Zee's Way

by Kristin Butcher

Zee and his friends are angry that their old haunt has been replaced by stores that are off-limits to them and storekeepers who treat them with distrust. To let the merchants know what he and his friends think, Zee paints graffiti on the wall of the hardware store. After the wall is repainted, Zee decides to repeat the vandalism, but this time with more artistic flair. A store owner catches him in the act and threatens to call the police--unless Zee agrees to repair the damage.

Also available in Spanish.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Caden Grove · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Zee’s Way, by Kristin Butcher, a teen boy named Zee likes to hangout with his friend at an old abandoned building which later on gets turned into a mall. He is having trouble with understanding that they are no longer allowed loiter on the (not so private, but owned) property anymore and ends up getting into trouble. Not only is this affecting whats going on in his brain, but also he has major problems at home. This easy, short book is interesting and understandable. Also, every single sentence in this 104 page book really made sense. A wow factor this book really has to provide is amazing! This, like most stories, has a moral. People from junior hight through college should definitely read “Zee’s Way” to find out! Check it out at your own convenience and enjoy!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in Spanish
Zee and his friends are unhappy with their treatment by the shopkeepers in the new shopping center so they target it repeatedly with graffiti. Zee gets caught by the owner of the hardware store and he gives Zee the choice of working for him for a while or having the cops called on him. Zee takes the work option. As one might expect, Zee learns that the owner of the hardware store is not so bad and as he paints a new mural on the storefront, the community starts to open up as well.
A serviceable hi-lo story from Orca

[Derja · Rating 3 out of 5]

its ok

[Chance Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to a book that shows a little kindness goes a long way and retaliation is the biggest mistake you can make. When a gang of friends lose their place to hang out due to business starting up. I really like the crafty comedy that was added to this book. As a Orca book there isn't any pictures which a really wish were in this book. (At least a couple to actually see what the mural characters looked like.) It wasn't until you get to the end when you actually see what the gang looks like. While it may have been to give sympathy to Zee's and his friends for being treated like outcasts I think it hurt the story a little. Granted they were kicked out because they started doing pranks on the storekeepers. But saying one of them had green hair and another had a nose ring I think would have added more to the characters before hand. Might I add this is another story where passion and art save someone from chaos. I thought this book was really good and I did enjoy it.
Might I add I loved the idea of the storekeeper blackmailing Zee into painting a mural on the wall to keep him from the police.

[Cody Bernero · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am going to tell you about zee's way ,and why you should read it. This is a great book if you like reading about things with a good ending , or a good story plot. This book is also addicting , it grabs your attention and always make's you wander what is going to happen next. This book is also very great because of the concept ,and the point its trying to make.
In the beginning Zeek and his friends are kicked out of the line of stores/ Mall they are outcasts , they all have tattoos and look like a gang, let me remind you that they are only teenagers though. After being kicked out they start vandalizing the stores , and giving the merchants a hard time. Zeek paints this older guys shop and graffitis on it. The next day the merchant goes out and covers up the graffiti. Zeek is mad at this and goes back to do it the next night ,and during that night the merchant catches him. The merchant makes a deal with Zeek that he has to clean up the store and work for him or else he will tell his dad. During this time Zeek has to wake up early and work for the merchant , and he learns how to work and do something with his life and he starts to transform into a good young man.
So overall i would rate this book pretty good.If you like to see awesome stories read this book then.It also has an awesome transformation of a character.

[Thalia Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 112 pages not 104***

This story is pretty much about a boy named Zee and his group of friends who look like they are always up to no good. Since they look at that way the shopkeepers banned them from the shopping area. The boys feel as if the shopkeepers took away their hangout place. So they decide to retaliate and do something to the shopkeepers to upset them. But then Zee gets caught and has to work for Mr. Feniuk to pay off the damage that he caused. Soon the shopkeeper realize something about the boy and decide to give them a place to hangout.

I like this story because of The theme, don't judge a book by its cover. The story is something that could happen in real life. You can relate to this story if you are like the boys, you get judge by what you look like and not who you are. In life you will see someone get judge because of the color of their skin or the way they dressed. It's not fair. I enjoyed reading this book. I would recommended this book to anyone who is interested in stories with that type of theme. It is an interesting book so give it a read.

[Scott To · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zee's Way by Kristin Butcher was an amazing book. This book was about a boy, named Zeelander. He was also known as Zee. He started out being a bad boy, mainly saw and treated like a bad boy. But during his journey of punishment, he becomes a nice teenage boy who finds a job that suits him.

Himself and his group of friends were band from the shopping center. Zee was spray painting a wall of an owner because he was furiously mad at the owner. Then after that, he was a good teenager where everyone saw him as a nice boy. I recommend this book to all the teenagers to see how a teens life has changed dramatically. I don't recommend this book to a boy younger than a teenager. I also don't recommend this book to a girl and a person older than a teen.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very interesting and somehting diffrent that i have not read before. Each part of the story let to another part. This made me want to read more and more of the story until i finished the book. I could not keep my eyes off of this book and as i read, i could easily picture eveything happening in my head.

[Pj Armentrout · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book beacause i could relate to it in lots of ways, but espescially because it was about graffiti! Zee's Way is a extremely great book and i would encourage others to read this book as well!

[Excalibur Snape · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is so so.
This is diffently a Teen read and I would probably have enjoyed this book more if I read it when I was a teen.
A war between the adults and teens the circle of life.
I loved the characters.
Loved the writing style and the story matter.
It is a quick read.

[Khaing Hnin Zen]

This book is so so.
This is diffently a Teen read and I would probably have enjoyed this book more if I read it when I was a teen.
A war between the adults and teens the circle of life.
I loved the characters.
Loved the writing style and the story matter.
It is a quick read.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

so far pretty good. ilike

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Orca Soundings book is about the consequences of graffiti.

[Jaimie Scarpelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

i htought this book was interesting i do recommend it though.

[Elyssa James · Rating 3 out of 5]

i thought this book was okay because it was about spray painting and a gang and him having to work so he can be trusted again

[Carolyn Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice story about a teenager who makes a statement