The Losers Club

I loved Frindle, so I had high hopes for Andrew Clement’s The Losers Club, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s about a bookworm who finds himself starting a new club and making lots of new friends. The main character, Alec, would rather just be reading by himself, but when he has to join a club for his after-school program, he realizes there is more to life than just books.

I especially liked Alec’s little brother, Luke, who speaks like Yoda, and I really liked their interactions as brothers. I liked how even though Luke was the little brother, sometimes he was smarter about social things, and I liked how they stood up for each other.

It’s a little too predictable and cheesy. For instance the “bully” has family problems and too quickly comes to like and admire Alec through books. There are a lot of other book titles mentioned, which can be distracting, but it also gives you good ideas of books to read next (there is a book list at the end also). I think it will appeal to book lovers who get teased about how much reading they do and kids who have trouble fitting in.

It’s a quick and amusing story, but it doesn’t need to become a series—although I would like to read more about Luke!