The Wednesday Wars facts for kids
Hardcover dust jacket (2007)
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| Author | Gary D. Schmidt |
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| Cover artist | Jonathan Gray |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Historical Fiction, Children's Literature |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |
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Publication date
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May 21, 2007 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| ISBN | 0-618-72483-4 |
| OCLC | 71044136 |
| LC Class | PZ7.S3527 We 2007 |
| Followed by | Okay for Now |
The Wednesday Wars is a historical fiction book for young adults. It was written by Gary D. Schmidt and came out in 2007. The story takes place in Long Island, New York, during the 1967–68 school year.
The book uses the Vietnam War as an important part of its background. The Wednesday Wars received a special award called the Newbery Honor in 2008. It was also nominated for the Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award in 2010.
Contents
About the Story
The main character is Holling Hoodhood, a seventh-grade student. His school has many students who are either Catholic or Jewish. Every Wednesday, these students leave school for religious classes.
Holling is Presbyterian, so he does not have a religious class to attend. This means he has to stay in class with his teacher, Mrs. Baker. At first, Holling thinks Mrs. Baker doesn't like him.
His feelings grow stronger when she makes him read plays by Shakespeare. But as Holling reads more, he starts to enjoy the plays. He also begins to understand Mrs. Baker better. He learns her husband is serving in Vietnam.
Holling's Family Life
A big part of the story is Holling trying to be himself, not just what his dad wants. Holling's father, Mr. Hoodhood, is an architect. He is very focused on his business and wants Holling to take it over one day.
Mr. Hoodhood believes the family business is the most important thing. He expects everyone in the family to act perfectly all the time. If Holling mentions someone, his dad will talk about their social status. If they own a business, Mr. Hoodhood tells Holling to always be respectful.
This creates a difficult relationship between Holling and his father. Holling finds a friend in his older sister, Heather. He also realizes that Mrs. Baker is helping him learn to be his own person.
Other Events in the Book
The story also includes other interesting parts of Holling's life. He joins the track and field team and runs in a big race. He goes on his first date with Meryl Lee Kowalski, a classmate. Her father owns the other architecture company in town.
Holling's sister, Heather, runs away to California with her boyfriend. The Vietnam War is always in the background, affecting people's lives. Other real-life historical events also happen, like the shootings of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr..
The famous TV news anchor Walter Cronkite is mentioned often in the book. He is shown as a trusted voice who could influence what Americans thought about the news. The book follows Holling's journey as he grows up. He learns to make friends and deal with challenges.
Connections to Other Books
Characters from The Wednesday Wars appear in other books by Gary D. Schmidt.
Doug Swieteck's Story
The book Okay for Now is about Holling's friend and classmate, Doug Swieteck. Holling appears in the first chapter of that book to say goodbye to Doug, who is moving away. Okay for Now also mentions a scene from The Wednesday Wars where Doug Swieteck meets a famous baseball player, Joe Pepitone.
Other Character Appearances
Lucas, who is Doug Swieteck's older brother, shows up in the book Orbiting Jupiter. In that story, Lucas is a gym coach many years later.
Another book, Just Like That, was released in 2021. It features Meryl Lee Kowalski, Holling's classmate, as its main character.
Other Versions
The Wednesday Wars was turned into a play in 2011 by Kirsten Kelly. The play was performed at Calvin University. This is where Gary D. Schmidt teaches. The Calvin Theater Company put on the show.
Awards and Nominations
- 2008 Newbery Honor
- 2010 Rebecca Caudill (nominated)
