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The Losers Club
The beloved New York Times bestselling author of the modern classic Frindle celebrates books and the joy of reading with a new school story to love!
Sixth grader Alec can't put a good book down. So when Principal Vance lays down the law--pay attention in class, or else--Alec takes action. He can't lose all his reading time, so he starts a club. A club he intends to be the only member of. After all, reading isn't a team sport, and no one would want to join something called the Losers Club, right? But as more and more kids find their way to Alec's club--including his ex-friend turned bully and the girl Alec is maybe starting to like--Alec notices something. Real life might be messier than his favorite books, but it's just as interesting.
With The Losers Club, Andrew Clements brings us a new school story that's a love letter to books and to reading and that reminds us that sometimes the best stories are the ones that happen off the page--our own!
Sixth grader Alec can't put a good book down. So when Principal Vance lays down the law--pay attention in class, or else--Alec takes action. He can't lose all his reading time, so he starts a club. A club he intends to be the only member of. After all, reading isn't a team sport, and no one would want to join something called the Losers Club, right? But as more and more kids find their way to Alec's club--including his ex-friend turned bully and the girl Alec is maybe starting to like--Alec notices something. Real life might be messier than his favorite books, but it's just as interesting.
With The Losers Club, Andrew Clements brings us a new school story that's a love letter to books and to reading and that reminds us that sometimes the best stories are the ones that happen off the page--our own!
231 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2017
About the author
Andrew Clements
172 books1,998 followersI was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1949 and lived in Oaklyn and Cherry Hill until the middle of sixth grade. Then we moved to Springfield, Illinois. My parents were avid readers and they gave that love of books and reading to me and to all my brothers and sisters. I didn’t think about being a writer at all back then, but I did love to read. I'm certain there's a link between reading good books and becoming a writer. I don't know a single writer who wasn’t a reader first.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 566 reviews
October 4, 2017
I want to join the Losers Club. Alec, named by his parents for Alec Guinness loves to read. He starts a club at school so he can read for fun. He wants to keep the numbers low so he names it the losers club. Nina is also a co-founding member and she is new to school.
I love hearing them talk about a book - how good it is. Many I have read and a few I haven't and now I feel like I really need to. I love Alec. I love how he works through his problems. He is a pretty even headed kid. I found myself wanting to read this book, being sucked in so quickly. Andrew Clements is the master of the Grade school experience.
This book made me happy. I was cheering for the losers the whole book. It is a celebration of the nerd. If you love reading, this is a fun little ode to readers.
I love hearing them talk about a book - how good it is. Many I have read and a few I haven't and now I feel like I really need to. I love Alec. I love how he works through his problems. He is a pretty even headed kid. I found myself wanting to read this book, being sucked in so quickly. Andrew Clements is the master of the Grade school experience.
This book made me happy. I was cheering for the losers the whole book. It is a celebration of the nerd. If you love reading, this is a fun little ode to readers.
August 8, 2017
Mandatory middle grade purchase and read aloud, this story speaks directly to the heart of every bookworm on earth!
Thanks to Random House Kids for providing me with a advance review copy of this title - all opinions are my own.
I honestly feel like Clements wrote this book for and about ME - the child kept in from recess for reading during class, the child who avoided all humans so she could read, the adult who needs quiet reading time every single day, the adult who avoids all humans so she can read, the teacher who both understands and gets frustrated with students who are reading during class, the librarian who harbors recess refugees in the library.
The summary of this book will tell you everything you need to know about the storyline, but what I will tell you here as a librarian, teacher, mom and quintessential bookworm is that this is a mandatory middle grade purchase. It's a required middle grade read aloud (I'd recommend it for grades 4-6) that will allow teachers to talk books with kids without actually "talking books" - the titles interwoven throughout the story are such great classic middle grade titles that teachers would have been recommending anyway, but for kids to hear them coming from ANOTHER kid (albeit fictional) is priceless. The kickball and sports part of the book will appeal to those readers who just aren't aware of their bookworm status yet.........I could go on and on and on. And for those teachers out there who truly do not understand why kids read during class - this is required reading.
VERDICT: Absolutely required middle grade library and classroom purchase. Required read aloud. Best recommended for grades 4-6 but will appeal to hardcore bookworms of all ages. If I were reviewing this for a trade journal I would recommend a star.
Thanks to Random House Kids for providing me with a advance review copy of this title - all opinions are my own.
I honestly feel like Clements wrote this book for and about ME - the child kept in from recess for reading during class, the child who avoided all humans so she could read, the adult who needs quiet reading time every single day, the adult who avoids all humans so she can read, the teacher who both understands and gets frustrated with students who are reading during class, the librarian who harbors recess refugees in the library.
The summary of this book will tell you everything you need to know about the storyline, but what I will tell you here as a librarian, teacher, mom and quintessential bookworm is that this is a mandatory middle grade purchase. It's a required middle grade read aloud (I'd recommend it for grades 4-6) that will allow teachers to talk books with kids without actually "talking books" - the titles interwoven throughout the story are such great classic middle grade titles that teachers would have been recommending anyway, but for kids to hear them coming from ANOTHER kid (albeit fictional) is priceless. The kickball and sports part of the book will appeal to those readers who just aren't aware of their bookworm status yet.........I could go on and on and on. And for those teachers out there who truly do not understand why kids read during class - this is required reading.
VERDICT: Absolutely required middle grade library and classroom purchase. Required read aloud. Best recommended for grades 4-6 but will appeal to hardcore bookworms of all ages. If I were reviewing this for a trade journal I would recommend a star.
September 16, 2017
Three and a half stars.
Inquiring minds want to know: is it really possible for a perfectly sharpened number two Ticonderoga pencil to puncture a kickball blasted the length of a school gym?
Inquiring minds want to know: is it really possible for a perfectly sharpened number two Ticonderoga pencil to puncture a kickball blasted the length of a school gym?
August 22, 2017
See this review and more at my blog: teachingtransition.wordpress.com
Summary:
Alec’s got a problem. His parents started new jobs, which means he has to stay at school until 6pm, and there aren’t any clubs set up for what Alec really wants to do …. Which is to just sit and read. So he starts his own club, calls it The Losers Club (so nobody bothers him) and he just sits. And reads.
That plan to sit alone and read is foiled when new girl Nina joins the club. She also likes to sit and read. Worse yet for Alec, bully Kent has eyes on Nina, and Alec thinks she’s kind of cute, too. Soon enough The Losers Club isn’t exactly The Losers Club anymore.
Appeal:
This book is an appealing suburban life school story with a heartwarming message about the power of kids to build a reading culture in their schools, that reading is for everyone, and independent reading should be delicious, fun, and without judgment. I hope students who read this book take some time to think about their own reading lives. Perhaps some of them will relate to Alec’s reluctance to be seen reading a “baby book” like Charlotte’s Web and watch as he grows out of that reluctance.
Issues with comprehension:
Students might need support tracking characters and events, and they might need some support with inference work about Kent, his behaviors, and his leadership style. This book is a good starting point for lifting up growing readers around author’s messages and themes.
Recommended for:
Priority purchase for elementary and middle schoolers. Readers who already know Andrew Clements’s other books won’t be disappointed.
Summary:
Alec’s got a problem. His parents started new jobs, which means he has to stay at school until 6pm, and there aren’t any clubs set up for what Alec really wants to do …. Which is to just sit and read. So he starts his own club, calls it The Losers Club (so nobody bothers him) and he just sits. And reads.
That plan to sit alone and read is foiled when new girl Nina joins the club. She also likes to sit and read. Worse yet for Alec, bully Kent has eyes on Nina, and Alec thinks she’s kind of cute, too. Soon enough The Losers Club isn’t exactly The Losers Club anymore.
Appeal:
This book is an appealing suburban life school story with a heartwarming message about the power of kids to build a reading culture in their schools, that reading is for everyone, and independent reading should be delicious, fun, and without judgment. I hope students who read this book take some time to think about their own reading lives. Perhaps some of them will relate to Alec’s reluctance to be seen reading a “baby book” like Charlotte’s Web and watch as he grows out of that reluctance.
Issues with comprehension:
Students might need support tracking characters and events, and they might need some support with inference work about Kent, his behaviors, and his leadership style. This book is a good starting point for lifting up growing readers around author’s messages and themes.
Recommended for:
Priority purchase for elementary and middle schoolers. Readers who already know Andrew Clements’s other books won’t be disappointed.
August 2, 2017
An absolute love letter to reading and getting lost within a book and what a book can do for a reader.
December 24, 2018
Alec è un ragazzino che frequenta la prima media, e ciò che vuole fare tutto il giorno è….leggere! Leggere a scuola, leggere a casa, leggere in continuazione e in maniera passionale, quasi febbrile, per fuggire dal mondo circostante, da quella realtà che non sempre gli piace allo stesso modo delle storie nelle quali viene catapultato. Leggere e leggere, sempre! Ma ovviamente non si può trascorrere tutta la giornata a leggere, e i professori, che più di una volta lo trovano in classe con un romanzo in mano e l’aria sognante, minacciano note e punizioni. Così, quando Alec si ritrova a frequentare, nel pomeriggio, il tempo prolungato durante il quale i ragazzi si dividono fra numerosi club che essi stessi possono creare, da quello per i compiti a quello di kickball passando per quello di cinese e quello di origami, ecco che gli viene in mente un’idea geniale, quella di creare un club del libro, inizialmente inteso come uno spazio dove finalmente lui si possa mettere in un angolino e leggere indisturbato...ma ogni club deve avere il suo nome, e Alec, per scoraggiare gli altri ragazzi a iscriversi e restare dunque solo e indisturbato il più possibile, beh, gli dà un nome da sfigatelli, “Il club dei perdenti”.
Beh, fosse facile….ma nemmeno così Alec riuscirà a isolarsi completamente dal mondo. Anzi, il club dei perdenti attirerà un numero sempre maggiore di ragazzini, che a poco a poco scopriranno di non riuscire a staccare gli occhi dai romanzi nei quali entrano. Fra di essi, Kent, ex bullo amico-nemico di Alec, e Nina, una ragazzina per la quale Alec proverà un sentimento di tenero affetto.
Questo spensierato romanzo di Andrew Clements, adatto ai ragazzi ma anche agli adulti, ci parla di quella grande passione per la lettura e di come essa passi a diventare, per il giovane protagonista, da desiderio di fuggire e isolarsi dal mondo ad avvicinamento, condivisione, occasione di riflessione su di sé, sugli altri, sulla vita.
All’inizio viene più volte voglia di entrare nel libro e accompagnare Alec, continuamente interrotto e infastidito dagli altri (quasi questa sua passione sia un difetto!) in una biblioteca, dove lui si può sedere e leggere e leggere, in tutta tranquillità, senza nessuno che venga a scuotergli un braccio. Un po’ come il tenero Sebastian nel film de “La storia infinita”, chiuso in quella soffitta addirittura con le scorte di cibo e bevande, lui e i libri. Lui e i libri.
Ma poi è lo stesso Alec a rendersi conto che la lettura, per quanto sia una passione fortissima e ammirevole, non può costituire un sostituto della vera vita, che non può prescindere da essa, e che anzi, leggere aiuta a capire meglio la vita e gli altri.
E il messaggio che passa, secondo me, è bellissimo.
Non parliamo poi della lista, che segue l’indice finale, coi libri che vengono citati nel romanzo e che Alec legge e rilegge più volte: alcuni sono noti, altri inediti in italiano, ma ad ogni modo viene voglia di scoprirli tutti!
In conclusione, una fresca lettura perfetta per chiunque, e da aggiungere, tra gli altri, a “Wonder” come libro consigliabile in particolar modo ai ragazzini di oggi.
Beh, fosse facile….ma nemmeno così Alec riuscirà a isolarsi completamente dal mondo. Anzi, il club dei perdenti attirerà un numero sempre maggiore di ragazzini, che a poco a poco scopriranno di non riuscire a staccare gli occhi dai romanzi nei quali entrano. Fra di essi, Kent, ex bullo amico-nemico di Alec, e Nina, una ragazzina per la quale Alec proverà un sentimento di tenero affetto.
Questo spensierato romanzo di Andrew Clements, adatto ai ragazzi ma anche agli adulti, ci parla di quella grande passione per la lettura e di come essa passi a diventare, per il giovane protagonista, da desiderio di fuggire e isolarsi dal mondo ad avvicinamento, condivisione, occasione di riflessione su di sé, sugli altri, sulla vita.
All’inizio viene più volte voglia di entrare nel libro e accompagnare Alec, continuamente interrotto e infastidito dagli altri (quasi questa sua passione sia un difetto!) in una biblioteca, dove lui si può sedere e leggere e leggere, in tutta tranquillità, senza nessuno che venga a scuotergli un braccio. Un po’ come il tenero Sebastian nel film de “La storia infinita”, chiuso in quella soffitta addirittura con le scorte di cibo e bevande, lui e i libri. Lui e i libri.
Ma poi è lo stesso Alec a rendersi conto che la lettura, per quanto sia una passione fortissima e ammirevole, non può costituire un sostituto della vera vita, che non può prescindere da essa, e che anzi, leggere aiuta a capire meglio la vita e gli altri.
E il messaggio che passa, secondo me, è bellissimo.
Non parliamo poi della lista, che segue l’indice finale, coi libri che vengono citati nel romanzo e che Alec legge e rilegge più volte: alcuni sono noti, altri inediti in italiano, ma ad ogni modo viene voglia di scoprirli tutti!
In conclusione, una fresca lettura perfetta per chiunque, e da aggiungere, tra gli altri, a “Wonder” come libro consigliabile in particolar modo ai ragazzini di oggi.
August 29, 2017
Great book for kids, especially for kids who'd rather read than pay attention in class. However, as an adult, there were too many holes in the plot and the rainbow at the end was a bit too shiny. For one thing, why can't Alec do recreational reading during after school daycare? Has anyone ever heard of this being forbidden? And the club scenario--are there really kids who want to do origami for three hours after school every day? It seemed strange that the kids had to commit to a club, sports or homework, and that they couldn't do anything non-homework related in the homework room. Elementary kids with three hours of homework every night, even Friday? It all seemed set up to serve the plot and not reflective of reality. Alec wasn't believable to me as a regular kid, especially the grandiose idea he comes up with for the open house, and then is super nervous it won't be good. It was magical, and too magical to be believed possible. Oh well. I think my kids will enjoy it and not pick it apart as much as I did.
September 13, 2017
This was such a great book for anyone who loves to read! Alec enjoys reading so much, that his principal has to ban him from reading. His solution: create a reading club where he can spend hours after school reading. What starts out as a small club of two members soon grows to be the biggest club of the after school program. Along the way, Alec makes some good friends and learns some lasting lessons about life. Quick but fun read.
August 3, 2017
This one was so cute!
"We lose ourselves in books for hours and hours- books about all kinds of people and different places. Then we come back and bring things with us."
"We lose ourselves in books for hours and hours- books about all kinds of people and different places. Then we come back and bring things with us."
August 11, 2017
I picked up this ARC at the Texas Librarian conference. Andrew Clements is one of my favorite authors and it was a joy to get to hear him speak and meet him briefly. I should start by saying I have never read a book by Clements that I have not liked.... some I like better than others, but I like them all. This one, which is newly released, ranks in the top five!
Way back when, Frindle, Clements first chapter book was a Bluebonnet nominee, I loved it so much I bought one for every teacher at the school and encouraged them all to read it aloud to their classes.... Most did. That book was special... I am a lover of words and it was a celebration of words. This book has a headline: What Frindle does for language, The Losers Club does for reading. I could not agree more.
The main character in this book is a READER. You know that student, who is reading a book all the time.... I am still that kind of person. My mother would take books away from me as punishment, and in a lot of ways that is happening to Alec.. He starts a club called the losers club so no one will join and he can sit and read for hours.... The book is a joy, and I admit I stopped reading in the middle in order to read a short story it talked about... I was not disappointed. The book contains a list of all the books mentioned in the book, which I think is a great way to get children reading books that they might not have considered. I will be reading some of the books listed that I have not read. I especially loved the sharing of books between the members of the club, I think as readers we want others to read the books we enjoy.
I am excited to share this book with teachers this school year, hopefully it will be a read aloud for many of them...
Way back when, Frindle, Clements first chapter book was a Bluebonnet nominee, I loved it so much I bought one for every teacher at the school and encouraged them all to read it aloud to their classes.... Most did. That book was special... I am a lover of words and it was a celebration of words. This book has a headline: What Frindle does for language, The Losers Club does for reading. I could not agree more.
The main character in this book is a READER. You know that student, who is reading a book all the time.... I am still that kind of person. My mother would take books away from me as punishment, and in a lot of ways that is happening to Alec.. He starts a club called the losers club so no one will join and he can sit and read for hours.... The book is a joy, and I admit I stopped reading in the middle in order to read a short story it talked about... I was not disappointed. The book contains a list of all the books mentioned in the book, which I think is a great way to get children reading books that they might not have considered. I will be reading some of the books listed that I have not read. I especially loved the sharing of books between the members of the club, I think as readers we want others to read the books we enjoy.
I am excited to share this book with teachers this school year, hopefully it will be a read aloud for many of them...
March 29, 2019
Rounded up from 4.5 stars. Although this book is relatively new, it feels like an old friend. There were no huge catastrophes or illnesses to deal with. No gang wars or shootings. Just a boy learning to be himself and deal with labels without shutting out the rest of the world. I, too, was a true bookworm as a kid and often allowed books to cut me off from the rest of the world in an unhealthy way. Alec begins sixth grade at a school where the faculty is on the same page -- keep Alec from reading in class so he can engage and participate. Alec and his brother Luke are also enrolled in the after school program for the first time ever. As Alec navigates his way through the rules and regulations of starting your own club so he can have uninterrupted reading time, he finds himself making friends (even girls!) and learning how to cope with bullies like his old friend Kent. Readers will love the book references and relate to the struggles Alec has in achieving his goals. The end of the book is a triumph. Even includes a list of all the books referenced in the story.
February 9, 2018
I am in love with Andrew Clements. He has done it again. Given us a book that feels like it was pulled straight out of a grade school classroom with such a true and honest kid voice.
And no I wasn't crying at the end. It was just dry in my car and my eyes were trying to adjust.
And no I wasn't crying at the end. It was just dry in my car and my eyes were trying to adjust.
September 7, 2020
Great book for kids about having a love for reading and practicing your values even when it’s hard. There are many other great children’s books mentioned inside this book, and my third grader is already talking about reading them.
August 8, 2017
A story about the love of reading and books, what is not to LOVE!!! A must read for the elementary classroom. So many wonderful lessons. I want a Losers Club at my school...
August 24, 2017
super fun book about kids who love to read!
August 18, 2017
Sixth grader Alec Spencer has a problem--and it's one with which many of us bibliophiles can relate. He simply can't stop reading. There's nothing he loves more than a good book, and he delights in rereading some of his favorites multiple times. But the trouble is that he'd rather his beloved books instead of listening or participating in class, something that has gotten him in trouble several times. But this day, on the very first day of class, Principal Vance threatens him with six weeks of summer school to hone his study skills unless he changes his ways. Since he must spend three hours after school in an extended day program due to his parents' schedules, he decides to start his own club that actually affords him time to read. Although he has no intention of having any other members in addition to himself and the required other person and he dubs the club "The Losers Club" to keep other students away, that isn't what happens. Not only does it attract Nina Warner, a girl on whom he develops a crush, but one by one, other students join. And Alec is clear that this is no club where members will discuss books. Instead, they will simply read. Andrew Clements knows his audience and his territory quite well, and he seasons this love letter to the delights of reading great books with a side of bullying, brotherly love, and confusion about the opposite sex, all aspects of sixth grade life. If it's all a bit predictable and Alec successfully resists his more negative impulses more easily than might actually happen, that's okay because he makes reading cool. I won't be the only one to squirm uncomfortably as I recall the times I hid books I really wanted to read inside one of those big old math or social studies texts or sneaked my book into my lap while a teacher was droning on in yet another lecture. Clements even provides a useful list of books mentioned in this book and read by the various members of the club. While I consider reading a social act, there are plenty of times when I want to savor the words, the story, and the emotion and have no interest in sharing my thoughts with others. As is the case with just about everything this man has written, this book offers another title that should serve as a good read aloud for sharing with others, and maybe making avid readers feel less embarrassed about what they love to do. Cliche though it might be for some, reading is cooler than some might have us believe.
February 2, 2018
@kidlitexchange #partner —— All opinions are my own.
Oh, this book!!! I wish every middle grade student / teacher / parent would read this book!!! I sat down to start it this morning and didn’t stop until I reached the very end. I can’t wait for my daughter to get just a tad bit older so I can share this gem with her.
The main character, Alec, loves to read and get totally lost in a good story. The problem is he reads all day long, even during class and it’s starting to interfere with his school work. The principle has urged all of the teachers to keep a very close eye on Alec and keep him on task. This definitely boosts his grades, but also majorly cuts into his desired reading time. Since he’s stuck in an after school program, he decides to start his very own reading club. However, he’s not too fond of having many members join so he names it the “Losers Club” hoping the name will keep students from joining. Little did he know that it would draw the attention of the entire school.
I absolutely adored Alec. I would have hung out and joined his club in a heartbeat. I get his obsession and I also get his frustration on being constantly teased as a “bookworm”. We watch him struggle with making new friends and slowly learn to be receptive to other opinions. The book addresses bullying, teasing and labeling in a brilliant way. There’s a great lesson on making sure you’re not labeling peers for being jocks, nerds, etc and that it’s okay to fit in and enjoy several categories. I loved all of the book talk. Readers will hopefully be encouraged to check out all titles the characters mentioned throughout the story. The author graciously included a wonderful checklist at the end to jumpstart your own book loving journey.
Overall, read and buy and share this book!!!! The characters are incredibly realistic, the storyline will easily grasp your attention and the gentle shared lessons are invaluable. I would recommend it for grades 4th - 6th. The chapters are short so this would make a perfect selection for read alouds and group discussions!!!
Oh, this book!!! I wish every middle grade student / teacher / parent would read this book!!! I sat down to start it this morning and didn’t stop until I reached the very end. I can’t wait for my daughter to get just a tad bit older so I can share this gem with her.
The main character, Alec, loves to read and get totally lost in a good story. The problem is he reads all day long, even during class and it’s starting to interfere with his school work. The principle has urged all of the teachers to keep a very close eye on Alec and keep him on task. This definitely boosts his grades, but also majorly cuts into his desired reading time. Since he’s stuck in an after school program, he decides to start his very own reading club. However, he’s not too fond of having many members join so he names it the “Losers Club” hoping the name will keep students from joining. Little did he know that it would draw the attention of the entire school.
I absolutely adored Alec. I would have hung out and joined his club in a heartbeat. I get his obsession and I also get his frustration on being constantly teased as a “bookworm”. We watch him struggle with making new friends and slowly learn to be receptive to other opinions. The book addresses bullying, teasing and labeling in a brilliant way. There’s a great lesson on making sure you’re not labeling peers for being jocks, nerds, etc and that it’s okay to fit in and enjoy several categories. I loved all of the book talk. Readers will hopefully be encouraged to check out all titles the characters mentioned throughout the story. The author graciously included a wonderful checklist at the end to jumpstart your own book loving journey.
Overall, read and buy and share this book!!!! The characters are incredibly realistic, the storyline will easily grasp your attention and the gentle shared lessons are invaluable. I would recommend it for grades 4th - 6th. The chapters are short so this would make a perfect selection for read alouds and group discussions!!!
August 21, 2017
What's a sixth-grade-boy to do if he would rather read than listen in class? His response would be to keep on reading, yet his parents and teacher decide otherwise. Faced with a tough bully who belittles him every day, and a new girl who seems cool, Alec has a lot on his mind. This year he is required to stay for extended day, since his parents jobs responsibilities have change. Checking out the available clubs for extended day, he decides none of them work for him. Instead he asks if he can start a reading club. He names it the "Losers Club" hoping to keep it small. However the Reading Club takes on a life of its own, and Alec finds himself forced to change his outlook to protect his club. This will make a terrific class read aloud. Andrew Clements' writing depicts elementary students so realistically. Throughout the book titles pop up, and there is a comprehensive list of many excellent classics and a few newer titles, described so enthusiastically by Alec and his friends, your old library books will once again be discovered by a new generation. This is a fun read that won't stay on the shelf long.
August 16, 2017
Andrew Clements is the master of school stories. In this one, sixth grader, Alec loves reading and gets in trouble for reading instead of paying attention in class. He also has to start attending an afterschool program where he either has to work on a homework assignment or join a club. None of the clubs appeal to him until he thinks of starting his own club where he can just read. He calls it the Loser's Club so no one else will want to join. Life gets in the way, however, and he learns that real life can be as interesting as the books he loves. Recommended for students in grades 3-6.
Reviewed by Carol Kaner, Youth and School Services Librarian, Vernon Area Public Library
Reviewed by Carol Kaner, Youth and School Services Librarian, Vernon Area Public Library
December 23, 2017
This one is right about 4.5 stars for me. Sometimes it’s hard not to compare books to other books and having just read the Mr. Lemoncello series this wasn’t as exciting BUT I did thoroughly enjoy the writing style and the subject. I feel like it showed this age in a very mature light - perhaps not realistic but perhaps a good example for the middle grade reader!
June 9, 2017
Satisfying middle-grade book about books and reading. My eight-year-old calls it one of his favorites. Quite nice as a school story with great, believable characters, real warmth, and a sense of humor.
August 9, 2017
Another fantastic and fresh school story from Andrew Clements!
April 26, 2020
Bu kitap, sürekli kitap okuyan Alec’in Okul Sonrası Programı’na katılıp orada bir kitap kulübü kurmasını anlatıyor.
Okurken çok keyif aldım. Herkese tavsiye ediyorum.
Okurken çok keyif aldım. Herkese tavsiye ediyorum.
September 8, 2024
A fun enjoyable story by Andrew Clements. His stories are always fun, easy to read but with a powerful message. Any child who suffers from being different and struggles with fitting in will identify with Alec as he navigatles the challenges of middle school. Alec learns how to make friends, how to turn adversaries into friends, and how to please the adults in his life all at the same time!!
August 15, 2017
This is a truly delightful book about, well, books. And the kids who love them.
Alec wants to read. He literally wants to read more than anything else. So when he finds himself stuck in an after school program, he starts a club for kids who just want to sit and read. They don't want to discuss the books. They don't want to write papers. They don't want to make presentations. Really. They JUST WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE SO THEY CAN READ. And to make sure no one beyond the mandatory minimum required by the school joins, Alec calls his group the Losers Club, figuring the name will repel other kids.
Spoiler alert: it doesn't.
In typical Clements fashion, it seems that very little actually happens in the book; and indeed, one of the joys of The Losers Club is that we are deeply immersed in Alec's head as he reads, so that we feel his joy and his freedom as his imagination soars. And yet by the end of the book, everything has changed--in some cases subtly, in others dramatically.
This is a splendid little story for any number of reasons: the writing, the plot, the characters, the gentle way the author blends them all together. But speaking as a former middle school teacher, I'm going to add another reason. This book shows how important it is to let kids just read. The members of the Losers Club choose their own books with love. If kids read only for school, reading is a chore, because reading for school always involves more than just reading. But when kids read for fun, by which I mean reading books they have chosen with no strings attached, they find what they like to read, not what the teachers think they should like. I will also add that I firmly believe kids should find what my mother used to call "intellectual bubble gum," that is to say, books of no discernible merit, and love them accordingly. Why? Because they're fun. Because they're different from school. Because they grip you. And because if kids only read high-culture classics as assigned, they will never learn the difference between art and garbage. (I say this as a big fan of garbage. We all have our guilty pleasures.)
This is a middle grade book, but my middle schooler and I enjoyed it equally. Highly recommended.
Alec wants to read. He literally wants to read more than anything else. So when he finds himself stuck in an after school program, he starts a club for kids who just want to sit and read. They don't want to discuss the books. They don't want to write papers. They don't want to make presentations. Really. They JUST WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE SO THEY CAN READ. And to make sure no one beyond the mandatory minimum required by the school joins, Alec calls his group the Losers Club, figuring the name will repel other kids.
Spoiler alert: it doesn't.
In typical Clements fashion, it seems that very little actually happens in the book; and indeed, one of the joys of The Losers Club is that we are deeply immersed in Alec's head as he reads, so that we feel his joy and his freedom as his imagination soars. And yet by the end of the book, everything has changed--in some cases subtly, in others dramatically.
This is a splendid little story for any number of reasons: the writing, the plot, the characters, the gentle way the author blends them all together. But speaking as a former middle school teacher, I'm going to add another reason. This book shows how important it is to let kids just read. The members of the Losers Club choose their own books with love. If kids read only for school, reading is a chore, because reading for school always involves more than just reading. But when kids read for fun, by which I mean reading books they have chosen with no strings attached, they find what they like to read, not what the teachers think they should like. I will also add that I firmly believe kids should find what my mother used to call "intellectual bubble gum," that is to say, books of no discernible merit, and love them accordingly. Why? Because they're fun. Because they're different from school. Because they grip you. And because if kids only read high-culture classics as assigned, they will never learn the difference between art and garbage. (I say this as a big fan of garbage. We all have our guilty pleasures.)
This is a middle grade book, but my middle schooler and I enjoyed it equally. Highly recommended.
August 12, 2017
Adored this book; it's like a love letter to many great reads for chldren (and adults). The way Clements describes reading and books... I was able to relate to it in so many ways. I really think he was aiming for a bit of satire in describing the lengths a school might take to discourage reading for pleasure. I can't imagine a principal sending a registered letter to parents and requiring six weeks of summer school for someone who doesn't really need it.
I really liked that the students are not all stereotypical, cut-and-dried all of the time; the jock is not always a jerk, Alec is not always in the right, and as typical 6th graders, they change their mind about friendships and priorities several times over. There are many wonderful quotes, and many times Alec draws upon what he has learned from books. "It didn't seem...honorable. And in The High King, his heroes were big on being honorable."
"Alec took a mental tour through the different books he'd read remembering how his favorite heroes had solved their biggest problems, won their greatest battles."
"But this wasn't the Klondike in the 1890's. This was the music room on a Tuesday morning."
Alec and Kent had a very complex relationship, just as actual 6th graders might. I was actually proud of Alec when he realized that Kent should have a choice in what he read, but also so pleased when he selected Hatchet as the first book for him. The sibling rivalry between Alec and Luke was often entertaining, including Alec's realization that his younger brother was an accomplished reader in a different way, with electronics.
And my favorite description: "With all his heart, he wanted to freeze this exact moment and always remember it... the way he felt so connected and separate...and happy and sad... and smart and stupid--all at the same time." But in the end, when Alec realizes what he has accomplished and reading is celebrated, he proclaims, "This is better than the best book I've ever read."
And as an added plus, there is a list of all books mentioned!
I really liked that the students are not all stereotypical, cut-and-dried all of the time; the jock is not always a jerk, Alec is not always in the right, and as typical 6th graders, they change their mind about friendships and priorities several times over. There are many wonderful quotes, and many times Alec draws upon what he has learned from books. "It didn't seem...honorable. And in The High King, his heroes were big on being honorable."
"Alec took a mental tour through the different books he'd read remembering how his favorite heroes had solved their biggest problems, won their greatest battles."
"But this wasn't the Klondike in the 1890's. This was the music room on a Tuesday morning."
Alec and Kent had a very complex relationship, just as actual 6th graders might. I was actually proud of Alec when he realized that Kent should have a choice in what he read, but also so pleased when he selected Hatchet as the first book for him. The sibling rivalry between Alec and Luke was often entertaining, including Alec's realization that his younger brother was an accomplished reader in a different way, with electronics.
And my favorite description: "With all his heart, he wanted to freeze this exact moment and always remember it... the way he felt so connected and separate...and happy and sad... and smart and stupid--all at the same time." But in the end, when Alec realizes what he has accomplished and reading is celebrated, he proclaims, "This is better than the best book I've ever read."
And as an added plus, there is a list of all books mentioned!
September 17, 2017
Thanks to Kid Lit Exchange network for this review copy of The Losers Club. All opinions are my own.
The Losers Club is Andrew Clements latest book targeted at upper elementary readers. Clements is known for his large body work for this age group with books such as Frindle and No Talking. (And so many more.) Clements's fans will not be disappointed with this newest addition to his collection.
Alec is a lover of all things books and reading. In fact, his love of reading gets him in hot water with his principal, because he is constantly reading instead of paying attention in class. To make matters worse, his parents have new jobs, which means Alec and his younger brother Luke have to go to an after school program where Alec has to choose between unappealing options to occupy his time. Enter his idea of The Losers Club, a club devoted to sitting and reading. Along the way, Alec has to deal with a bully who used to be a friend, his new feelings for Nina, a girl in his club, and the fact that the club is required to make a presentation in front of other students and parents.
The story is simple and fun, which is appropriate for its intended audience. I enjoyed Alec's character and his development over the duration of the novel. One ingenious aspect of this story is that Clements intertwines book recommendations throughout the story. Because Alec is such a voracious reader, Clements is able to mention countless books appropriate for this age group. Among the books mentioned in the novel are Holes by Louis Sachar, Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, and many, many more. At the end of the novel, Clements includes The Losers Club Checklist, a list of all the books mentioned in the novel. Love that!
Bottom Line: This book is definitely for upper elementary because of its simplistic, straightforward storyline. I really like it for this age group and would not hesitate to recommend it to 3-5th, and maybe some 6th graders. I think the upper elementary crowd will love it! My rating is 5/5 for upper elementary.
The Losers Club is Andrew Clements latest book targeted at upper elementary readers. Clements is known for his large body work for this age group with books such as Frindle and No Talking. (And so many more.) Clements's fans will not be disappointed with this newest addition to his collection.
Alec is a lover of all things books and reading. In fact, his love of reading gets him in hot water with his principal, because he is constantly reading instead of paying attention in class. To make matters worse, his parents have new jobs, which means Alec and his younger brother Luke have to go to an after school program where Alec has to choose between unappealing options to occupy his time. Enter his idea of The Losers Club, a club devoted to sitting and reading. Along the way, Alec has to deal with a bully who used to be a friend, his new feelings for Nina, a girl in his club, and the fact that the club is required to make a presentation in front of other students and parents.
The story is simple and fun, which is appropriate for its intended audience. I enjoyed Alec's character and his development over the duration of the novel. One ingenious aspect of this story is that Clements intertwines book recommendations throughout the story. Because Alec is such a voracious reader, Clements is able to mention countless books appropriate for this age group. Among the books mentioned in the novel are Holes by Louis Sachar, Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, and many, many more. At the end of the novel, Clements includes The Losers Club Checklist, a list of all the books mentioned in the novel. Love that!
Bottom Line: This book is definitely for upper elementary because of its simplistic, straightforward storyline. I really like it for this age group and would not hesitate to recommend it to 3-5th, and maybe some 6th graders. I think the upper elementary crowd will love it! My rating is 5/5 for upper elementary.
August 4, 2017
"The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss
This book was an ode and love letter to childhood reading. An enjoyable read, it is perfectly short, sweet, and great for middle grade readers and for both kids who already read voraciously and those that can't seem to figure what the big deal is?
The big deal, at least to Alec, is that he just can't stop reading because he gets lost in the story and is comforted by knowing what will happen next. It's why he's always getting in trouble and visiting the principal's office more times than he can count. In fact, the teachers have all decided that Alec needs to sit up front in the classroom so that he can be monitored. But his mind still wanders so he really can't catch a break.
That is, until his parents end up working late so he's required to stay after school where he's forced to join a club. But there are no clubs dedicated to reading so he decides to start one on his own, including the word "Losers" in the name so it would deter others from joining.
But the opposite ends up happening and as more kids get wind of Alec's Club, the more they want to join. We also see moments where Alec is growing up and becoming a better person, all because of teachings taught in the books he reads. It almost made me angry for Alec and kids like him because even though the teachers' praised his reading, they also punished him for it - and wouldn't incorporate reading into a school system be the better avenue?
I related so much with Alec as I, too, was a bookworm...sorry, BookHawk! Because Alec and some of the other kids discover that it's okay to stay true to who you are and there's no time to waste on shame. This book is also about being open to different types of people, to be compassionate, to be kind - all great and necessary lessons.
This book was an ode and love letter to childhood reading. An enjoyable read, it is perfectly short, sweet, and great for middle grade readers and for both kids who already read voraciously and those that can't seem to figure what the big deal is?
The big deal, at least to Alec, is that he just can't stop reading because he gets lost in the story and is comforted by knowing what will happen next. It's why he's always getting in trouble and visiting the principal's office more times than he can count. In fact, the teachers have all decided that Alec needs to sit up front in the classroom so that he can be monitored. But his mind still wanders so he really can't catch a break.
That is, until his parents end up working late so he's required to stay after school where he's forced to join a club. But there are no clubs dedicated to reading so he decides to start one on his own, including the word "Losers" in the name so it would deter others from joining.
But the opposite ends up happening and as more kids get wind of Alec's Club, the more they want to join. We also see moments where Alec is growing up and becoming a better person, all because of teachings taught in the books he reads. It almost made me angry for Alec and kids like him because even though the teachers' praised his reading, they also punished him for it - and wouldn't incorporate reading into a school system be the better avenue?
I related so much with Alec as I, too, was a bookworm...sorry, BookHawk! Because Alec and some of the other kids discover that it's okay to stay true to who you are and there's no time to waste on shame. This book is also about being open to different types of people, to be compassionate, to be kind - all great and necessary lessons.
March 12, 2018
Sixth-grader Alec Spencer loves to read more than anything else! Under the threat of having to attend a summer class on study skills, he realizes he has to give up reading for fun during his classes. Then his parents both go back to working in an office (instead of at home), so he and his younger brother, Luke, have to attend an after-school program until their parents come to pick them up.
Unfortunately, Alec can't just sit and read during the after-school session; he has to participate in sports or belong to a club. He finds out he can start a new club for himself and one other member, so he decides to start a reading club with one other student, a girl named Nina. But Alec doesn't want a lot of people in the club, because they'd make too much noise and interfere with his reading. So he decides to call it the Losers Club. Does this strategy work? Well, you'll have to read the book and find out what happens.
The best part of the book is that it's chock-full of references to kids' books, e.g., the Chronicles of Prydain, Hatchet, A Wrinkle in Time, Because of Winn-Dixie, Wimpy Kid, and many others.
I liked Alec's family too. Alec is named after Alec Guinness, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi in "Star Wars," and you can guess who his brother Luke is named after. His parents and brother are all "Star Wars" geeks. Alec likes the movies, but what he really loves is his dad's huge collection of books based on the movies. Alec has read all of them -- twice.
There's also a list of all the books referenced in the story at the end. This is a book to be enjoyed by kids and adults who love to read, and it will also provide sure-fire suggestions for reluctant readers.
Unfortunately, Alec can't just sit and read during the after-school session; he has to participate in sports or belong to a club. He finds out he can start a new club for himself and one other member, so he decides to start a reading club with one other student, a girl named Nina. But Alec doesn't want a lot of people in the club, because they'd make too much noise and interfere with his reading. So he decides to call it the Losers Club. Does this strategy work? Well, you'll have to read the book and find out what happens.
The best part of the book is that it's chock-full of references to kids' books, e.g., the Chronicles of Prydain, Hatchet, A Wrinkle in Time, Because of Winn-Dixie, Wimpy Kid, and many others.
I liked Alec's family too. Alec is named after Alec Guinness, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi in "Star Wars," and you can guess who his brother Luke is named after. His parents and brother are all "Star Wars" geeks. Alec likes the movies, but what he really loves is his dad's huge collection of books based on the movies. Alec has read all of them -- twice.
There's also a list of all the books referenced in the story at the end. This is a book to be enjoyed by kids and adults who love to read, and it will also provide sure-fire suggestions for reluctant readers.
January 17, 2018
I loved it it was amazing I am totally astonished at how it ended it was awesome.
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