The Loser List

The Loser List by H.N. Kowitt (NY: Scholastic Press, 2011).

Twelve-year-old Danny Shine has the usual problems of a geek in middle school, but he's OK with crushing on a cute girl, avoiding bullies, and hanging with his equally geeky best friend Jasper.  A run-in with tough girl Chantal lands Danny on the dreaded Loser List--written on the wall in the girls' bathroom.  His problems escalate when he tries to get his name off the list, and he finds himself in detention with scary guy Axl. But Axl turns out to be OK, or so Danny thinks until Axl implicates Danny in a shoplifting scam and alienates Jasper. Ah, but revenge is sweet, and Danny triumphs in the end, despite some public humiliation.

This is an excellent pick for the legions of Wimpy Kid fans. Danny's a self-deprecating guy who haplessly lands in a tough situation. He uses his geeky interest in comics and drawing to help himself--a great lesson for kids of all ages about being true to oneself.  The pictures are excellent--except Kowitt should take a look at a pair of whitie-tighties before she attempts to draw one again; there's a reason they're called Y-fronts. Recommended for ages 8 & up.