Bibliography Schmidt, Gary D. 2007.The Wednesday Wars. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618724834
Summary
Seventh grade at Camillo Junior High is rough, and only made worse by Holling Hoodhood’s mandatory Wednesdays spent with Mrs. Baker while his classmates are in religious studies. Mrs. Baker ‘hates his guts’ as she makes him read Shakespeare and other atrocities. The Wednesday Wars are the central, and hilarious element of the story, yet the reader is still introduced to racial and religious issues, the Vietnam War, a difficult relationship with a father, an existential crisis, and the Civil Rights Movement.
Critical Analysis
If not told this story is historical fiction, one could easily pick it up and assume it was just a simple novel of fiction. Yet, Schmidt is able to subtly intertwine historical figures from the 1960s (Martin Luther King Jr., Bobby Kennedy for instance), the feel of the era (The Beatles, Bing Crosby), and details of the Civil Rights Movement, religious tensions, and the Vietnam War in an accurate and interesting manner.
Holling is immediately likeable and identifiable, his relationship with the lunch-lady that despises him (because she lost her husband in the war) very telling, and his strange relationship with Mrs. Baker all leave one feeling like they both know or could be Holling.
Showing the positive mentor relationship Baker fosters with Holling in the absence of his parents is a good lesson to impart to children of the age group that would read this novel. Although there is a strong Shakespearian/Romeo and Juliet vibe, I’m unsure as to whether or not young children would pick up it. Many of the nuisances Schmidt mentions from the era are slightly glossed over. That might be the point, and either way, the novel is an enjoyable and fast read and his empathy for kids this age obvious, especially with the bullying scenes.
Awards
Reviews
From Publishers Weekly- Starred Review- "Holling Hoodhood is starting seventh grade in 1967. It is a time of change, not just for Holling as he begins his journey into adolescence, but for the world around him as well. The war in Vietnam is raging and the deaths of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy hang heavy on the American consciousness by the end of the school year. And for Holling, the world of nascent relationships lies before him, not to mention, baseball, camping and the constant excitement, wonder and terror of being 11 at such a volatile."
Booklist- Holling's unwavering, distinctive voice offers a gentle, hopeful, moving story of a boy who, with the right help, learns to stretch beyond the limitations of his family, his violent times, and his fear, as he leaps into his future with his eyes and his heart wide open. --Engberg, Gillian --
This review from an Amazon user sums up the brilliance of this novel:
I could tell you all of the wonderful things I love about this book, but I'll tell you the two things that have most convinced me that this is a great book worth reading.
I am reading this aloud to my high school sophomores on Fridays. Their reactions:
1) They laugh out loud while I'm reading the story.
2) They beg me to read more and talk about it on other days of the week, and have told me they like it.
If that's not a ringing endorsement for a book, I don't know what is.”
Connections
Summary
Seventh grade at Camillo Junior High is rough, and only made worse by Holling Hoodhood’s mandatory Wednesdays spent with Mrs. Baker while his classmates are in religious studies. Mrs. Baker ‘hates his guts’ as she makes him read Shakespeare and other atrocities. The Wednesday Wars are the central, and hilarious element of the story, yet the reader is still introduced to racial and religious issues, the Vietnam War, a difficult relationship with a father, an existential crisis, and the Civil Rights Movement.
Critical Analysis
If not told this story is historical fiction, one could easily pick it up and assume it was just a simple novel of fiction. Yet, Schmidt is able to subtly intertwine historical figures from the 1960s (Martin Luther King Jr., Bobby Kennedy for instance), the feel of the era (The Beatles, Bing Crosby), and details of the Civil Rights Movement, religious tensions, and the Vietnam War in an accurate and interesting manner.
Holling is immediately likeable and identifiable, his relationship with the lunch-lady that despises him (because she lost her husband in the war) very telling, and his strange relationship with Mrs. Baker all leave one feeling like they both know or could be Holling.
Showing the positive mentor relationship Baker fosters with Holling in the absence of his parents is a good lesson to impart to children of the age group that would read this novel. Although there is a strong Shakespearian/Romeo and Juliet vibe, I’m unsure as to whether or not young children would pick up it. Many of the nuisances Schmidt mentions from the era are slightly glossed over. That might be the point, and either way, the novel is an enjoyable and fast read and his empathy for kids this age obvious, especially with the bullying scenes.
Awards
- Newbery Medal
- Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books
- American Library Association Notable Books for Children Award
Reviews
From Publishers Weekly- Starred Review- "Holling Hoodhood is starting seventh grade in 1967. It is a time of change, not just for Holling as he begins his journey into adolescence, but for the world around him as well. The war in Vietnam is raging and the deaths of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy hang heavy on the American consciousness by the end of the school year. And for Holling, the world of nascent relationships lies before him, not to mention, baseball, camping and the constant excitement, wonder and terror of being 11 at such a volatile."
Booklist- Holling's unwavering, distinctive voice offers a gentle, hopeful, moving story of a boy who, with the right help, learns to stretch beyond the limitations of his family, his violent times, and his fear, as he leaps into his future with his eyes and his heart wide open. --Engberg, Gillian --
This review from an Amazon user sums up the brilliance of this novel:
I could tell you all of the wonderful things I love about this book, but I'll tell you the two things that have most convinced me that this is a great book worth reading.
I am reading this aloud to my high school sophomores on Fridays. Their reactions:
1) They laugh out loud while I'm reading the story.
2) They beg me to read more and talk about it on other days of the week, and have told me they like it.
If that's not a ringing endorsement for a book, I don't know what is.”
Connections
- Have children discuss what factors in this book they identify with. Are they bullied? Are they bullies? Do they feel teachers don’t like them? Excellent journaling prompts.
- Ask children to raise their hands when they recognize a famous or historical figure, band, sports team mentioned in the novel. Explain to them who these people are after getting an understanding for what they do and do not know about these figures. Compare those figures to key figures today in order to make a more lasting connection in their minds.