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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Adam Zigzag, November 16, 2000
This review is from: Adam Zigzag (Laurel-Leaf Books) (Mass Market Paperback)
From the moment I read that the plot of this novel concerns dyslexia on the back cover of this book, I knew that this was an ideal story for me. This is the first book I've read by this author, and I really enjoyed it. I like the way she describes things and uses topics that are easy to relate to. I feel there are many good points of this book, even though the vocabulary is too basic for the audience she intends to have read her story. It's told in first person by two of the characters, Adam and Caroline. It deals with issues that young people of today might be familiar with, and offers comfort to those who are having the same kinds of problems mentioned in the book. It is reassuring for them to know that they are not alone.This story takes place in present day New York City. It is about the childhood and teen years of a dyslexic boy, Adam. He calls himself "Adam Zigzag" in secret. His sister, Caroline, is dyslexic as well, but she has a far milder case than Adam. The story is told from the viewpoints of both Adam and Caroline. Adam goes through much testing to find his strengths and weaknesses, and to find which schools can meet his needs. Caroline, in the midst of all this, is jealous of all the attention that Adam is getting from everyone. When he gets in to the same school as Caroline, she resents him more. "And then Adam enrolled. Suddenly here comes this blond, angelic boy. `Oh he's so cute!' everyone said. No one had to tell me I was definitely not `cute'. No cheekbones. Too skinny. A gigantic nose." Many other things happen throughout the course of this story. Adam has to have his bar mitzvah and he's worried that he won't be able to read from the Torah. He goes from school to school and interview to interview. He becomes more and more frustrated, and Caroline becomes embarrassed by his behavior. He begins to hang out with the wrong crowd. Caroline feels she should tell someone, but as she said, "Adam had enough bad stuff going on." And she "just couldn't add to it." Adam eventually realizes he needs to change his ways to be successful. "Sometimes when I think about all the money and time my parents have spent on me while I was [goofing] off in classes at school, I could just shoot myself. I wonder: did any of the time I spent with previous tutors pay off?" Adam Zigzag is a wonderfully written book to which young people of today can relate. Right from the beginning, the characters are introduced and the scenario becomes familiar. If you are a person who is dyslexic or close to someone who is, or someone who has been having problems hanging out with the wrong crowd, this book could be exceptionally good for you. I highly recommend it. Kara ... is a freshman... who enjoys books that reflect on life.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
how would you feel if you had dyslexia, March 17, 2003
This review is from: Adam Zigzag (Laurel-Leaf Books) (Mass Market Paperback)
After anyone starts reading the book Adam Zigzag you will never want to put it down. It's a book with a lot of emotional attachments. You just want to jump in the story and help the boy and his family find out how to deal with their problems. It is a fiction book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This boy named Adam was born with dyslexia. When he was little he would try and read to his family and he couldn't. Despite not being able to read as he got older he became popular and very good looking. He is older but he still has problems with reading that he can't fix. It just kept getting worse. So he had to move to a different school to get help. Ever since he was little he has always had tutors to help him responding to the book he would be reading. The other main character is Caroline. She is Adams older sister. She is normal and doesn't have any disabilities. She doesn't like how her brother has problems but she tries to deal with them anyways. She tries her best to help him in any way he might need. In the middle of the story she gets in a fight with her friend and her mom helps her out. They are a very close family and always there for each other. Since they have to move she looses all her friends anyways. Out of the whole family it seems like she is having the most trouble with everything because she is so embarrassed. Adam Zigzag is the perfect title for the story because every time Adam would read he would relate and compare how all he sees is zigzags and scribbles. Even in the book when he was little his friends would call him zigzag as a nickname to try to encourage the fact he can't read. Every character in this book demonstrates the thinking behavior persistence. For example, when Adam had to try his best to get out of that New York school he never gave up. He worked until he got the grades to get out. No matter what happened he had to prove to everyone that he could do it. Caroline had to keep working on maintaining her friendship because if it was over she wouldn't have any other friends. The parents were persistent on trying to convince Adam to keep going to school and trying to persue reading. When they were little they all lived together but Adam would just go to different schools. In high school he was the most popular guy and was still having trouble reading. He also had trouble doing his homework and turning it in. His grades were falling and they were getting so bad that he had to transfer schools all the way back down in New York. He had to go by himself and live without his family in a home. The end of this book is just as interesting as the beginning. Adam Zigzag never gets boring for one second. But then again it all depends on what the reader enjoys. Most people would think this book was exciting and worth while to read. It was sad to think that a guy couldn't read even though he tries his hardest. Knowing that the harder you try and the more you think about it, you will never accomplish reading because you have a disease.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
how would you feel if you had dyslexia, March 17, 2003
This review is from: Adam Zigzag (Laurel-Leaf Books) (Mass Market Paperback)
After anyone starts reading the book Adam Zigzag you will never want to put it down. It's a book with a lot of emotional attachments. You just want to jump in the story and help the boy and his family finds out how to deal with their problems. It is a fiction book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This boy named Adam was born with dyslexia. When he was little he would try and read to his family and he couldn't. Despite not being able to read as he got older he became popular and very good looking. He is older but he still has problems with reading that he can't fix. It just kept getting worse. So he had to move to a different school to get help. Ever since he was little he has always had tutors to help him responding to the book he would be reading. The other main character is Caroline. She is Adams older sister. She is normal and doesn't have any disabilities. She doesn't like how her brother has problems but she tries to deal with them anyways. She tries her best to help him in any way he might need. In the middle of the story she gets in a fight wit her friend and her mom helps her out. They are a very close family and always there for each other. Since they have to move she looses all her friends anyways. Out of the whole family it seems like she is having the most trouble with everything because she is so embarrassed. Adam Zigzag is the perfect title for the story because every time Adam would read he would relate and compare how all he sees is zigzags and scribbles. Even in the book when he was little his friends would call him zigzag as a nickname to try to encourage the fact he can't read. Every character in this book demonstrates the thinking behavior persistence. For example, when Adam had to try his best to get out of that New York school he never gave up. He worked until he got the grades to get out. No matter what happened he had to prove to everyone that he could do it. Caroline had to keep working on maintaining her friendship because if it was over she wouldn't have any other friends. The parents are persistent on trying to convince Adam to keep going to school and trying to peruse reading. When they were little they all lived together but Adam would just go to different schools. In high school he was the most popular guy and was still having trouble reading. He also had trouble doing his homework and turning it in. His grades were falling and they were getting so bad that he had to transfer schools all the way back down in New York. He had to go by himself and live without his family in a home. The end of this book is just as interesting as the beginning. Adam Zigzag never gets boring for one second. But then again it all depends on what the reader enjoys. Most people would think this book was exciting and worth while to read. It was sad to think that a guy couldn't read even though he tries his hardest. Knowing that the harder you try and the more you think about it, you will never accomplish reading because you have a disease.
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