous? Yes. A little sad and weak? Yes. (Also a strength. Keep reading!) I also could not relate to Zack being a child of divorced parents. The divorce was still fresh for Zack as he was still coping with the changes."I navigated the crumbling asphalt as I headed across the street to Dad's new AD apartment. (AD was short for 'after-divorce.' It was like BD, 'before divorce.' My entire family life was forever separated by BD and AD)" (36-37). The weekly switching between parents is something that I have not experienced, so that constant change between locations and rules and expectations is not known to me and, therefore, I cannot relate. StrengthsDespite being unable to relate to Zack initially, the character grew on me. I feel that his whininess and lack of self confidence was an important building block to his overall development. Zack blossomed into a leader who put caring thought into his actions and responses. I feel that Anderson also captured moments that every middle or high schooler could relate to, in some capacity, such as: Not wanting to answer a teacher's question. "'Who can pronounce this exquisite word?' Mrs. Darling cooed, ... 'Anyone?' Her green eyes widened, like a low budget horror film" (11). Being volunteered for something by a teacher, parent, or coach. "'I didn't volunteer, I was volun-told," José reminded her" (25). Knowing that friend or classmate constantly quote lines from movies or TV shows. "'Nobody puts Baby in a corner'... Janie stood in the corner and whispered to herself, 'Dirty Dancing, nineteen eighty-seven, starring Mr. Patrick Swayze'" (66-67). Doing something you know you're not supposed to do, and having a "strong" reason why you did it. "I powered up Dad's computer, even though I wasn't supposed to go online when he wasn't there. But it was an emergency. He'd want to help me if I ever told him my problem. But I couldn't let Dad down. I had to fix my problem on my own" (81).
Why Did I Read This Book?I received this book from Jeff Anderson at the National Council of Teachers of English annual conference in November, so it was a must-read from that moment. I also have a copy in my classroom library, and am looking forward to recommending to my students when I return to school from holiday break. I also read this book for the reading challenges I am participating in:
RecommendationsI would recommend Zack Delacruz: Me and My Big Mouth to two groups of people.
The first being middle school readers looking for something new and refreshing rather than, say, a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book. Anderson's writing style and good natured humor brings out the best in his characters and showcases valuable life lessons. I would also recommend this book to middle school teachers looking to diversify their own reading and their classroom libraries. Jeff Anderson's trusted rapport with teachers is now extended into the genres of realistic fiction and young adult literature.
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