Loser, by Jerry Spinelli, 2002

Donald Zinkoff embraces life in a joyful and simple way, but his clumsiness and naievete brand him first as a nobody and ultimately as a loser. His unfolding life and his intrinsic value are painstakingly presented; his ultimate actions made me cry. Slow to start, more character sketch than story, but I came to care deeply for Zinkoff, and will see a bit of him in other so-called "losers."