Zack Delacruz: Me and My Big Mouth (Zack Delacruz, Book 1) (Volume 1) - Softcover

Anderson, Jeff

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1454921277 ISBN 13: 9781454921271

Publisher: Union Square Kids, 2016

Synopsis

Zack Delacruz is unnoticed at his middle school—and that’s just the way he likes it. But a school assembly, a typhoon of spit, and an uncharacteristic moment of bravery are all it takes to change everything. Suddenly Zack is in charge of the class fundraiser. Worse, his partner is the school’s biggest bully! If they don’t sell all the chocolate bars, there will be no dance for the sixth grade. Zack never wanted to be a hero, but with his classmates’ hopes on the line, can he save the day?

About this title

About the Author

About the Author:
Jeff Anderson is the author of Mechanically Inclined, Everyday Editing, 10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know, and Revision Decisions. Zack Delacruz is his debut middle grade novel. Jeff grew up in Austin, Texas, and learned to love writing by journaling and crafting stories to entertain his friends over the phone. A former elementary and middle school teacher, Jeff travels to schools across the country working with teachers and students to discover joy and power in the writing process. Jeff lives with his partner, Terry, and their dogs, Carl and Paisley. Find out more about Jeff at writeguy.net or follow him on Twitter @writeguyjeff. Jeff lives in San Antonio, TX.

About the Cover Illustrator:
Tad Carpenter is a children’s book illustrator, designer, graphic arts teacher, and cofounder of Vahalla Studios, a screen printing studio whose clients include Myspace, Ray-Ban, Polo, John Mayer, The Shins, Wilco, and Neil Young. He lives in Kansas City, MO.

About the Interior Illustrator:
Andrea Miller is an illustrator, a children’s book designer at Sterling Publishing, and a graduate of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She lives with her wife, her six bookshelves, and a box of ink and brushes. Zack Delacruz is her first children’s book. Find her work online at andreacmiller.com. Andrea lives in Brooklyn, NY.

From School Library Journal

Gr 3–6—Zack Delacruz prefers to stay in the background. He knows that being noticed will only lead to trouble. After a school assembly on bullying, Zack decides to stand up for a fellow classmate and in the process gets roped into being the lead fund-raiser for the school dance (if he and his classmates sell enough chocolate bars, they'll be allowed to attend the dance for the first time). Zack goes from flying under the radar to being the center of attention. Things go well until someone eats several of the boxes instead of selling them, leaving Zack to pick up the pieces. Though characterization is light, Zack's class is a diverse mix of students. Zack is a relatable narrator and embodies the middle school experience. The steady pace makes this novel a solid pick for reluctant readers, though some of the descriptions of Zack's anxieties seem to drag on. VERDICT An additional purchase for libraries looking to add more middle grade realistic fiction.—Kristyn Dorfman, The Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn, NY

Edition details

• Publisher: Union Square Kids
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1454921277
• ISBN 13: 9781454921271
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 176