Donald Zinkoff

Donald Zinkoff, the main character, is beginning first grade when the novel opens, and he is in sixth grade when it ends. During those years, he changes and yet remains the same, as do all young people. the central trait in his personality is his kindness, which also could be described as his ability to love. This characteristic is perhaps overshadowed by Zinkoff's personal style, which is marked by naivety, physical awkwardness, and often inappropriate bursts of hilarity. In the early chapters, he has a physical condition that causes him to vomit unexpectedly. He is a mediocre student and terrible at sports yet he passionately loves school and games. As he and his classmates grow older, they develop scorn for him and he becomes the "loser" of the novel's title. Remarkably, Zinkoff never fully succumbs to the cruelties of his classmates. He often does not even realize...