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Worser
A bullied 12-year-old boy must find a new normal after his mother has a stroke and his life is turned upside down.
William Wyatt Orser, a socially awkward middle schooler, is a wordsmith who, much to his annoyance, acquired the ironically ungrammatical nickname of “Worser” so long ago that few people at school know to call him anything else.
Worser grew up with his mom, a professor of rhetoric and an introvert just like him, in a comfortable routine that involved reading aloud in the evenings, criticizing the grammar of others, ignoring the shabby mess of their house, and suffering the bare minimum of social interactions with others. But recently all that has changed. His mom had a stroke that left her nonverbal, and his Aunt Iris has moved in with her cats, art projects, loud music, and even louder clothes. Home for Worser is no longer a refuge from the unsympathetic world at school that it has been all his life.
Feeling lost, lonely, and overwhelmed, Worser searches for a new sanctuary and ends up finding the Literary Club–a group of kids from school who share his love of words and meet in a used bookstore– something he never dreamed existed outside of his home. Even more surprising to Worser is that the key to making friends is sharing the thing he holds dearest: his Masterwork, the epic word notebook that he has been adding entries to for years.
But relationships can be precarious, and it is up to Worser to turn the page in his own story to make something that endures so that he is no longer seen as Worser and earns a new nickname, Worder.
William Wyatt Orser, a socially awkward middle schooler, is a wordsmith who, much to his annoyance, acquired the ironically ungrammatical nickname of “Worser” so long ago that few people at school know to call him anything else.
Worser grew up with his mom, a professor of rhetoric and an introvert just like him, in a comfortable routine that involved reading aloud in the evenings, criticizing the grammar of others, ignoring the shabby mess of their house, and suffering the bare minimum of social interactions with others. But recently all that has changed. His mom had a stroke that left her nonverbal, and his Aunt Iris has moved in with her cats, art projects, loud music, and even louder clothes. Home for Worser is no longer a refuge from the unsympathetic world at school that it has been all his life.
Feeling lost, lonely, and overwhelmed, Worser searches for a new sanctuary and ends up finding the Literary Club–a group of kids from school who share his love of words and meet in a used bookstore– something he never dreamed existed outside of his home. Even more surprising to Worser is that the key to making friends is sharing the thing he holds dearest: his Masterwork, the epic word notebook that he has been adding entries to for years.
But relationships can be precarious, and it is up to Worser to turn the page in his own story to make something that endures so that he is no longer seen as Worser and earns a new nickname, Worder.
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First published January 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
September 27, 2022
I'm clearly in the minority on this one. William Wyatt Orser is an awkward kid, and has been a source of derision since being nicknamed "Worser" by classmates: from his first initial and last name. For those interested in wordplay, you might like this as he is adept and loved playing word games with his mother. She is out of the picture now, and the poor kid is being watched by his Aunt and her two evil cats. Much to everyone's surprise, including his own, he joins a club a normal pubescent reason. While the ending was nice, I did not like the main character so found this one a chore.
April 6, 2022
While this book is geared toward the middle grade set, I honestly cannot see a kid reading this book of their own accord. I feel like this is one of those books that adults will love, but that actual children will turn certainly their noses up at. (Of the thousands of kids I’ve worked with I cannot think of even 1 that I’d recommend this book to.) The writing is too awkward and has so many vocabulary words dumped in it feels like even the most fluent kids would need a dictionary on stand by. The main character is not likable or believable and acts much younger than 12 (except when thinking of his crush.) Might be believable if he had autism but it’s not written that way. What came to mind is being inside Sheldon Coopers mind as a child, but without the help of having learned any social constructs or to tone down his pompous-ness and use the manners his mother taught him, and without a laugh track.
May 30, 2022
One of the loveliest, most nuanced middle grades I’ve ever read - simultaneously witty and heartbreaking in the exact same moments. Ziegler allows you inhabit Worser’s mind and universe in such a complete and honest way, but she also allows the reader (& Worser) to see glimpses of the world through so many other beautifully drawn characters. Unique and yet universal, like all the best stories are, this book explores both the beauty and power of words and how they can still feel completely inadequate.
April 5, 2022
Life has not been easy for 12-year-old William Orser. A loner whose elderly father passed away when he was very young, nicknamed Worser (W. Orser) on the first day of second grade, and bullied by the other kids, Worser is now living with a mother who has had a severe stroke, and his Aunt Iris, who is taking care of them. Ironically, Worser's mother was a professor of rhetoric who can no longer speak, but who had imparted a love of words in her son when he was a child, a love that has continued.
Worser has been working on a project he calls his Masterwork, a loose-leaf binder filled with lists of important observations about words, a project that enables him to work in the library at the end of the school day to avoid going home and dealing with his mother and aunt. But now, because of budget cuts, Worser finds that the library is closed after school but not before he meets Turk, who has his own unique (and cringe worthy to Worser) twist on words.
No library forces Worser to find another place to work on his Masterwork and eventually he finds and strikes a deal with Mr. Murray, the owner of a secondhand bookstore called Re-Visions. When Worser finds out that his crush, Donya Khoury, has lost the school sponsor for her Literary Club and can not longer meet in school, Worser comes up with a plan to help her out using his space at the bookstore and ultimately becoming a member of the club. But when Mr. Murray's rent is increased, it looks like he will have to close Re-Visions. And again, Worser has a plan to save the store. But will it actually work?
I have to admit that for much of this novel, I really didn't like Worser very much. It was clear he had nothing good to say about most people, including his aunt, who was trying her best to care for him and his mom. Interestingly, she is the opposite of Worser, being very emotional where he seems to completely lack emotion. She is also rather eccentric, albeit in a very different way than Worser and apparently his mother was before her stroke. It's very clear that Worser has not come to terms with the drastic changes he sees in his mother now that she is unable to speak or do anything for herself, and, rather that dealing with this, he loses himself in working on his Masterwork and later getting involved with the Literary Club to get Donya's attention.
As I went along on Worser's coming-of-age story, he began to grow on me more and more, and I began to feel very empathic as I realized how traumatized he was by the things that have happened to him over time and his attempts to avoid facing the truths about his feelings. Channeling his emotions into words is exactly how he lost his ability to communicate with the world and it would take a catastrophic event for him to find his way back. And it is quite a journey.
Thank you Edelweiss+ for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Worser has been working on a project he calls his Masterwork, a loose-leaf binder filled with lists of important observations about words, a project that enables him to work in the library at the end of the school day to avoid going home and dealing with his mother and aunt. But now, because of budget cuts, Worser finds that the library is closed after school but not before he meets Turk, who has his own unique (and cringe worthy to Worser) twist on words.
No library forces Worser to find another place to work on his Masterwork and eventually he finds and strikes a deal with Mr. Murray, the owner of a secondhand bookstore called Re-Visions. When Worser finds out that his crush, Donya Khoury, has lost the school sponsor for her Literary Club and can not longer meet in school, Worser comes up with a plan to help her out using his space at the bookstore and ultimately becoming a member of the club. But when Mr. Murray's rent is increased, it looks like he will have to close Re-Visions. And again, Worser has a plan to save the store. But will it actually work?
I have to admit that for much of this novel, I really didn't like Worser very much. It was clear he had nothing good to say about most people, including his aunt, who was trying her best to care for him and his mom. Interestingly, she is the opposite of Worser, being very emotional where he seems to completely lack emotion. She is also rather eccentric, albeit in a very different way than Worser and apparently his mother was before her stroke. It's very clear that Worser has not come to terms with the drastic changes he sees in his mother now that she is unable to speak or do anything for herself, and, rather that dealing with this, he loses himself in working on his Masterwork and later getting involved with the Literary Club to get Donya's attention.
As I went along on Worser's coming-of-age story, he began to grow on me more and more, and I began to feel very empathic as I realized how traumatized he was by the things that have happened to him over time and his attempts to avoid facing the truths about his feelings. Channeling his emotions into words is exactly how he lost his ability to communicate with the world and it would take a catastrophic event for him to find his way back. And it is quite a journey.
Thank you Edelweiss+ for providing me with an ARC of this book.
July 13, 2023
I love this book--7th grader William "Worser" Orser is a sweet character who loves books and words more than people, and struggles after a stroke incapacitates his mother, changing their very close relationship. He really doesn't have any close friends his age. He is a real Word Nerd and when the school library is closed after school hours, the only quiet place he can find to work on his "Masterwork" (a continuing journal/lexicon of words he likes, word games, etc.), is the local bookstore. He helps Donya, the girl he has a crush on, set up her Literary Club there, and he reluctantly becomes involved with them (he really isn't a "club joining" kind of guy, but for Donya, he'll put up with all that social stuff). Worser and Donya hatch various plans to try to save the bookstore, which is under imminent threat of closure, and things get complicated. The grumpy bookstore owner is also a memorable character. 2023 Buckeye Children's Book Award nominee, grades 6-8.
February 20, 2023
I was intrigued when I read the synopsis of this book since the main character is a wordsmith. What a cool concept for a middle schooler. I love all the attention he gave to words, all the wordplay throughout the book and the connection formed between the character and his mom because of their love of words.
The story goes far beyond that too…ups and downs of middle school, crushes, friends, school, family and loss.
The story goes far beyond that too…ups and downs of middle school, crushes, friends, school, family and loss.
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March 31, 2022WORSER by Jennifer Ziegler is now at the top of my best books of 2022, and it is going to take something special to knock it off its pedestal. Filled with amazing words and turns of phrase and an incredible main character, WORSER is encouraging, heart-breaking, and a hoot to boot.
William Wyatt Orser "Worser" is most comfortable around people over 40. This doesn't endear him to his fellow seventh grade classmates. Raised to appreciate words and language and the accurate use of both, Worser is frustrated when he hears words used incorrectly. The fact that he makes his frustration known by constantly correcting those around him hasn't earned him any friends. Since his propensity for correcting folks isn't limited to just his classmates, he has recently found himself in the principal's office for correcting his teachers.
Worser has always had a partner in this appreciation for words in his mother, but she has suffered a stroke that has left her with only the ability to express herself with sounds like "Be" and "Beh. Worser's eccentric aunt has come to stay with them bringing her two half-feral cats and her crazy art projects. In an effort to escape and find a quiet place, Worser has discovered a small, little used bookstore whose proprietor allows him to spend time working on something he calls his Masterwork.
Life for Worser begins to look up when his long-time crush Donya needs a place for the school Literary Club to meet. The bookstore is the perfect answer. Worser learns others might appreciate his love of words and his amazing Masterwork, but life just isn't that simple for Worser. Complications arise that will test his patience and his fears that life with his mother may never return to normal.
William Wyatt Orser "Worser" is most comfortable around people over 40. This doesn't endear him to his fellow seventh grade classmates. Raised to appreciate words and language and the accurate use of both, Worser is frustrated when he hears words used incorrectly. The fact that he makes his frustration known by constantly correcting those around him hasn't earned him any friends. Since his propensity for correcting folks isn't limited to just his classmates, he has recently found himself in the principal's office for correcting his teachers.
Worser has always had a partner in this appreciation for words in his mother, but she has suffered a stroke that has left her with only the ability to express herself with sounds like "Be" and "Beh. Worser's eccentric aunt has come to stay with them bringing her two half-feral cats and her crazy art projects. In an effort to escape and find a quiet place, Worser has discovered a small, little used bookstore whose proprietor allows him to spend time working on something he calls his Masterwork.
Life for Worser begins to look up when his long-time crush Donya needs a place for the school Literary Club to meet. The bookstore is the perfect answer. Worser learns others might appreciate his love of words and his amazing Masterwork, but life just isn't that simple for Worser. Complications arise that will test his patience and his fears that life with his mother may never return to normal.
April 23, 2022
I finished this quickly, having such a strong voice from William Wyatt Orser, an awkward 7th grader with a love of words, raised by only his mother from age four when his father died. Somewhere in the early years, people started calling him Worser, and it stuck. The novel shows a mother and her son, both introverts, who laid out their lives in a strict fashion. His mother was immersed in grief, and Worser loved the word sessions and learning from his mother until everything changed. His mother had a stroke, his aunt (her sister) comes to take care of them both, and we readers see a child who has no idea about usual conversations with anyone, who mightily resents his aunt's interference. He appears only to have two friends, one from his early years, a girl named Donya, and a boy named Herbie who, also an outcast, sits with him at lunch.
Happily, Worser finds a back table at an old bookstore that becomes a safe haven and when Donya's literary club loses its after-school space, Worser manages to help them meet at the bookstore. It's fun to see Worser realize he has a group, not so fun when his heart breaks a little as he learns Donya has another boy she likes a lot. Things come to both grief and a shock when Worser does something totally out of his nature. Jennifer Ziegler shows her knowledge of grief that calls out for a different need and knowledge than Worser believes he has. Loving a character and wanting to reach out to help makes the story touch loudly in my heart as it will for other readers, too.
Happily, Worser finds a back table at an old bookstore that becomes a safe haven and when Donya's literary club loses its after-school space, Worser manages to help them meet at the bookstore. It's fun to see Worser realize he has a group, not so fun when his heart breaks a little as he learns Donya has another boy she likes a lot. Things come to both grief and a shock when Worser does something totally out of his nature. Jennifer Ziegler shows her knowledge of grief that calls out for a different need and knowledge than Worser believes he has. Loving a character and wanting to reach out to help makes the story touch loudly in my heart as it will for other readers, too.
April 27, 2023
Ohhhhh jeez, this book.
I mean, I know I'm in the minority by saying it wasn't great, but damn, I didn't enjoy this book.
First of all, the main character. He was so freaking snooty and judgy, also super obnoxious to his aunt (who seemed like a pretty decent person). It's like, ok, we get it, you're smart. Now stop randomly getting mad at people that are giving their unconditional love to you! I found myself saying, well OF COURSE your crush doesn't like you, you're being a jerk to her!
now, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the wordplay and the emotional plot, and the writing wasn't the problem. for me, it was really that subplot of Turk and what's-her-name. Turk annoyed me even more than Worser, somehow, and Donya (I have been told that she, indeed, has a name) just seemed like an add on. I literally shouted at the world at that one line, "I find Turk and Donya in embrace, and know now that they are, indeed, a couple." I don't remember the exact sentence, but it was something along those lines. Okay, but WHY. WHY this sudden change of events. This plot alone made me give up the book for a month, and then was reminded that I had to read it for battle of the books.
The most enjoyable part of the book was definitly the reading club. Mae was absolutely awesome and punny, and I found myself relating to Felicity on a spiritual level.
Needless to say, this book was a definite roller coaster, and I probably wouldnt read it again.
I mean, I know I'm in the minority by saying it wasn't great, but damn, I didn't enjoy this book.
First of all, the main character. He was so freaking snooty and judgy, also super obnoxious to his aunt (who seemed like a pretty decent person). It's like, ok, we get it, you're smart. Now stop randomly getting mad at people that are giving their unconditional love to you! I found myself saying, well OF COURSE your crush doesn't like you, you're being a jerk to her!
now, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the wordplay and the emotional plot, and the writing wasn't the problem. for me, it was really that subplot of Turk and what's-her-name. Turk annoyed me even more than Worser, somehow, and Donya (I have been told that she, indeed, has a name) just seemed like an add on. I literally shouted at the world at that one line, "I find Turk and Donya in embrace, and know now that they are, indeed, a couple." I don't remember the exact sentence, but it was something along those lines. Okay, but WHY. WHY this sudden change of events. This plot alone made me give up the book for a month, and then was reminded that I had to read it for battle of the books.
The most enjoyable part of the book was definitly the reading club. Mae was absolutely awesome and punny, and I found myself relating to Felicity on a spiritual level.
Needless to say, this book was a definite roller coaster, and I probably wouldnt read it again.
May 24, 2022
This is such a great book! It’s a story that will make you laugh and cry-the vocabulary shared is an incredible bonus. I highly recommend this book!
May 16, 2022
I agree with the quote from Kathi Appelt on the cover: "a work of genius." This book was so good, it hurt when I looked at the number of dwindling pages as a read towards the last chapter, knowing once I was done, I was done hanging out with Worser the Worder.
If you love words, pick up this book immediately!
If you love words, pick up this book immediately!
May 1, 2022
5 stars. Worser is an oddball, with only his mother as a real friend, and now she’s recovering from a stroke. His aunt and her 2 cats have moved in and thrown a monkey wrench into his life. These changes to routine have made middle school even harder for him, and he finds refuge in a used bookshop with a curmudgeonly proprietor. Love all the word play in Worser’s Masterwork, love the relationships that are hard, yet tender. Love this observation towards the end, speaking of the grammar of the future tense: “The only way we can get out of the present and into the future is with help.” pg 234. Love the ending!
April 18, 2022
This book has Newbery written all over it. An impressive feat of MG writing, with memorable characters who practically leap off the page. William "Worser" Orser, a 12 year old collector of words and their meanings, will steal your heart, even as his story (after his widowed Mom's stroke, his Aunt Iris moves in) nearly breaks yours. Despite himself, loner Worser finds friends in an after-school club. The author is clearly in touch with middle school kids. All those delicious words are an added bonus. Great for classrooms.
March 25, 2022
Wonderful book. He’s awkward, he’s argumentative, he’s an authority on words of all sorts and his Masterwork, an English language lexicon, stands as proof. The author has created flawed but intriguing characters whose growth is intertwined. The evolution of Worser to Worser is difficult and painful, but the reader is left with hope that he’s going to be okay in the end and learn to accept others' imperfections, be they linguistic or personality.
July 8, 2022
“He thought of Mr. Murray’s parting quip: ‘Go home before you can’t recognize your family anymore.’” (98)
Will Orser, unfortunately nicknamed Worser by his classmates when his name was listed as W. Orser, is a wordsmith. Everything about words and wordplay intrigues him. And he used to share this passion with his mother. But Professor Orser suffered a severe stroke and has not only lost her speech but the person she once was, and Worser’s life has changed (or become worser).
Worser’s father died when he was four, and it has been just his mother and him. Until now. Aunt Iris has moved in, and with all her quirkiness and “smothering,” has taken over the household. She has not only filled the living room with her p-ohms (sculptures for meditating), but she washes the clothes that have been sitting in a laundry basket for who-knows-how-long, buys Worser new clothes that fit and are more fashionable, and, worse of all, has his mother singing and laughing. “What did he want? Worser stared at his sullen expression in the mirror. He wanted to go back to before his mother’s stroke, that’s what.” (109)
But Worser is also changing. Always a loner who sought solitude, he starts hanging out more with Herbie, also an outsider. When the school library closes, he is forced to find a new place to work on his Masterwork of words. He bargains for a table in the Re-Visions Book Store owned by the sullen and ufriendly Mr. Murray and develops a crush on Donya Khoury, leader of the school Lit Club. When the Lit Club needs a meeting place, Worser talks Mr. Murray into letting them meet at Re-Visions, and, surprisingly, he becomes part of the group. “Worser headed out of the bookstore feeling changed. It was a mood he hadn’t experienced in quite a while. He pondered the right word as he headed home.…There was only one word that could be right. A word he wouldn’t have thought possible—especially since his mother’s illness. ‘Happy.’” (135)
But Donya starts hanging out with Turk, Worser’s bully (or so he feels) and a mangler of language (or so it appears); his mother’s recovery will be taking longer than hoped; and everything starts going downhill—until Worser commits an act that has significant repercussions‚ both negative and positive.
This is a story about learning to accept help. Worser, renamed Worder acknowledges, “We can speak about the future, but the verb doesn’t change from its present-tense form. It’s only though the use of auxiliary verbs like ‘will’ that we denote future tense.…The only way we can get out of the present and into the future is with help.” (234)
This is a story with well-developed characters about having parents with challenges, friendship, loss, and acceptance and will be a mirror and a map for some of our readers and a window for others, creating empathy for their peers.
Will Orser, unfortunately nicknamed Worser by his classmates when his name was listed as W. Orser, is a wordsmith. Everything about words and wordplay intrigues him. And he used to share this passion with his mother. But Professor Orser suffered a severe stroke and has not only lost her speech but the person she once was, and Worser’s life has changed (or become worser).
Worser’s father died when he was four, and it has been just his mother and him. Until now. Aunt Iris has moved in, and with all her quirkiness and “smothering,” has taken over the household. She has not only filled the living room with her p-ohms (sculptures for meditating), but she washes the clothes that have been sitting in a laundry basket for who-knows-how-long, buys Worser new clothes that fit and are more fashionable, and, worse of all, has his mother singing and laughing. “What did he want? Worser stared at his sullen expression in the mirror. He wanted to go back to before his mother’s stroke, that’s what.” (109)
But Worser is also changing. Always a loner who sought solitude, he starts hanging out more with Herbie, also an outsider. When the school library closes, he is forced to find a new place to work on his Masterwork of words. He bargains for a table in the Re-Visions Book Store owned by the sullen and ufriendly Mr. Murray and develops a crush on Donya Khoury, leader of the school Lit Club. When the Lit Club needs a meeting place, Worser talks Mr. Murray into letting them meet at Re-Visions, and, surprisingly, he becomes part of the group. “Worser headed out of the bookstore feeling changed. It was a mood he hadn’t experienced in quite a while. He pondered the right word as he headed home.…There was only one word that could be right. A word he wouldn’t have thought possible—especially since his mother’s illness. ‘Happy.’” (135)
But Donya starts hanging out with Turk, Worser’s bully (or so he feels) and a mangler of language (or so it appears); his mother’s recovery will be taking longer than hoped; and everything starts going downhill—until Worser commits an act that has significant repercussions‚ both negative and positive.
This is a story about learning to accept help. Worser, renamed Worder acknowledges, “We can speak about the future, but the verb doesn’t change from its present-tense form. It’s only though the use of auxiliary verbs like ‘will’ that we denote future tense.…The only way we can get out of the present and into the future is with help.” (234)
This is a story with well-developed characters about having parents with challenges, friendship, loss, and acceptance and will be a mirror and a map for some of our readers and a window for others, creating empathy for their peers.
May 19, 2022
Worser (William Orser) is a bit of a word snob - a trait he and his mother have cultivated over the years through games, wordplay, and a bit of sneering at the world. He's in 7th grade now and things have changed. His mother is a completely different person after her stroke and although she's technically "recovering," her personality has altered so much that she's practically unrecognizable. Worser's artist aunt is living with them and taking care of things - managing the household and all of her sister's affairs/medical appointments - and Worser resents her intrusion. His only solace is his Manifesto - a collection of his observations about words and the English language - which is threatened by the after school closure of the library (where is he supposed to go to write in peace?). But this turns out to be a blessing in disguise when Worser discovers a local independent bookstore where he starts hanging out, and he's able to offer it up as a meeting place for the school literary club (also displaced by the closure of the library) which just so happens to be led by the girl on whom he has a crush. Win-win! He still has a lot of issues to work out/work on as far as his personal relationships go, and emotions about his mother and his aunt to deal with, but he's making good progress by the time this wraps up.
Being a word/language/grammar snob might be considered by some to be enough of a character flaw (I didn't mind), but Worser is also oblivious to a lot of social cues which is off-putting for other characters in the book (and may be off-putting for readers as well). He's not always very likable (he says something objectionable almost every time he opens his mouth). Although this story is set in middle school, the characters behave/speak more like high school students. Publishing choice? Not sure why it's important that they're younger. While I liked certain things about this story, it was hard to really warm up to Worser.
Being a word/language/grammar snob might be considered by some to be enough of a character flaw (I didn't mind), but Worser is also oblivious to a lot of social cues which is off-putting for other characters in the book (and may be off-putting for readers as well). He's not always very likable (he says something objectionable almost every time he opens his mouth). Although this story is set in middle school, the characters behave/speak more like high school students. Publishing choice? Not sure why it's important that they're younger. While I liked certain things about this story, it was hard to really warm up to Worser.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2022
William Orser got his odious nickname, Worser, in second grade when a fellow student read the class roster – first initial, last name. It’s a particularly galling moniker for a child devoted to the precision, depth of meaning, and humanity embodied in language and who is the product of two highly literate university professors (one deceased). It’s appropriate that readers meet Worser in the worst possible year - seventh grade - the apex of conformity. Not an easy time for a braniac curmudgeon with authority issues. In addition Worser’s equally acerbic mother, and kindred spirit, has suffered a stroke and their home has been invaded by cheery, colorful, whimsical Aunt Iris and her two fiendish cats. There seems nowhere to hide. Seeking quiet refuge Worser discovers an under-patronized bookstore and before he knows it, is using the location to cohost the afterschool literary club with his one esteemed peer – Donya, the beautiful, brilliant daughter of his mother’s colleague. But when economic realities threaten to close the bookstore and sever him from Donya, Worser decides to act…and of course makes it worser. Worser’s disastrous run-ins with the inevitable and painful changes of adolescence are hilarious, heartfelt, and profound, allowing readers to groan, cringe and marvel at his mistakes and learn right along with him how to build a way out of the present and into the future.
May 9, 2022
This was good. Maybe even very good. There are a lot of kids that I would recommend this book to, especially kids who are brighter than their typical peers and appreciate strong vocabulary. Heck, there were some words in this that I didn’t even fully understand. So it’s definitely written and geared towards kids who relate to the main character in their higher thinking skills and ability to comprehend more expansive vocabulary. There are A LOT of puns and word play in this book that was absolutely fascinating too!! There was even a pretty funny boob joke
What hurt this rating was the strength of the book. It started STRONG. Funny, interesting character, likable kid with a somewhat relatable situation. But then as the story went on, there was some random forced romance attempted, that was mentioned once or twice at the beginning, fell completely flat the rest of the book, and then brought back again at the end. Huge waste of a subplot.
The side characters were just fine and didn’t really bring much to the table which is disappointing. This story had an opportunity to have the quirky kids unite and you grow to love them all.
Lastly, without spoiling, the main problem all coming down on the main character at the end totally fell flat. Like this huge thing happened and then we skip to WEEKS later and we’re just having a simple conversation about it? Nahhhh.
What hurt this rating was the strength of the book. It started STRONG. Funny, interesting character, likable kid with a somewhat relatable situation. But then as the story went on, there was some random forced romance attempted, that was mentioned once or twice at the beginning, fell completely flat the rest of the book, and then brought back again at the end. Huge waste of a subplot.
The side characters were just fine and didn’t really bring much to the table which is disappointing. This story had an opportunity to have the quirky kids unite and you grow to love them all.
Lastly, without spoiling, the main problem all coming down on the main character at the end totally fell flat. Like this huge thing happened and then we skip to WEEKS later and we’re just having a simple conversation about it? Nahhhh.
October 17, 2022
I enjoy words as much as the next bookworm, but unfortunately, WORSER still bored me to tears. Other then wanting things to go back to normal, to the way things were before his mother's stroke, Worser has no concrete story goal. That made the story meander in an unfocused way that was just...dull. To make matters worse, Worder is a snobby, insufferable know-it-all. It's no wonder no one likes him! He's sympathetic, but he's not likable. He does grow and change over the course of the novel, which makes him a bit more palatable. Still, though, I found him super annoying. Because of him and the slow pace of the novel, I wanted to put it down multiple times. I only kept with it because it's a Cybils nominee; if I was this bored by it, I certainly can't imagine a kid sticking with it. I do have to say that the story picks up in the last 100 pages, when Worder FINALLY finds a story goal, which makes the ending of the tale much more enjoyable than the rest. The finale is touching; I just don't know how many readers will make it that far. Considering all these issues, WORSER was not a great read for me. Ziegler's writing isn't the problem; my main issues were with the book's slllooowwww plot and irritating main character. If I could, I would give this book 2 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
March 7, 2022
I really enjoyed this MG read. This was about a boy who is a bit of an outcast and has one friend. He's trying to deal with the upheaval in his personal and family life because his mother had a stroke. He has to learn to deal with his Aunt living with them to help his Mom to recover from her stroke and with his mother being a whole different person, he has to adjust to who she is and having a relationship with his Aunt as his mother figure.
As his life and living situation has been turned upside down, he doesn't have his own space and has to find another place to do his studying and homework. He ends up in a bookstore at a shopping center nearby and makes a deal with the bookstore owner to spend a couple of afternoons a week studying and doing homework. Then after a while, a girl he likes is talking about needing a place for a writing/book club and he offers to talk to the bookstore owner for her and her group to meet there. Then it turns into him and his friends trying to save the bookstore and figuring out about his new life and finding himself and figuring things out.
I won this in a giveaway. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
As his life and living situation has been turned upside down, he doesn't have his own space and has to find another place to do his studying and homework. He ends up in a bookstore at a shopping center nearby and makes a deal with the bookstore owner to spend a couple of afternoons a week studying and doing homework. Then after a while, a girl he likes is talking about needing a place for a writing/book club and he offers to talk to the bookstore owner for her and her group to meet there. Then it turns into him and his friends trying to save the bookstore and figuring out about his new life and finding himself and figuring things out.
I won this in a giveaway. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 29, 2022
Twelve year old Worser's real name is William, but everyone aside from a few adults calls him Worser. Worser is a very special book about a boy who loves books and his mother most in all that the world has to offer. Unfortunately, Worser's small world proves to be too narrow when his mother suffers a debilitating stroke and his aunt has to come act as a caregiver to her and a guardian to him.
Worser's solitary life expands as he finds himself needing a new place to spend time and finds it at an unknown bookstore. His childhood crush is also in need of a space for her after school Creative Writing club, so Worser makes arrangements for them to meet at the bookstore. Through new found friendship, Worser begins to come out of his shell. But when disappointing news and many overwhelming variables prove to be too much, Worser takes an action that causes tremendous damage.
Worser is a sweet, sad, and then uplifting book. It truly moved me and showed the danger in thinking that we don't need others. Out now! This is a great book for children and lovers of middle grade, and most especially people who love words.
4.5 Stars Rounded Up
Worser's solitary life expands as he finds himself needing a new place to spend time and finds it at an unknown bookstore. His childhood crush is also in need of a space for her after school Creative Writing club, so Worser makes arrangements for them to meet at the bookstore. Through new found friendship, Worser begins to come out of his shell. But when disappointing news and many overwhelming variables prove to be too much, Worser takes an action that causes tremendous damage.
Worser is a sweet, sad, and then uplifting book. It truly moved me and showed the danger in thinking that we don't need others. Out now! This is a great book for children and lovers of middle grade, and most especially people who love words.
4.5 Stars Rounded Up
January 22, 2023
This book is about an awkward middle schooler with a love of words and social struggles. He finds the literary club as a haven for himself and fellow literary-minded middle schoolers. He goes through a lot of stuff in his life, from his father dying when he was four, to his mother having a massive stroke and a slow recovery from it, leading his aunt to come and care for him and his mother. I loved the use of words and want to recommend it to some middle schoolers I know who love words.
Another reviewer questioned why the characters are middle schoolers and not high schoolers. I was about to write about why I thought middle school worked better, but in many ways, high school could, because they are putting on some higher level stuff than many middle schoolers could--but maybe that's the handy part of living in a walkable town. Interesting question.
I really liked spending time with Worser, even though he can be very difficult. I wonder if my being sick while reading it influenced my positive opinion.
Another reviewer questioned why the characters are middle schoolers and not high schoolers. I was about to write about why I thought middle school worked better, but in many ways, high school could, because they are putting on some higher level stuff than many middle schoolers could--but maybe that's the handy part of living in a walkable town. Interesting question.
I really liked spending time with Worser, even though he can be very difficult. I wonder if my being sick while reading it influenced my positive opinion.
July 24, 2023
William “Worser” Orser has always been bookish but after his mother’s stroke he distances himself from his caring aunt who has come to help. He hides in the library and then a bookshop where he works on his 300-word lexicon, his Masterwork. A crush on a girl and an opportunity to introduce a literary club to his favorite bookshop as a meeting place gives him some peer interaction and experiences. The bookshop owner is going to close the bookshop down, but the book club kids have an idea to clean a space out and have a music event to bring in customers. The appearance of his aunt and mother, his crush enjoying her boyfriend’s music are all too much for Worser. His decision to set off the smoke alarm leads to the burning of the bookshop. Worser has to face what he did with the help of his friends, his aunt and his growing sense of his himself and his new situation. He has to face change, his mother’s long-term prospect for healing, accept his quirky, artistic aunt and the way things are.
November 3, 2023
William Orser, or Worser, is dealing with his mother's devastating stroke which brings his vibrant, arsty Aunt Iris to live with them in their home. Worser is used to living a more simple, insular life where he can get lost in his favorite things - words. He seeks refuge at the school library, but it closes after school and he discovers Re-Visions, a local used bookstore. He convinces the owner, Mr. Murray, to allow the schools Lit Club, led by Worser's crush Donya, to meet once a week where he begins to make friends. His life gets upended, he makes some very bad decisions, all based on the buried grief of dealing with the changes in his mother from her stroke that may never get better, going from a respected rhetoric professor to being non-verbal. Though the characters are unique and well-fleshed out and the fear and grief Worser struggles with and has no words to describe, the book fell lack-luster for me. Kids struggling with similar issues and looking find their true selves could get lost in these pages.
April 2, 2022
He needed a brief pause - a semicolon, or perhaps an ellipsis - so he could transition from what was to what is now.
Fear of heights is really a fear of falling. just like fear of the dark is a fear of what might be in the dark, not of the darkness itself.
You can't hold onto everything. Some things you have to let go.
Go home before you can' t recognize your family anymore.
No one was who they should be.
It is so unreasonable to have so many different variations of a green leafed vegetable. No wonder this planet is in trouble. Why not just have one or two and give over farmland to something else - like libraries?
He felt cold and helpless. A kite unleashed in a storm.
How can anyone waste words? It's not there's only a set amount.
He spent the rest of his rest in a state of unrest.
Universes should never collide, otherwise, bad things happen. It was a fundamental law of physics.
The only way we get out of the present and into the future is with help.
Fear of heights is really a fear of falling. just like fear of the dark is a fear of what might be in the dark, not of the darkness itself.
You can't hold onto everything. Some things you have to let go.
Go home before you can' t recognize your family anymore.
No one was who they should be.
It is so unreasonable to have so many different variations of a green leafed vegetable. No wonder this planet is in trouble. Why not just have one or two and give over farmland to something else - like libraries?
He felt cold and helpless. A kite unleashed in a storm.
How can anyone waste words? It's not there's only a set amount.
He spent the rest of his rest in a state of unrest.
Universes should never collide, otherwise, bad things happen. It was a fundamental law of physics.
The only way we get out of the present and into the future is with help.
July 27, 2022
William Orser or to his classmates Worser is beginning 7th grade feeling like his world has turned upside down as his mother is recovering from a stroke. His aunt has moved in with her two annoying cats to take care of him and his mother, and the school library is closed for part of the day. The library was his sanctuary where he work on his Masterwork - a 300 page notebook that is his personal lexicon. Worser finds a used bookstore where he works quietly after school and when his secret crush Donya is looking for place for the school Lit Club to meet Worser suggests the bookstore and becomes a member of the group. When the bookstore is in danger of closing Worser tries to come up with ways to try to save the store. Worser struggles with change and teamwork with no real outlet for his anger and frustration and ends with a believable ending.
August 26, 2022
The cover is great!
Worser (aka W. Orser) attempts to explain to the principal that he was in the library during the pep rally, because he has little in common with these "peers" who "are the same people who have teased me and kicked my backpack to the rear of the bus so often that I've decided to walk to and from school." William's dry humor isn't dry so much as the tendency of adults to see him exactly as other students his age.
Worser and his mom are exceptionally close, living off all kinds of word play. Then she has a stroke and William just doesn't know how to relate to her. Avoidance seems best, until she recovers. Will she recover?
William makes the observation that "it's only through the use of auxiliary verse like will that we denote the future tense...The only way we can get out of the present and into the future is with help."
Worser (aka W. Orser) attempts to explain to the principal that he was in the library during the pep rally, because he has little in common with these "peers" who "are the same people who have teased me and kicked my backpack to the rear of the bus so often that I've decided to walk to and from school." William's dry humor isn't dry so much as the tendency of adults to see him exactly as other students his age.
Worser and his mom are exceptionally close, living off all kinds of word play. Then she has a stroke and William just doesn't know how to relate to her. Avoidance seems best, until she recovers. Will she recover?
William makes the observation that "it's only through the use of auxiliary verse like will that we denote the future tense...The only way we can get out of the present and into the future is with help."
March 10, 2022
Thanks to Edelweiss and Holiday House Publishing for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. William Orser, aka “Worser” is socially awkward, practical to a fault, and loves words. When his professor mother has a stroke, rendering her unable to care for herself or for him, his aunt moves in and turns his life upside down. In an effort to get away from his troubles at home, Worser takes up shop at a local bookstore, whose gruff owner makes an unlikely companion. When his crush needs a place for her Literary Club to meet, Worser has just the plan. But when his personal life comes crashing down, even his favorite words can’t help. Purchase for all middle school collections - it’s out 3/15!
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. William Orser, aka “Worser” is socially awkward, practical to a fault, and loves words. When his professor mother has a stroke, rendering her unable to care for herself or for him, his aunt moves in and turns his life upside down. In an effort to get away from his troubles at home, Worser takes up shop at a local bookstore, whose gruff owner makes an unlikely companion. When his crush needs a place for her Literary Club to meet, Worser has just the plan. But when his personal life comes crashing down, even his favorite words can’t help. Purchase for all middle school collections - it’s out 3/15!
March 27, 2022
Will Orser got this nickname in 2nd grade when a student sees his name as WOrser on the class list. This is a special insult to Will who, with his professor mother, is obsessed with words. Now as a 7th grader and pretty much a loner, he and his mom compile lists of all variety of words until she has a stroke. He carries on on his own – trying to avoid his annoying Aunt who likes bright colors and loud music and does weird art and who is now living with them and taking care of his mom. Will finds refuge in a bookstore when the school closes the library after dismissal time. When the literary club begins meeting there too, Will may actually have friends.
Heads up – keep a dictionary handy as you’ll need it.
Heads up – keep a dictionary handy as you’ll need it.
May 17, 2022
Worser is my idea of the perfect middle school story and highly recommend it for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.
Remember all the awkwardness of middle school? Remember the bullies, the how-am-I-supposed-to-fit-in feeling? Remember your first crush? Remember saying the dumbest thing ever and wanting to shrink and disappear? It's all in this book. And then, to top it off, is a main character who loves words. He lives and breathes them.
Not only does Jennifer Ziegler capture what it's like to navigate your peers, but she throws in a difficult family situation. Worser's mom, a widow, has raised him largely on her own. When she has a stroke, everything changes.
You won't regret a moment spent reading Worser's story.
Remember all the awkwardness of middle school? Remember the bullies, the how-am-I-supposed-to-fit-in feeling? Remember your first crush? Remember saying the dumbest thing ever and wanting to shrink and disappear? It's all in this book. And then, to top it off, is a main character who loves words. He lives and breathes them.
Not only does Jennifer Ziegler capture what it's like to navigate your peers, but she throws in a difficult family situation. Worser's mom, a widow, has raised him largely on her own. When she has a stroke, everything changes.
You won't regret a moment spent reading Worser's story.
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