Review: The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

                              
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Schmidt, Gary D. 2007. The Wednesday Wars. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780618724833

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Being a 7^th grader in 1967 Long Island is the worst. Poor Holling Hoodhood is stuck with Mrs. Baker every Wednesday afternoon alone in the classroom while half the class goes to Hebrew School and the other half to Catechism at the Catholic Church. He is convinced his teacher is out to get him, as she gives Holling Shakespeare to memorize as punishment. All his father is concerned about is winning bids for his architecture firm, and Holling’s sister is a “flower child” against the Vietnam War. But as the months go by, Holling and Mrs. Baker come to like and respect one another as they recite Shakespeare, deal with the classroom rats that have escaped, fight back against school bullies, and deal with prejudices and consequences of the Vietnam War.


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Gary D. Schmidt has created a sympathetic character with Holling Hoodhood. Almost everyone has had to deal with a grumpy teacher, distracted parents and school bullies at some point in their life. The setting and characters are all relatable to anyone who has been through junior high. Holling has a difficult relationship with his sister, but they are often allies against their parents. And the description of his parent’s perfect house with a living room where “no one ever sat because all the seat cushions were covered in stiff, clear plastic” is familiar to anyone who either grew up in the 1960-1970s or knows someone who did! The themes of love, friendship and understanding are clear in the relatiosnips between the characters. Despite the Vietnam War background, kids will identify with Holling's various trials and tribulations.

There really is only one main issue in The Wednesday Wars that bothered me. Mrs. Baker seems too good to be true and doesn’t strike me as a realistic representation of a teacher. Anything Holling needs help with, she is apparently an expert: when Holling needs help with track, Mrs. Baker is revealed as a former Olympic runner, she introduces Holling and his friends to members of the Yankees baseball team, and those are just a few examples of her apparent expertise. Almost all the conflicts were resolved due to some kind of influence from Mrs. Baker. It struck me as a terribly convenient plot device.

Although Schmidt doesn’t list any additional resources or citations, his biography states that he grew up on Long Island during the Vietnam War. Many of the experiences he attributes to Holling are based on his own experiences in junior high, such as memorizing Shakespeare, cleaning chalk board erasers and practicing for bomb drills by hiding under school desks. Since this book is based on the author’s past, I assume there is a great degree of authenticity when it comes to details of the time period.

4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newbery Honor Book 2008

ALA Notable Children’s Book 2008

ALA Best Book for Young Adults 2008

Starred review in Kirkus: “Schmidt has a way of getting to the emotional heart of every scene without overstatement, allowing the reader and Holling to understand the great truths swirling around them on their own terms.”

Starred review in Booklist: “Seamlessly, he knits together the story’s themes: the cultural uproar of the ’60s, the internal uproar of early adolescence, and the timeless wisdom of Shakespeare’s words.”

5. CONNECTIONS (This book is definitely for older readers, grade 6 and up)
* Use The Wednesday Wars in a conversation on the affects of the Vietnam War.

* Other historical fiction for young adults set during the Vietnam War:

Kadohata, Cynthia. 2010.  A Million Shades of Gray. ISBN 9781416918837

Schmidt, Gary D. 2011. Okay for Now. ISBN 9780547152608 (This is the story of Doug Swieteck, introduced in The Wednesday Wars.)

Wallace, Rich. 2011. War and Watermelon. ISBN 9780670011520

Whelan, Gloria. 1993. Goodbye, Vietnam. ISBN 9780679823766