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The Wednesday Wars

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THE WEDNESDAY WARS
By Gary D. Schmidt
Clarion, 2007. 264pp. Children's and Young Adult Fiction.

Holling Hoodhood, seventh grader at Camillo Junior High, is stuck alone in his English class on Wednesday afternoons because he is a Presbyterian and attends neither Catechism nor Hebrew School with his classmates. Upset at not having a free prep period in the afternoon, Mrs. Baker, his English teacher, first makes him clap erasers and clean chalkboards (until the great chalk-dust/cream puff disaster). By and by they read Shakespeare. This exquisitely well-written book follows Holling through the course of the 1962-63 school year as he memorizes passages from Shakespeare's plays, lands a role as Ariel in The Tempest, makes the cross country team, and discovers the man he wants to be will not be a man like his father. Sad, funny, and deeply touching by turns, Holling's story is also the story of America during the Vietnam War, of decency and good humor at an early age, and the power of knowledge. If I had to guess this year's Newbery winner halfway through the year, I would be putting all my drachmas on The Wednesday Wars.
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curlyq said…
This book is marvelous. The relationship that develops between Holling and his teacher, Mrs. Baker, is told in a very real, often funny, yet still touching manner. This book made me think of all the wonderful teachers I've had in my life.
January 8, 2008 at 12:20 PM
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