Zachary Beaver by Kimberly W. Holt
( Summarized by Erin Guidry )
Introducing Zachary Beaver
Characters
Cal McKnight- Cal's brother is in the military and Cal is very loud and proud. He works in the fields with his dad, brother and sister and in the spring they release ladybugs into the cotton fields so they could fly around and land on flowers. Cal is proud of what he does and always stands up for himself.
Kate McKnight- Kate is Cal's sister and she is a horrible driver! When the boys wanted to help Zachary she drove and joined in and later became Zachary's friend. She's the bossy one in the McKnight family.
Toby's Dad- He's a part time worm bait seller and Toby works with him. He is very protective over Toby, his son, and works very hard.
Toby's Mom- Left Antler to go to Nashville, Tennessee for a singing contest. She later lost the contest but stayed in Nashville and took time apart from her husband and Antler.
Zachary Beaver- He weighs over 600 Ibs. and is the "fattest man alive". He never leaves his trailer and eats a lot. Zachary would have gotten baptized but his mom died and he didn't want to have a crowd so he never did but eventually did in the end.
Wayne McKnight- Cal's brother that's in the army. He misses Antler, Texas his home town and wants to come back but later dies in war.
Ferris- Works at a diner in Antler. Cal and Toby are his best customers and he's super sweet. Ferris worked with Toby's mom before she left.
Paulie Ranklin- Zachary's legal guardian and travels the world with him. He left later in the book and never returned til the end. He was in Paris and other countries finding talents for their freak show they are putting together. He returned and took back Zachary.
Scarlett- Toby's crush that he later gave his mom's priceless pearls to. She gave them back and told him she only liked him as a friend nothing more.
Juan- Scarlett's ex boyfriend later boyfriend again. He carries around a steel golf club for no reason.
Miss Myrtie Mae- Toby cut grass for her and she is really sweet. She is married to a lawyer.
Sheriff- He runs the town of Antler, Texas. Wanted Toby to get into Zachary's business.
Conflicts, Conflicts, and more Conflicts
Main Plots
1. Toby's mom left him to go to Nashville, TN
2. Zachary Beaver came to town3. Scarlett asked Toby to take her sister to see the "fattest boy in the world"
4. She saw Zachary and peed her pants laughing
5. Toby got a job mowing and weeding Miss Myrtie Mae's yard every week
6. Zachary's legal owner leaves
7. Cal and Toby leave food every week at Zachary's door
8. Sheriff asked Toby to become friends with Zachary Beaver
9. Toby visits Zachary with Cal and they talk to him about what it's like being fat
10. Cal tries to see what's in the gold box o the bookshelf
11. Cal finds out it's a bible with a baptism line with a blank
12. Toby and Cal sit atop Ferris's restaurant and some boys start throwing rocks at them so they throw it back
13. Toby breaks Zachary's window
14. Wayne dies
15. Wayne's funeral and Cal's break out
16. Zachary, Toby, and Cal become friends
17. Cal and Toby build steps to help Zachary up into the truck
18. Kate, Toby, and Cal take Zachary to the movies
19. Toby brings Scarlett to Juan
20. Zachary will be sent to a foster home
21. Zachary gets baptized by Ferris
22. They release the lady bugs in the field
23. Captured a picture of Zachary watching the ladybugs fly
24. They made a wall in the Bowl-A-Rama dedicated to Zachary and his summer in Antler
25. Zachary Beaver leaves the town of Antler
Quote: "It seems weird, staring at someone because they're different." (Holt, 13)
Citations...
Holt, Kimberly Willis. When Zachary Beaver Came to Town. New York: Holt, 1999.
Print.
"Cynsations." : Career Builder & Giveaway: Kimberly Willis Holt. Web. 19 Feb.
2016.