Zack Delacruz: Me and My Big Mouth

Anderson’s debut children’s book stars sixth-grader Zack, who has perfected the art of being invisible in school—until he surprises himself by standing up to the class bully, José, also known as El Pollo Loco. Zack also finds himself forced to work with José on a fund-raising campaign: if the sixth graders sell enough candy bars, they will be allowed to attend the middle-school dance for the first time. Zack, who is also dealing with his parents’ recent divorce, is a sympathetic narrator, and Anderson spiritedly renders the voices and personalities of preteens, many of Mexican descent, in a blue-collar section of San Antonio, Tex. It’s somewhat hard to believe, however, that many sixth-grade boys would be motivated by the prospect of a dance, so when the fund-raising takes an unexpected twist, the sense of urgency is not especially credible. And annoying as El Pollo Loco is, he’s basically harmless, which strips the bullying issue of potency. While less than compelling, the story does trace Zack’s maturing and his class’s bonding to a pleasantly satisfying finish. Ages 9–13. Agent: Roseanne Wells, Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency. (Aug.)