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emromc 's review for:
The Wednesday Wars
by Gary D. Schmidt
I liked Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy just a little better, I think, but this one comes in a close second. I love Schmidt's writing, and I love the way he lets you see the world through the eyes of a child so perfectly. His writing is flawless, and his characters have just enough sass and spunk to keep you on your toes. I laughed out loud several times, and actually got excited enough for a fist pump at one point.
Keeping in mind that this is a coming-of-age story about a boy named Holling Hoodhood going to Jr. High during the Vietnam War, getting that much emotion out of me says something about this book. There's a reason it's a Newbery.
I love that not everyone gets a happy ending, but that the people you're rooting most for do. I love that it's light and humorous, with lovable characters and lots of Shakespeare references, but that underneath it all is a vein of very serious, grown up questions. Questions about growing up and being trapped in societal and familial roles, and how to form a relationship with a father whose values you suddenly finding yourself at odds with (a question that was never answered, and rightfully so, I think).
I'd recommend it to anyone. This is what kid's literature should be. A book that kids will love and adults will finish and keep thinking about.
Keeping in mind that this is a coming-of-age story about a boy named Holling Hoodhood going to Jr. High during the Vietnam War, getting that much emotion out of me says something about this book. There's a reason it's a Newbery.
I love that not everyone gets a happy ending, but that the people you're rooting most for do. I love that it's light and humorous, with lovable characters and lots of Shakespeare references, but that underneath it all is a vein of very serious, grown up questions. Questions about growing up and being trapped in societal and familial roles, and how to form a relationship with a father whose values you suddenly finding yourself at odds with (a question that was never answered, and rightfully so, I think).
I'd recommend it to anyone. This is what kid's literature should be. A book that kids will love and adults will finish and keep thinking about.