When Zachary Beaver Came to Town

(Paperback)

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Description

Toby Wilson is having the toughest summer of his life. His mother left for good; his best friend's brother was killed. Then Zachary Beaver, the fattest boy in the world, arrives in Toby's sleepy Texas town. And it's Zachary Beaver who turns the town of Antler upside down and leaves everyone, especially Toby, changed forever. With understated elegance, Kimberly Willis Holt tells a compelling coming-of-age story about a thirteen-year-old boy struggling to find himself in an imperfect world. A timelessly relevant exploration of family, friendship, discrimination, and acceptance. Christy Ottaviano Books

Reviews

Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature
An American Library Association Notable Book
One of American Library Association's Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults
Horn Book Fanfare
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
An American Bookseller "Pick of the Lists"

"This book packs more emotional power than 90 percent of the so-called grown-up novels taking up precious space on bookshelves around the country." --USA Today

"Holt reinvents the coming-of-age story." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"In her own down-to-earth, people-smart way, Holt offers a gift." --The Horn Book, starred review

"Holt humanizes the outsider without sentimentality . . . she reveals the freak in all of us, and the power of redemption." --Booklist, starred review

"[Holt's] heartwarming and carefully crafted novel . . . drives home the point that everyday life is studded with memorable moments." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Holt has crafted a remarkable story about finding yourself by opening up to the people around you. An excellent choice to read alone or aloud." --School Library Journal, starred review

Author Bio

Kimberly Willis Holt is the author of many award-winning novels for young adults and children, including Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel, Dear Hank Williams, and When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, winner of a National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Born in Pensacola, Florida, Holt has lived all over the US and the world. She now lives in Texas with her family. kimberlywillisholt.com