The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Apr.22, 2008, under Battle of the Books 2009-2010, Historical Fiction, Newbery, Real life, Sam's Reviews, Sports, War
Who would like this book? Teens (and adults) who want a funny, moving, significant look into the world of a 7th grader in a small town in New York in 1968.
Why? Holling Hoodhood is the only Presbyterian in his 7th grade class. This fact turns out to be crucial to his Wednesday afternoons, when the Jewish half of the class goes to the Synagogue and the Catholic half goes to Catechism. He has nowhere to go and must stay with his teacher, Mrs. Baker. Though at first Holling is convinced that Mrs. Baker “hates his guts,” especially when she leads him to read some of the plays of William Shakespeare, events prove otherwise. She happens to be married to the son of the owner of Baker Sporting Goods, a connection that leads to a number of happy coincidences. Schmidt manages to present a full, funny, and vibrant sense of life in 1968 through Holling’s experiences at school and at home. He has a great ear for humor – think pink tights, fat rats, and cream puffs – and also nails the intense emotions of this time of upheaval. Using Shakespeare to bring it all together in Holling’s life enriches the ideas and the words. The Wednesday Wars made me think, laugh, cry, and wonder if sentence diagramming will ever make a comeback. A 2008 Newberry Honor Book.
The details: 272 p. 2007 Samrarian
A Battle of the Books 2009-2010 selection
