When Zachary Beaver Came to Town

Toby Wilson is having the toughest summer of his life. His mother left for good; his best friend’s brother was killed. Then Zachary Beaver, the fattest boy in the world, arrives in Toby’s sleepy Texas town. And it’s Zachary Beaver who turns the town of Antler upside down and leaves everyone, especially Toby, changed forever. With understated elegance, Kimberly Willis Holt tells a compelling coming-of-age story about a thirteen-year-old boy struggling to find himself in an imperfect world.

A timelessly relevant exploration of family, friendship, discrimination, and acceptance.

Christy Ottaviano Books