When Zachary Beaver Came to Town is a 2003 American comedy-drama film directed by John Schultz and starring Jonathan Lipnicki and Cody Linley. It was adapted from a National Book Award-winning children's novel of the same name by Kimberly Willis Holt.

Plot

Toby Wilson (Jonathan Lipnicki) is a 12-year-old boy who lives with his parents in the small, sleepy town of Granger, Texas, but his mother runs off to Nashville to try to become a singer. One summer, Toby's life changes when he and his best friend Cal McKnight (Cody Linley) meet a 14-year-old fat sideshow freak named Zachary Beaver (Sasha Neulinger), who has no parents or friends. Zachary spends most of his time in a small, silver trailer; he is abandoned by his legal guardian, Paulie Rankin, so Paulie can look for new additions to their circus. Toby and Cal get to know him, and slowly become friends with him.