Schmidt, Gary D. The Wednesday Wars. New York: Clarion Books. 2007. ISBN 9780618724833
AWARDS:
Newbery Honor Books: 2008
Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2007
Notable Children's Books: 2008
Best Books for Young Adults: 2008
SUMMARY: This story set during the Vietnam War records Holling Hoodhood’s 7th grade year at Camillo Junior High. His family lives in the perfect house. This house contains a not so perfect family, which includes: a stereotypical 1960’s mother, a father who is too busy watching news about the war or building an empire to notice his own son, and a sister who wants to become a flower child. At Holling’s junior high, everyone is Catholic or Jewish except Holling. The rest of the junior high students go to religious classes on Wednesday afternoons, so Holling is left to spend it with Mrs. Baker, who he thinks hates him. Mrs. Baker works Holling hard academically, but eventually they bond by reading Shakespeare. Holling decides to run track, and finds out that Mrs. Baker was an Olympic runner, and she helps him train. Holling is also there when Mrs. Baker’s husband, fighting in the Vietnam War, is missing in action, and he is there when she hears that he is okay. She is there when Holling is hit by a bus, and his parents can’t or won’t make it to the hospital. Throughout the year, Holling begins to see Mrs. Baker as a real person and not just his teacher.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS: This work of historical fiction was a humorous yet emotional story. The setting during the Vietnam War is integral to the story. The story revolved around events that happened during the war. The death of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King play into the story, as well as Mrs. Baker’s husband fighting in the war. The fact that Holling’s sister wanted to be a flower child, also fits into the culture of the 1960’s. The story is told with details that bring the Vietnam War era to life. I believe the author grew up during this time, and you can see that he remembers it both sadly and fondly. The theme of this story is about bonding, friendship, and resilience. The characters go through many trying events, but they make it through all the turmoil together and become stronger because of it.
The main character, Holling seems genuine and most teenagers could relate to the emotions he goes through during his 7th grade year. Mrs. Baker is a typical teacher, yet the fact that she was an Olympic runner, helps Holling, as well as students’ today, realize that teachers are just people too. They have problems just like everyone else and lives don’t end in their classrooms.
I would recommend this book for junior high and high school students. Boys will probably enjoy the novel more than girls. Reluctant readers should enjoy the humor contained in story.
REVIEWS:
Booklist, ALA, Starred Review:
"Schmidt...makes the implausible believable and the everyday momentous...a gentle, hopeful, moving story."
Horn Book, Starred Review:
"Schmidt rises above the novel's conventions to create memorable and believable characters."
School Library Journal Review:
"[An] entertaining and nuanced novel.... There are laugh-out-loud moments that leaven the many poignant ones."
RESOURCES:
Schmidt, Gary D. The Wednesday Wars. New York: Clarion Books. 2007.
Reading Treasure Chest website.
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