WHEN 15-YEAR-OLD MICK Nichols opens the wrong e-mail, he learns a terrible secret: His stepmother is having an affair with a man named Alexander Selkirk. Mick is stunned. Should he tell his father, confront his stepmother, or keep it all to himself? And who, exactly, is Alexander Selkirk? Mick becomes obsessed with the infidelity, in spite of some serious distractions. Distractions like Lisa Doyle, the religious field-hockey player with the coppery red hair. Like the surprising (but appreciated) affections of Myra Vidal, a famously gorgeous college freshman with a secret of her own. And at the moment Mick discovers Selkirk’s true identity, he realizes his problems are all zipped up together—and that he may have to go to drastic lengths to untangle them.
Zipped
Author(s)
Publisher
Genre(s)
Age Range
12+
Release Date
March 11, 2003
ISBN
0375814914
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Editor reviews
2 reviews
It all zips together neatly at the end
(Updated: June 06, 2026)
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Strangely enough, this was the second book I had read recently that started off with a teen discovering that one of his parents (in this case, his step-mother) was having an affair. But other than that starting premise, Zipped is completely different.
Mick has always liked his step-mom, Nora. She's attractive, loving, funny&in fact, he may, deep down, like her a little too much, but he's careful to keep that to himself. He loves how she is with his father. When he discovers some racy e-mails from Nora to a certain Alexander Selkirk (anyone recognize that name? If you do, you're well-read) he's devastated and confused.
But, of course, that's not all that's going on in Mick's life. There's also his infatuation with Lisa Doyle, a pretty girl he's really never even talked to. And then there's the strange friendship that he strikes up with the beautiful Myra Vidal, a college freshman, someone normally way out of the league of a sophomore in high school. And what about the new job as a groundskeeper under the supervision of He who is Maurice?
That job also lets him finally get to know Lisa Doyle, a bright spot in Mick's life as his home life starts to take a nosedive. And since we also see some of the story through her viewpoint (as well as her best friend, a bit of Myra, and the not-so-lovely Maurice), we get the scoop on what's really going on in everyone's mixed-up heads.
I realize I'm leaving a LOT of stuff out, but I really don't want to ruin the story for you. It's a good one. It's interesting. It's different. It's not your run-of-the-mill tale and I don't want to give away anything that you should earn by reading it yourself.
I recommend this one for readers 12 and up, boys or girls. While there are romantic elements, a lot of that is from the boy's side and shouldn't be too "heavy" for male readers. And, of course, there's the slimy Maurice to keep everyone guessing until the end.
Mick has always liked his step-mom, Nora. She's attractive, loving, funny&in fact, he may, deep down, like her a little too much, but he's careful to keep that to himself. He loves how she is with his father. When he discovers some racy e-mails from Nora to a certain Alexander Selkirk (anyone recognize that name? If you do, you're well-read) he's devastated and confused.
But, of course, that's not all that's going on in Mick's life. There's also his infatuation with Lisa Doyle, a pretty girl he's really never even talked to. And then there's the strange friendship that he strikes up with the beautiful Myra Vidal, a college freshman, someone normally way out of the league of a sophomore in high school. And what about the new job as a groundskeeper under the supervision of He who is Maurice?
That job also lets him finally get to know Lisa Doyle, a bright spot in Mick's life as his home life starts to take a nosedive. And since we also see some of the story through her viewpoint (as well as her best friend, a bit of Myra, and the not-so-lovely Maurice), we get the scoop on what's really going on in everyone's mixed-up heads.
I realize I'm leaving a LOT of stuff out, but I really don't want to ruin the story for you. It's a good one. It's interesting. It's different. It's not your run-of-the-mill tale and I don't want to give away anything that you should earn by reading it yourself.
I recommend this one for readers 12 and up, boys or girls. While there are romantic elements, a lot of that is from the boy's side and shouldn't be too "heavy" for male readers. And, of course, there's the slimy Maurice to keep everyone guessing until the end.
User reviews
3 reviews
Overall rating
4.3
Plot
4.3(3)
Characters
N/A(0)
Writing Style
N/A(0)
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
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Neat
(Updated: June 06, 2026)
Overall rating
4.0
Plot
4.0
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Reader reviewed by Dominique
This was a really cute story about a boy name Mick, who's life takes a bad turn when he learns that his nice stepmother, Nora, is having an affair with someone named "Alexander Selkirk." How should he deal with this problem? Should Mick keep it secret or tell his father?
But his stepmother's affair is only one of Mick's problems. He likes Lisa Doyle, a lovely girl with red hair. As the his dilemmas get more complex, Mick must take action soon! But what will he do?
This was a really cute story about a boy name Mick, who's life takes a bad turn when he learns that his nice stepmother, Nora, is having an affair with someone named "Alexander Selkirk." How should he deal with this problem? Should Mick keep it secret or tell his father?
But his stepmother's affair is only one of Mick's problems. He likes Lisa Doyle, a lovely girl with red hair. As the his dilemmas get more complex, Mick must take action soon! But what will he do?
G
Guest
This Book is really good
(Updated: June 06, 2026)
Overall rating
4.0
Plot
4.0
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Reader reviewed by lookwaticando08
This book is so good. My friend recommended it to me. Its cool, because each chapter is spoken by the girl in the story, or the boy. I never read a book that did that before. I love how the boy does things. Its funny.
This book is so good. My friend recommended it to me. Its cool, because each chapter is spoken by the girl in the story, or the boy. I never read a book that did that before. I love how the boy does things. Its funny.
G
Guest
Wow!
(Updated: June 06, 2026)
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
5.0
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Reader reviewed by Kelso
The title says it all-WOW! this book engrossed me; it took all my willpower to set it down. i thought it was brilliantly put together, and is a must read, as is Laura and Tom McNeal's first novel together, Crooked.
The title says it all-WOW! this book engrossed me; it took all my willpower to set it down. i thought it was brilliantly put together, and is a must read, as is Laura and Tom McNeal's first novel together, Crooked.
G
Guest
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