Nothing ever happens in Toby's small Texas town. Nothing much until this summer that's full of big changes.
It's tough for Toby when his mother leaves home to become a country singer. And Toby takes it hard when his best friend Cal's older brother goes off to fight in Vietnam. But now their sleepy town is about to get an even bigger jolt with the arrival of Zachary Beaver, billed as the fattest boy in the world. Toby is in for a summer unlike any other, a summer sure to change his life.
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town ANNOTATION 1999 National Book Award winner for Young People's Literature. FROM THE PUBLISHER Nothing ever happens in Toby's small Texas town. Nothing much until this summer that's full of big changes.
It's tough for Toby when his mother leaves home to become a country singer. And Toby takes it hard when his best friend Cal's older brother goes off to fight in Vietnam. But now their sleepy town is about to get an even bigger jolt with the arrival of Zachary Beaver, billed as the fattest boy in the world. Toby is in for a summer unlike any other, a summer sure to change his life.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
FROM THE CRITICS Deirdre Donahue - USA Today This book packs more emotional power than 90% of the so called grown-up novels taking up precious space on bookshelves around the country. Kimberly Willis Hot's When Zachary Beaver Came to Town will resonate with readers. Horn Book In her own down-to-earth, people, smart way, Holt offers a gift...It is a lovely---at times even giddy---date with real life. Publishers Weekly When "the fattest boy in the world" rolls into Antler, Tex., in a trailer, 13-year-old Toby's perspective can't help but change. In a starred review of this National Book Award winner, PW praised the "well-developed characters, all fantastic and flawed in their own ways, [who] add plenty of spice." Ages 10-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
KLIATT - Paula Rohrlick
To quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, September 1999: The summer of Toby's 13th year is full of changes. It's 1971, and his best friend Cal's big brother has gone off to fight in Vietnam. Toby's mother has left too, gone to Nashville to pursue her dream of becoming a singing star. Toby has been left behind in the tiny town of Antler, Texas with his quiet postmaster Dad, who raises worms. Toby has a crush on pretty Scarlett, but she has eyes only for Juan. The big excitement in town is the arrival of a trailer containing the fattest boy in the world¿¿¿Zachary Beaver, all 643 pounds of him. This tale of Toby and Cal's growing friendship with Zachary is full of humor as well as sadness as Toby learns to deal with loss. It's beautifully and sensitively related by Holt (author of My Louisiana Sky), who displays a finely tuned sense of place and time. A rich and satisfying read. KLIATT Codes: J*¿¿¿Exceptional book, recommended for junior high school students. 1999, Random House, Dell, Laurel-Leaf, 227p., Library Journal Gr 5-8-A humdrum Texas summer is transformed when Toby and Cal befriend a surly sideshow star, arguably "the fattest boy in the world." Holt deftly fleshes out her characters and expands their worldview beyond the borders of their small town. (Nov.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
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