The Wednesday Wars

 The Wednesday Wars

Bibliography

Schmidt, Gary D. 2007. THE WEDNESDAY WARS. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780618724833

Plot Summary

Holling Hoodhood is a young boy who recounts his 7th grade year and all that occurs to himself, his family, his friends, and his teacher, Mrs. Baker, who he is pretty sure hates his guts. After having to spend his Wednesday afternoons with this teacher, he comes to learn more about her and life from the readings of William Shakespeare. From becoming an actor on the stage to running from rats, Holling experiences sadness, fear, heartbreak, and miracles during the height of the Vietnam War. 

Critical Analysis

To most of us, by now, 7th grade is a memory. What we experience during those years is almost forgotten except for key moments that probably shaped who we are today. For some, their 7th grade was just another, mundane school year. This is not so for young Holling Hoodhood, the main character of Gary D. Schmidt's Newbery Honor book, The Wednesday Wars. Not only was Holling's seventh grade year one filled with many fun and exciting memories, it was also one of growth, love, and discovery.

There are many aspects of this book that make it a wonderful read, but the main and shining one is the main character himself. Holling has an all around personality; he can be fun, he can be dumb, he can be a genius, he can be brave, he can be scared, he can be a typical 7th grade boy. Schmidt brings life to this character and makes him charismatic and charming. The other characters have their moments too. Mai Thi, who is at first just a new girl from Vietnam, shows that she is brave and loving, and sometimes a little frightening. Holling's older sister, Heather, is a typical teenager of the time but has aspirations and dreams of a better life, not just for herself but for her country. Mrs. Baker, another highlight character, is a strict but loving teacher who is more than that, as we see in Holling's discovery of her Olympic medal. Each character brings life to the pages of this book. 

Schmidt makes the Vietnam War a backdrop to this book, as well as key events like the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the death of Bobby Kennedy. We see how these moments affect the characters and the community, such as Mrs. Bigio's racism toward Mai Thi and Heather's grief toward Kennedy's death. The atomic bomb drills are played out almost playfully but through Holling's and Mrs. Bakers' dialogue later in the synagogue, we see how troubling it really was. And while these events are not the sole center of the book, they greatly influence the plot and some of the characters' actions and beliefs, like these kinds of events did and still do today.

There are many themes in this novel, such as not being afraid to take risks (Holling as a fairy) and how looks can be deceiving (Mantle and his treatment of Holling, Mrs. Baker being an Olympic runner). These are themes that many children in Holling's age group will relate to and hopefully learn from. Schimdt does an excellent job of covering many themes that could relates to people of all ages. 

The Wednesday Wars is a book for everyone and is a glimpse into a major period in American history and how the life of a young boy can be affected by it.

Review Excerpts

2008 Newbery Honor Book

Publishers Weekly: "Best of all is the hero, who shows himself to be more of a man than his authoritarian father. Unlike most Vietnam stories, this one ends happily, as Schmidt rewards the good guys with victories that, if not entirely true to the period, deeply satisfy."

School Library Journal: "There are laugh-out-loud moments that leaven the many poignant ones as Schmidt explores many important themes, not the least of which is what makes a person a hero. The tone may seem cloying at first and the plot occasionally goes over-the-top, but readers who stick with the story will be rewarded. They will appreciate Holling's gentle, caring ways and will be sad to have the book end."

Connections

More by Gary D. Schmidt: Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

                                            Okay for Now

                                            Orbiting Jupiter

Books During the Vietnam War: Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

                                                    All The Broken Pieces by Ann E. Burg

                                                    Shooting the Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell

Activity: Discuss with each other what lessons Holling learned from Shakespeare and how what he learned applied to his life.