The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

It’s 1967. You’re a 7^th grade boy who has been roped into playing- of all things- you’d never guess- a fairy. That’s right a yellow tight, feathers on the “you know what”, wearing fairy! Would your reaction be much different than that of the central character or his peers if it was during today’s time? Probably not! In Gary D. Schmidt’s novel we meet Holling Hoodhood and experience through his first hand telling the weekly war in which he is engaged with a new teacher that surely “hates his guts.”

I must say, that I immensely enjoyed this novel! Unlike others that I’ve read over the course of this semester that have been filled with more heartache than joy, this novel had me smiling and laughing out loud. Schmidt mixes a good dose of humor with the account of the trials of adolescence as faced by Holling Hoodhood (what a name!). Holling tells the story beginning with his first day of school in 7^th grade filled with bullies, friends and foes, Shakespeare, and a teacher who- “hates his guts”, to his last day of 7^th grade. We see through Holling’s eyes how the life of an adolescent in 1967 is not all that different from the life of an adolescent in 1977, 1987, 1997, or the present day. Holling competes for his parent’s attention with their everyday cares of life while getting little solace from his older sister. We go with Holling as he learns to cope with the trials of home and school life and grows from a boy into a young man who finds his own identity.

It was difficult for me to put this novel down. The humor used by Schmidt made this a page turner that I would recommend for readers from 6^th grade to adults. This novel would be great in language arts class and also a recommended read during a history unit on the 1960s.

Best Books for Young Adults, 2008 Nominations