The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

3.3 (3)
$9.99

Product Details

Web ID: 15623976

In this Newbery Honor-winning novel, Gary D. Schmidt tells the witty and compelling story of a teenage boy who feels that fate has it in for him. Seventh grader Holling Hoodhood isn't happy. He is sure his new teacher, Mrs. Baker, hates his guts. Throughout the school year, Holling strives to get a handle on the Shakespeare plays Mrs. Baker assigns him to read on his own time, and to figure out the enigmatic Mrs. Baker. At home, Holling's domineering father is obsessed with his business image and disregards his family. As the Vietnam War turns lives upside down, Holling comes to admire and respect both Shakespeare and Mrs. Baker, who have more to offer him than he imagined. And when his family is on the verge of coming apart, he also discovers his loyalty to his sister, and his ability to stand up to his father when it matters most. Each month in Holling's tumultuous seventh-grade year is a chapter in this quietly powerful coming-of-age novel set in suburban Long Island during the late 60's.

  • Product Features

    • Suggested age range- 10-12 Years
    • Format- Paperback
    • Dimensions- 5.1" W x 7.5" H x 0.8" D
    • Genre- Fiction
    • Publisher- HarperCollins Publishers, Publication date- 05-18-2009
    • Page count- 288
    • ISBN- 9780547237602

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Ratings & Reviews

3.3/5

3 star ratings & reviews

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4 months ago
from Lubbock, TX

Bomb Drill and Macbeth

It’s easy for adults to forget that their carefree school days weren’t always carefree. There were mean teachers, mean principals, bullies, overbearing parents, and injustices that no child should have to face. Seventh grader Holling HoodHood (how’s that for a name?) thinks his English teacher, Mrs. Baker, hates him because he’s a Presbyterian. Therefore, Holling is the only student in her classroom on Wednesday afternoons while the others attend religious services. She assigns him unpleasant chores like dusting erasers, cleaning blackboards, and washing windows. Holling is afraid to complain because his father is trying to outbid his rival for the architecture contract at Baker Sporting Emporium. It’s the 1967-68 school year. The Cold War forces the students to do atomic bomb drills, while the Vietnam War is tearing America apart. Holling’s most immediate concerns are a pair of rats that have taken up residence within the walls of the classroom, and the looming vengeance of his classmates over a tray of spoiled creampuffs. Things begin to change when Mrs. Baker assigns Holling to read Shakespeare’s plays with her. Assuming this is just another punishment, he quickly becomes so fascinated by Macbeth that quotations from the play begin to infuse his thoughts and his conversation. Soon he finds himself in the humiliating position of wearing tights and playing a fairy in a stage production of The Tempest. Meanwhile, he learns that Mrs. Baker is not what she seems to be. These are only a few samples of the many events in Holling’s year, some sad, but most hilariously reminiscent of things that could happen only in a grade school environment. Schmidt’s witty narration peppers them all, making The Wednesday Wars a delight for both kids and adults. If you haven’t discovered Gary D. Schmidt, I urge you to add this and his other books to your personal library, no matter what your age.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

1 year ago
from New Zealand

A delightful story and a fascinating setting

There are some books I find myself intending to read, but never getting around to it until I get a little push at some stage. I got my push with this book when Mom borrowed it from the library—what better time to read it than when we already have it? I’m so glad I did that; this has become my favorite middle-grade read of the year so far. It took me no time at all to get into the story—and only a few pages to get to the point where I was trying to quell my laughter so I wouldn’t bother others while I read. Holling Hoodhood (which is such a clever name in itself) is the most perceptive, hilarious character, and some of the conclusions he comes to are…interesting, to say the least. The setting is delightful, and the glimpse into my grandparent’s time was fascinating. I loved Holling’s teacher, and his sister, hated his dad, and fell in love with middle-grade books all over again with this story. In many ways, this isn’t an easy book. It deals with a somewhat dysfunctional family, the Vietnam War, and the hippie movement, and there’s a lot of growth in the main character and other characters throughout the story. This is a book about friendship, and how sometimes we have to sacrifice for others in order to make progress. And somehow, Schmidt pulls it all together into a gripping story. I absolutely loved this story, and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel at some stage. Deep, yet lighthearted (you can’t miss the part about the rats in the ceiling!), flavored with another time but still relatable, this is a book I’d gladly share with my siblings—I suspect it would become a family favorite if we read it together. Highly recommended!

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

4 years ago

i despise this book with every fiber of my being

if given the opportunity i would burn this book, this book is the reason why i hated 5th grade and never have i ever hated a book so much, i do not care this kid wanted a cream puff please there is no other meaning behind it, bad book, hate it.

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com