The Daughter Perspective
The Wednesday Wars was one of the books that my mom found on one of her blogs. (I have no idea which blog that is because she reads to many for me to keep up with.) Little did I know that this book was one of the best historical fiction books ever made.
The Wednesday Wars is about a boy named Holling Hoodhood and his friends Danny, Meryl Lee, Mai Thi, Doug, Mrs Baker and Holling’s sister, Heather. It is set while the Vietnam War is going on. When the book starts, Holling thinks that Mrs. Baker hates his guts, but actually deep inside she had a great liking for him. Holling is on a roller coaster of surprises. He has to fight through hard times and beautiful times as he finds that Mrs. Baker is really more than just a teacher. He also discovers that he has feelings for Meryl Lee.
This book has a beautiful ending. I recommend it to ages 9 and up. I hope you enjoy The Wednesday Wars.
The Mother Perspective
For the record, I heard about this book on a podcast, not a blog. Go listen to What Should I Read Next? if you want to blow your to-read list UP. Piper is correct, this book is seriously fantastic. It's told from the perspective of Holling, a 7th grade boy, and Gary Schmidt's ability to capture the voice of a middle schooler is really amazing. I love how he weaves the writings of Shakespeare throughout the story (a result of the fact that Holling is being forced to read the bard by Mrs. Baker). It's seamlessly and beautifully done.
The Wednesday Wars is part historical fiction, part family drama, part middle-schooler-coming-of-age story, and ALL wonderful. It's a perfect example of why I love middle grades fiction so much. We enjoyed the book so much, we immediately went to 2nd and Charles and got ALL the Gary Schmidt books. We immediately read Okay for Now together, and Piper is currently reading Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, while What Came from the Stars is on the shelf, patiently waiting for us.
Read it with your daughter, your son, your book club, or just on your own. You won't be disappointed.