genre: middle grade fictionDo you know why I do like book challenges? Because, like book club, they put books in my hands that I never would've picked up otherwise. Case in point: The Wednesday Wars. My cover has a boy sitting at a desk that has a rodent on it. I never would have picked it up (really, never). Not my kind of book...you would THINK. But luckily, the wonderful Tricia over at Library Queue put it on my list for the Book Blogger's Swap and am I ever glad she did.
Holling Hoodhood starts off 7th grade in the late 60s with a sure knowledge that his teacher hates his guts. And when, by a strange set of religious circumstances, he ends up being alone with her every Wednesday afternoon, he knows he'll never survive it. Between her making him read Shakespeare, the Vietnam war and trying to be a model citizen to please his father, 7th grade could turn out to be the worst year ever.
For us as readers, though, it's spectacular. Holling's got a wonderful voice, sarcastic and thoughtful, so interested in the world and his place in it. The Shakespeare parts were my hands down favorite, I never would've guessed that a book like this could tie so many elegant thoughts together and make the ideas so accessible and relevant. With an exceptional cast of characters and some serious tug-at-your-heartstrings moments, The Wednesday Wars is a five star winner.
book 1 of 5 for Tricia's list
5 comments:
Isn't this book just brilliant? Even though it's a childrens book, I consider it one of my top ten of any level of book.
I'm so happy you loved it! Yay! You made me want to read it all over again. Even my dad read it and loved it! It's just a great story for any age.
Amen and amen.
I LOVED this book. Have you read Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by the same author? I still think about that one.
So, so glad you got to read this one. It is one of my all-time favorites :)
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