Genre
Young-adult fiction
Setting and Context
The story is set in the early 2000s in an unnamed working-class town in the Eastern United States.
Narrator and Point of View
The story is narrated by an unnamed third-person omniscient narrator; the point of view stays largely with Zinkoff, but occasionally shifts to secondary characters.
Tone and Mood
The tone is humorous and contemplative; the mood exuberant and tender.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Donald Zinkoff is the protagonist; antagonists include fellow students, certain teachers, and Zinkoff's neighbor Andrew.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is that Zinkoff's difficulties with learning and making friends prevent him from conforming to his social environment. His enthusiasm and inherent kindness go largely unrecognized while his inability to conform turns him into a social pariah and earn him the nickname "Loser."
Climax
The story reaches its climax when Zinkoff nearly dies of hypothermia while spending seven hours searching for a little girl who he believes is lost in the snow.
