The World's Greatest Underachiever Is the Ping-Pong Wizard

Hank Zipzer #9

by Henry Winkler

This year all the kids at Hank's school have to pick a favourite sport and specialize in it. Hank can’t run, he can’t catch and he can’t throw. Luckily, he's a whizz at ping pong. That's a sport, right?

Genres: Childrens, Middle Grade, Humor, Fiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published September 22, 2005

About the author

Henry Winkler is instantly recognizable and admired by audiences of all ages for his role as the Fonz on the long-running series, Happy Days. In addition, he is an award-winning producer and director of family and children's programming. He is also the author of the critically-acclaimed Hank Zipzer series, which follows the everyday adventures of a bright boy with learning challenges.

Mr. Winkler has also continued his acting career on the big screen, including a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in Nightshift, a starring role in the box-office hit Scream, and co-starring roles in The Water Boy, and Holes. On television, he has guest-starred on ABC's The Practice and NBC's Law & Order: SVU. He recently starred on Broadway for nine months in Neil Simon's play The Dinner Party.

Mr. Winkler is deeply committed to children's welfare and works with numerous children's groups. He is involved with The MacLaren Children's Center (a facility for abused children), The National Committee for Arts for the Handicapped, The Special Olympics, and The Los Angeles Music Center's Very Special Arts Festival, as well as numerous teenage alcohol and drug abuse programs. He is a founding member of the Children's Action Network, a non-profit organization that sponsors informational briefings for writers, producers and directors on children's issues and serves as a clearing-house for the entertainment industry on children's issues.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story with some good lessons and a quick read. Nate liked it, didn't love it.

[Eva Meng]

I think this book is very interesting because Hank wanted to play a sport he tried out soccer and he only stack cones if he failed and sat on the bench. Then one day his grandpa told him about ping pong and he finally was good at ping pong so he was a ping pond wizard so he didn't need to stay on the soccer team. I think this was a great idea so Hank didn't need to get yelled at everyday anymore. I would like to recommend this book to many people who likes to read Hank Zipzer books. I like this book very much because it is a great interesting book. This is a great wonderful book to read.

I like to recommend this book to a lot of people.

[Dominic Onate · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Secret Life as a Ping-pong Wizard

The book I read My Secret Life as a Ping-pong Wizard is a very good book because Hank said he would not like ping pong. After he was done playing ping pong for the first time he was happy he played ping pong. At the end of the book he faced his fears to play in front of the whole school. I think this book is intense and as a lot of action. Here is an example from the book. “Ping! Sam Chin hit a fast serve down the middle of the table.” I can relate myself to Papa Pete Hank’s grandpa because is always respectful and nice to people.

[Duane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another in the great Hank Zipzer series! Hank finds himself becoming a Ping Pong ace, but he worries that his friends and schoolmates won't accept Ping Pong as a actual sport. Hank soon learns that it doesn't matter what his schoolmates thinks, as long as he knows he's doing whats right. A great read!

[Marblesaurus · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was hilarious! I was so happy to know that Hank finally find a sport he can really enjoy and it's ping-pong! I played ping-pong at junior high and at college. Well, we call it 'table tennis,' though. Hank is very kind to young kids, and again here his kindness helps him get over his fear to show his true self to others. Reading Hank's story always makes me happy.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Hank starts to notice that almost everyone he knows is good at some type of sport he decides to try to take one up. But after numerous stubbed toes , a couple of numbed fingers, Hank decides sports aren't for him. Untill he met a sport that changed that all

[Wende Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 9 year old rated it as 4 stars. I probably wouldn't rate it anywhere near as high, but then I'm not the target demographic. Lets just say I'm thrilled to be moving onto a new bedtime book tomorrow.

[Characters With Disabilities]

LD

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hank gets stronger with every book. This series deals with learning issues with humor, realism, & kindness.

[Aesha☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this series.

[Shona · Rating 5 out of 5]

^ Adored

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good book

[Yasuko · Rating 2 out of 5]

2011.12.16 25683words

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

My older dyslexic (11) loved it, my younger (9) not as much.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book showed a different side of the charismatic Hank Zipzer, one that I was somewhat surprised by. The cavalier nature of his fearlessness with other kids, and his regular ability to stand up to the class bully, made it surprising that he seemed to cower in front of this very same threat. This story revolves around Hank's challenges with hand -eye coordination and his struggles to find a representative sport that he feels comfortable playing. He stumbles across ping pong and, understandably, is hesitant to engage. Despite his resistance, he finds that he thoroughly enjoys mastering the tricks and nuances of ping pong and decides to secretly pursue this sport, as he is worried that the class bully will add fuel to the fire in having content to make fun of him for. He even refuses to share this new passion at the parade of athletes, until he is provided with an opportunity to help out someone struggling with facing his fears more than him. I was slightly disappointed in Hank's resistance to stand up for himself, although this also highlights that even the most confident of kids can similarly face real challenges to self confidence. Now officially half way through this series, I still look forward to walking all the way through my journeys with Hank and seeing how his challenges continue to result in unexpected strengths.

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you do when you discover you love something but most people do not understand it, or they think it is lame? Well if you're Hank Zipzer you try to hide it. It's the beginning of the 5th grade and Hank has joined the soccer team, but he's not very good, and does not really enjoy it. Then his grandfather takes him to a Ping-Pong Emporium, and not only does Hank like it, he can actually see some skill developing. But when he tries to feel out his friends on the subject of Ping-Pong they leave the impression it is lame, and the school bully McKelty mocks it the most. So he tries to hide his newfound love of the sport Ping-Pong.

Unfortunately he loves Ping-Pong so much he keeps skipping soccer practice to play; when his father finds out he gets a big lecture. His father lets him know he does not think Ping-pong is a real sport and he is disappointed in Hank for letting his soccer team down by not following through on his commitment.

The story comes to a head when at PS 87's Parade of Athletes, McKelty mocks a kindergarten kid about Ping-Pong and makes him cry. Little Sam Chin will try again if Hank will play with him, but to do so will be to admit his love for the sport. Can he overcome his fear of ridicule? Can he change his father's attitude about Ping-Pong? Can he rise above and help Sam? Read and find out why being a Ping-Pong wizard helps Hank with more than just developing hand-eye co-ordination.

[Kim Ray Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 3rd grade son and I read this book together. He is a reluctant reader BUT was always excited to sit down and read this book with me—sometimes even bargaining to read just one more chapter.

A good book with a likable main character.

[Janis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually 4.5. Tremendously entertaining! Just finished reading this with my grandson. Laughed through the whole story. Some good lessons to be learned.

[Mindy Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Jack]

I think this is a very good book by Henry Winkler. I recommend it to any one.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not everyone is good at the regular sports like soccer, but Hank discovers he might be good at something else, even though he is embarrassed to admit he likes ping pong.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my favorites out of all the Hank Zipzer books.

[Xavier]

Its a good book

[Rei]

This story is about main character called Hank Zipzer and it tells me about his Grade-5 class life. Also, he has a football trial so that Hank, Bully called Nick McKelty, his friend Frankie, and his friend Ashley joined the team but unfortunately, it was not his favourite sports and the coach hated him.
In one day, his grand father Papa pete invited him to Ping-Pong and he liked it so much. But his father says it is not a sport and McKelty says it is a sports for sub-humans, also he thinks that Ashley and Frankie would want to play and they would be better than Hank, so Hank tried to hide that he plays Ping-Pong from everyone. At that time it is season for event that is showing audience their sport skill. Do you think Hank could hide his secret new favourite sport from this event?