Reviews
In her own down-to-earth, people, smart way, Holt offers a gift. . . . It is a lovely--at times even giddy--date with real life., "This book packs more emotional power than 90% of the so-called grown-up novels taking up precious space on bookshelves around the country. Kimberly Willis Holt's When Zachary Beaver Came to Town will resonate with readers." USA Today "Holt may not take her readers on wild flights of fantasy, but her quiet novel offers a slice of life that's hard to resist." New York Times Book Review "As in her first novel, My Louisiana Sky , Holt humanizes the outsider without sentimentality. . . . Holt reveals the freak in all of us, and the power of redemption." Booklist , Starred Review "In her own down-to-earth, people, smart way, Holt offers a gift. . . . It is a lovelyat times even giddydate with real life." The Horn Book , Starred Review "Well-developed characters, all fantastic and flawed in their own ways, add plenty of spice." Publishers Weekly , Starred Review "Holt reinvents the coming-of-age story, breathing life into a quirky cast of characters. . . . The events of the story combined may seem no larger than a pebble underfoot, yet the characters tug at readers, gaining steadily their attention and affection." Kirkus Reviews "Holt deftly fleshes out her characters and expands their worldview beyond the borders of their small town." Library Journal "This tale of Toby and Cal's growing friendship with Zachary is full of humor as well as sadness as Toby learns to deal with loss. It's beautifully and sensitively related by Holt, who displays a finely tuned sense of place and time. A rich and satisfying read." KLIATT An ALA Notable Children's Book An ALA Best Book for Young Adults National Book Award Winner Books for the Teen Age, New York Public Library Booklist Editors' Choice Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year An American Bookseller "Pick of the List" Arizona Young Reader Selection Nominee Connecticut's Nutmeg Award Nominee Georgia Children's Book Award Nominee Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award Finalist Indiana Young Hoosier Award Iowa Teen Book Award Nominee Kansas Heartland Award for Excellence in YA Literature Finalist Maine Student Book Award Nominee Maryland's Black-eyed Susan Award Nominee Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award Finalist Michigan Reader's Choice Award Winner Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Awards Master List New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award YA Master List Tennessee Volunteer State Award Master List Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List Vermont's Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Nominee, "This book packs more emotional power than 90% of the so-called grown-up novels taking up precious space on bookshelves around the country. Kimberly Willis Holt's When Zachary Beaver Came to Town will resonate with readers." -- USA Today "Holt may not take her readers on wild flights of fantasy, but her quiet novel offers a slice of life that's hard to resist." -- New York Times Book Review "As in her first novel, My Louisiana Sky , Holt humanizes the outsider without sentimentality. . . . Holt reveals the freak in all of us, and the power of redemption." -- Booklist, Starred Review "In her own down-to-earth, people, smart way, Holt offers a gift. . . . It is a lovely--at times even giddy--date with real life." -- The Horn Book, Starred Review "Well-developed characters, all fantastic and flawed in their own ways, add plenty of spice." -- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review "Holt reinvents the coming-of-age story, breathing life into a quirky cast of characters. . . . The events of the story combined may seem no larger than a pebble underfoot, yet the characters tug at readers, gaining steadily their attention and affection." -- Kirkus Reviews "Holt deftly fleshes out her characters and expands their worldview beyond the borders of their small town." -- Library Journal "This tale of Toby and Cal's growing friendship with Zachary is full of humor as well as sadness as Toby learns to deal with loss. It's beautifully and sensitively related by Holt, who displays a finely tuned sense of place and time. A rich and satisfying read." -- KLIATT, Well-Developed Characters, All Fantastic and Flawed in Their Own Ways, Add Plenty of Spice., This book packs more emotional power than 90% of the so-called grown-up novels taking up precious space on bookshelves around the country. Kimberly Willis Holt's When Zachary Beaver Came to Town will resonate with readers., Holt deftly fleshes out her characters and expands their worldview beyond the borders of their small town., As in her first novel, My Louisiana Sky , Holt humanizes the outsider without sentimentality. . . . Holt reveals the freak in all of us, and the power of redemption., This tale of Toby and Cal's growing friendship with Zachary is full of humor as well as sadness as Toby learns to deal with loss. It's beautifully and sensitively related by Holt, who displays a finely tuned sense of place and time. A rich and satisfying read., Holt reinvents the coming-of-age story, breathing life into a quirky cast of characters. . . . The events of the story combined may seem no larger than a pebble underfoot, yet the characters tug at readers, gaining steadily their attention and affection., Holt may not take her readers on wild flights of fantasy, but her quiet novel offers a slice of life that's hard to resist., "This book packs more emotional power than 90% of the so-called grown-up novels taking up precious space on bookshelves around the country. Kimberly Willis Holt's When Zachary Beaver Came to Town will resonate with readers."- USA Today "Holt may not take her readers on wild flights of fantasy, but her quiet novel offers a slice of life that's hard to resist."- New York Times Book Review "As in her first novel, My Louisiana Sky , Holt humanizes the outsider without sentimentality. . . . Holt reveals the freak in all of us, and the power of redemption."- Booklist , Starred Review "In her own down-to-earth, people, smart way, Holt offers a gift. . . . It is a lovely-at times even giddy-date with real life."- The Horn Book , Starred Review "Well-developed characters, all fantastic and flawed in their own ways, add plenty of spice."- Publishers Weekly , Starred Review "Holt reinvents the coming-of-age story, breathing life into a quirky cast of characters. . . . The events of the story combined may seem no larger than a pebble underfoot, yet the characters tug at readers, gaining steadily their attention and affection."- Kirkus Reviews "Holt deftly fleshes out her characters and expands their worldview beyond the borders of their small town."- Library Journal "This tale of Toby and Cal's growing friendship with Zachary is full of humor as well as sadness as Toby learns to deal with loss. It's beautifully and sensitively related by Holt, who displays a finely tuned sense of place and time. A rich and satisfying read."- KLIATT An ALA Notable Children's Book An ALA Best Book for Young Adults National Book Award Winner Books for the Teen Age, New York Public Library Booklist Editors' Choice Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year An American Bookseller "Pick of the List" Arizona Young Reader Selection Nominee Connecticut's Nutmeg Award Nominee Georgia Children's Book Award Nominee Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award Finalist Indiana Young Hoosier Award Iowa Teen Book Award Nominee Kansas Heartland Award for Excellence in YA Literature Finalist Maine Student Book Award Nominee Maryland's Black-eyed Susan Award Nominee Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award Finalist Michigan Reader's Choice Award Winner Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Awards Master List New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award YA Master List Tennessee Volunteer State Award Master List Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List Vermont's Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Nominee