It’s difficult to conduct a writing class and not become inordinately distracted by books. Conversations about books, that is. In between topical discussions with my students of seven-sentence skeletons, clincher sentences, and tense agreement were sprinkled delightful musings on Eight Cousins and wonder at Story of a Soul. During our last class, though, they were appalled to learn that I’d never read Gary D. Schmidt’s The Wednesday Wars — so appalled, in fact, that I got worried and ordered it from the library immediately.
Published in 2007, this Newbery Honor book is essentially a love letter to Shakespeare told through the experience of a twelve-year-old American boy. Set on Long Island during the Vietnam War, The Wednesday Wars details the seventh-grade year of Holling Hoodhood, whose teacher, Mrs. Baker, hates his guts. You see, after lunch every Wednesday, half of his class leaves for catechism class at the Catholic parish while the other half leaves for lessons at the local synagogue. But not Holling. No, our hero is the only Presbyterian in the bunch, and his teacher hates him (he thinks) because she must stay in the classroom with him instead of getting the afternoon off.
Comments