Andrew Clements’s penultimate middle-grade novel, The Losers Club, was released in 2017 and follows the protagonist Alec Spencer as he balances his love of reading with his real-life responsibilities, all while facing off against his former-friend-turned-bully. This novel is one of many school stories written by Andrew Clements, and it explores the themes of reading, friendship, and misconceptions.

This study guide references the paperback 2018 Yearling first edition of the novel.

Plot Summary

On the first day of sixth grade, Alec Spencer gets in trouble in his first class for reading when he should’ve been paying attention. Ever since Alec could read, he’s gotten in trouble for reading in class, letting his grades slip while he indulges in his passion. When he visits the principal’s office, he learns that he must prove himself this year or face summer school. This means that if any of his teachers catch him reading in class, he’s to be sent to the principal, who will decide his summertime fate. Alec tries his best for the rest of the first day, but he still gets distracted thinking about the books he wishes he were reading.

After school, Alec and his younger brother, Luke, must report to the Extended Day program. Alec thinks he’s going to get three hours after school to read freely, but he’s told that he must join a program. He is given a choice between the Homework Room, where he can’t read what he wants, Active Games, where he’d have to be athletic, or a club. None of the clubs appeal to him. He just wants to read. Alec decides to make a reading club, but because he doesn’t want the responsibility of being a club president, he calls it the Losers Club, so no one will want to join. He just needs one other kid to fill out the application with him.

Alec tries to recruit his old friend, Dave, but his former friend and current bully, Kent Blair, interferes. Kent has bullied Alec about being a bookworm for years, ever since Alec got lost in a book during his own eighth birthday party. Alec doesn’t mind being a bookworm, but he hates when Kent says it. Kent mocks the club idea as well as the name, and Dave ultimately decides he doesn’t want to be part of it either.

The next day, Alec spots a girl reading at a different club table. He tells her about the Losers Club and asks her to co-found it with him. The girl, Nina Warner, is initially skeptical, but when Alec explains why he chose the name, she admires his thinking and signs with him. Part of establishing a club is creating a presentation for the open house in October, and Alec promises Nina that he’ll take care of that for them.

The Losers Club starts off exactly as Alec imagined. He and Nina have a table to themselves just for reading quietly. Alec also begins to develop feelings for Nina. They have their love of books in common, and he thinks she’s cool. However, their reading is interrupted by Kent, who already knows Nina because he plays basketball with her older brother. Kent and Nina banter playfully, and Kent jokes about joining the Losers Club for Nina. When Kent leaves, she asks Alec about him. Alec chooses to say kind words about Kent, despite his negative feelings toward him.

At the end of the first week, another girl, Lily, asks to join the Losers Club, thinking she’s a loser for not being able to do origami. Alec sees her as a little sister and welcomes her into the club. He assures Nina that it’s okay, the club will still stay small.

The next week, Alec spots Nina playing Active Games with Kent instead of coming to the Losers Club table. When Nina finishes, she explains that she made a bet with Kent that she could kick three balls in a row and won. He owes her an ice cream sandwich tomorrow. Alec decides to make a bet with Nina too: If he can show her a science fiction story that she’ll like, she’ll owe him an ice cream sandwich. Alec succeeds, and the next day, when Kent delivers the ice cream sandwich to Nina, she takes it, walks over to Alec, and splits it with him. Kent is so enraged that he retaliates by kicking balls at the Losers Club table that afternoon. Nina fights back by popping the ball with her pencil, impressing everyone who witnesses the scene.

The next day, Kent asks Alec if he and Nina are together and indicates he’s interested in Nina as more than a friend. Alec hates that Kent likes Nina but he’s flattered that Kent sees him as a romantic rival. He tells Kent that he and Nina aren’t together. He decides to let things unfold as they may, and he even feels optimistic about Kent, until that afternoon, when Nina tells Alec that Kent called her a warrior princess—a compliment that Kent stole from Alec when they talked about Nina earlier.

The next Friday, Alec overhears Kent saying he’ll be at Nina’s that night playing basketball. He decides to ride his bike to Nina’s house, feeling inspired by the heroes of his books. However, when he gets there and Kent starts bullying him, he’s not sure what to do, and he almost fights Kent. The next day, Alec asks for advice from his dad because he’s upset about being labeled a bookworm. Alec’s dad tells him that labels aren’t important, and people can have multiple labels. He suggests Alec rebrand himself if he’s unhappy with the label.

Alec is feeling optimistic on Monday until Kent sends a kid from Active Games to the Losers Club table as punishment. In his anger, Alec is rude to the new kid. That evening, Nina calls Alec to scold him for being so rude. Alec apologizes and acknowledges his mistake. He tells Nina about Kent punishing the kid with the Losers Table and about how Kent stole the warrior princess compliment. Nina indicates that she likes Alec’s company, and girls only entertain Kent because it’s fun to have his attention.

Kent confronts Alec about his conversation with Nina the next morning, and things between the boys heat up throughout the day. When Nina comes to the Losers Club table upset because Kent was rude to her, Alec challenges Kent to a kickball bet. When Alec wins, Kent must spend a week reading with the Losers Club. Nina suggests Alec make Kent read a “girly” book, but Alec takes care to pick out a book Kent will like. Kent enjoys the book so much that he reads the rest of the series, even though he plays it cool.

As the club continues to grow, Alec adds more tables to the Losers Club area. When it’s time to retrieve the third table, he recruits Kent’s help. Kent asks if Alec chose the book he did for Kent to mock Kent’s parents’ divorce, but Alec says he didn’t know about it and apologizes. Kent explains that it helped to read about someone else experiencing it and is thankful Alec didn’t choose the book out of malice. The boys agree they’re both bookworms.

Before the open house presentation, the members of the Losers Club ask Alec to change the club’s name so their parents won’t misinterpret what it’s about. Alec is upset they’re asking this and makes them wait to vote on it until after the open house. For the open house, Alec puts together a presentation about what loser means in the context of books—losing oneself in books and losing ignorance by reading. Everyone loves the rebranding of the word loser and the presentation is a success.