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A prolific author for newly independent readers, Patricia Reilly Giff introduces a whole new cast of characters in her new series, ZigZag Kids. All the action takes place at the ZigZag Elementary Afternoon Center, where students in grades 1-6 can play games, sports, get homework help, make crafts, go on field trips, etc.
The first book, Number One Kid, focuses on Mitchell, a new boy at school who really wants to fit in and be number one in something. Mitchell’s problem is that he can’t find any activity in which he excels.
In the second book, Big Whopper, the theme of the week is discovery. All the children are invited to discover something new. Destiny cannot seem to discover anything, so she ends up telling a fib to get recognized as part of the discovery mission.
Both books take the perspective of a relatively insecure second-grader – children who are looking to find their place in school, especially among their peers. The pace is quite fast; black-and-white illustrations break up the text and add interest. Many young students, especially those who attend similar programs, will identify with the characters in this series and will be able to make numerous text-to-self connections aiding in their comprehension.
The storylines themselves are less than memorable, making the ZigZag Kids series serve a purpose for a limited audience of chapter book readers, but not one to recommend as a truly entertaining, or original, story.
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Zig Zag Kids 1: Number One Kid / Zig Zag Kids 2: Big Whopper