If you like something that has funny aspects and is, what I would call, farfetched historical fiction, then this book is for you. THE WEDNESDAY WARS, written by Gary D. Schmidt is 2007, has great, unexpected twists and turns at every page.
The voice of this fantastic book is a seventh-grade boy named Holling Hoodhood. He tells the story of his school year (from September to June) and he deals with the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy. And the fact that his teacher — as he puts it — “hates my guts.”
Each Wednesday, half his class goes to temple and the other half goes to a Catholic Church. Holling is Presbyterian, so he is the only person left to stay with his teacher, the one that he believes hates his guts. During the time he spends with her, he does whatever she says: reads Shakespeare, cleans rat cages, and basically any and all grunt work. It is interesting to read about his adventures in 1967-68, which seems like a really complicated, sometimes sad, period of time. Still, there are flashes of humor, so it is not too sad.
This book is fabulous, from beginning to end. You will will always find yourself wanting to know more.
You know what to do, readers — find this book now!
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