The Wednesday Wars, by Gary Schmidt, is a very descriptive historical-fiction novel with a page-turning plot. It takes place in Long Island during the 1960s, which is the time of the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement. The story is told from the point of view of a seventh grade boy named Holling Hoodhood who is trying to survive the school year with his strict teacher, Mrs. Baker. He thinks she must be out to get him because of all the chores and extra Shakespeare reading she forces him to do while all the other kids go to Hebrew School or Catechism on Wednesday afternoon. It is overwhelming for Holling to deal with Mrs. Baker, school bullies, and the Shakespeare play in which he is forced to play the part of a fairy that wears tights and wings! Holling's parents are unaware of many of his struggles due to other more important events going on in the world as well as concerns about Mr. Hoodhood's job. As the school year progresses, Holling comes to realize that, surprisingly, Mrs. Baker becomes one of his strongest and most reliable allies.
This book is similar to Frindle because they are both narrated by young boys who are dealing with day-to-day struggles they encounter at school. In both of these books, you get a good understanding of what both Holling and Nick are feeling since they tell the story. Both novels are very humorous in a way that is appealing to students my age.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Wednesday Wars because it is about a main character of my age group. I would rate the writing style of Gary Schmidt five out of five stars for the excellent description of the exciting events and the mood of the characters throughout the novel. The plot is unpredictable and has a surprise around every corner.
I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy reading about other children they can relate to. Also, children who enjoy reading about the historical events of the 1960s may find this an interesting story that is built around those events. I had a good time reading The Wednesday Wars, and I hope you decide to read it too.
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