The Wednesday Wars

The Wednesday Wars

by Gary D. Schmidt

ISBN-10: 0-618-72483-4

ISBN-13: 978-0-618-72483-3

About the book:

Holling Hoddhood is really in for it. He’s just started seventh grade with Mrs. Baker, a teacher he knows is out to get him. Why else would she make him read Shakespeare….outside class?

            The year is 1967, and everyone has bigger things to worry about, especially Vietnam. Then there’s the family business. As far as Holling’s father is concerned, the Hoodhoods need to be on their best behavior: the success of Hoodhood and Associated depends on it. But how can Holling stay out of trouble when he has so much to contend with? Rats, for one thing; cream puffs, for another. Then there’s Doug Swieteck’s brother. And Ariel’s costume: tights. That’s just for starters. In a series of mishaps and adventures over the course of a school year, fate sneaks up on Holling again and again.

            Gary D. Schmidt has written a novel that is at turns comic and compelling, down-to-earth and over-the-top. In The Wednesday Wars, he offers an unforgettable antihero in Holling Hoodhood, a kid from the suburbs who embraces his destiny in spite of himself.

About the author:

Gary D. Schmidt is the author of Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, which won both a Newbery Honor and a Printz Honor. His other novels for Clarion are Anson’s Way and Straw into Gold. He grew up in a Long Island suburb, where he crouched under his desk during atomic bomb alerts, heard powerful voices speaking out against the Vietnam war, memorized Shakespeare, and pounded erasers against brick walls at school. He is now a professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Discussion guide:

1. In the beginning of the novel, Holling is convinced that his teacher, Mrs. Baker, despises him. Why does he believe this to be so? What details help support his case? Do you think it is obvious which students your teachers like and dislike? Have you ever been justly (or unjustly) disliked by one of your teachers? What type of year did you have?
2. Why is Holling left alone on Wednesday afternoons with Mrs. Baker? What is he compelled to do for her? Finally Mrs. Baker starts assigning the plays of which bard? What is Holling surprised to learn about the plays?
3. Holling receives threats from many of his classmates over puff pastry. How does this transpire? How does he try to fix the situation? Why does Mrs. Baker say to Holling over the pastry incident: “The quality of mercy is not strained.” How so? Does this change Holling’s perception of Mrs. Baker? To whom do you offer mercy?
4. Why do you think the author chooses to call Doug Swieteck’s brother by this moniker for the entire novel rather than name him? What other intentional choices did Gary D. Schmidt make about other characters? How do readers get to know the characters of a novel?
5. Discuss Holling’s relationship with his parents, especially his father. What expectations does Mr. Hoodhood have for his children? Is he involved in Holling’s life? Would you consider him a good father or not? Why? How does Holling finally stand up to his father?  
6. Gary D. Schmidt creates an entire cast of secondary characters who flit in and out of the novel some of them are even rodents! How do their stories weave depth and comedy into Holling’s story? Which of these minor characters is your favorite: Doug Sweitick’s brother, Mai Thai, Meryl Lee, Danny Hupfer, Mrs. Sidman, Sycorax and Caliban.
7. How does Holling’s Valentines Day date with Meryl Lee become entwined with Mr. Hoodhood’s bid for the new junior high school? Why does Mr. Hoodhood refer to architecture as a “blood sport?”  Does Mr. Hoodhood eventually get what he deserves? How?
8. Why is playing the part of Ariel a humiliating incident for Holling? What is the worst part of the whole experience? What new picture is finally pasted around the school? Who do you think posted them around the school the second time? What makes you think so?
9. Why does the section concerning Mickey Mantle inspire Holling to say that “When gods die, they die hard” (p. 92) Even though Holling is devastated over the treatment he receives from one of his heroes he is astounded by the loyalty of a friend. How does Danny prove his honor and friendship that night? Has a friend ever stood up for you? How? Are the boys ultimately rewarded? How?
10. What advice does Holling give Mrs. Baker about her teaching before the board visits the classroom? If you could give a teacher advice what would be the most important, most helpful instruction you might offer? Do you think his advice was given in a sincere attempt to help her or not? Would yours?
11. Many important historical events occur as the novel unfolds like the assassination of both Marin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy. Which events do you think your children one day ask you about? How are people shaped by the times in which they live and grow up?
12. How does Holling’s sister try to rebel against the expectations of her father? What does she want to do after graduation? How does this lead to her disappearance from the Perfect House? How does Holling come to his sister’s rescue? Do you think they will remain close or not?
13. Which of the many plays of Shakespeare has the most influence over Holling? Now that you’ve heard the summaries of many of the great plays which ones are you most compelled to read? Give examples of how Holling’s life mirrors the play in which he is reading. How does it influence his actions? Can reading actually change the person you are? Which books have fundamentally changed your perspective?
14. At the end of the novel what compels Mrs. Baker to say “Chrysanthemum” to Holling? Do you think she can take a good deal of the credit for this or not? How can one excellent teacher have a lasting impact on a child’s life? What teacher has most influenced you? How did their lives become intertwined beyond the walls of the classroom?
15. Predict what you think Holling will be doing ten years after the close of the novel. Will he become what his father expects? Will he be able to define himself despite the expectations that weigh him down?

Curriculum Connections:

Language Arts:

Read (or see) one of the Shakespearean plays that Holling reads during the course of the novel. Write a brief journal about what you learned and compare your own thoughts on it to what Holling had to say. Choose a few lines that mean the most to you and commit them to memory. Discuss why you chose these lines and the process of memorizing them in your journal as well.

History:

Explore the decade of the 1960’s. Create a timeline of important historical events. Research the influence of important social and political movements; listen to music that was popular during this period (esp. the Monkees and the Beetles mentioned in the book). Create an historical timeline for your life.

Research one of the following topics from the book:

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Bobby Kennedy

The Civil Rights Movement

Hippies

The Space Program

Atomic Bomb

Vietnam War

Shakespeare

Architectural Landmarks (of your own town)

Mickey Mantle

Savvy

Savvy by Ingrid Law

About the book:

For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a “savvy”—a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. Grandpa Bomba moves mountains, her older brother creates hurricanes and spark electricity…and now it’s the even of Mibs’s big day. As if waiting weren’t hard enough, the family gets scary news two days before Mibs’s birthday: Poppa has been in a terrible accident. Mibs develops the singular mission to get to the hospital and prove that her new power can save her dad. So she sneaks onto a salesman’s bus…only to find the bus heading in the opposite direction. Suddenly Mibs finds herself on an unforgettable odyssey that will force her to make sense of growing up—and of other people, who might also have a few secrets hidden just beneath the skin.

About the author:

Ingrid Law has sold shoes, worked in a bookstore, helped other people get jobs, and assembled boxes for frozen eggplant burgers. She and her twelve-year-old daughter live in Boulder, Colorado, in a lovely old mobile home that they like to believe is a cross between a spaceship and a shoe box. They enjoy writing on its walls and painting on its ceiling, and have two harps, a flute, and a ukulele, as well as a fondness for muffins.

Author interview:

1. What inspired SAVVY?

Watching my own twelve-year-old daughter, I am constantly reminded of the challenges young people face—the struggle for identity, the enormous physical and emotional changes, the often conflicting voices of parents, friends, teachers, and media. While these challenges may not manifest themselves as hurricanes and electrical sparks in real life, I think they can feel just as powerful and out of control to the young person navigating them.

2. What do you think your savvy would be (although we’re sure it’s writing brilliantly)?

If I could choose, I think I would like to fly or breathe underwater. When I was a kid, I was convinced that I could see air—see its movements and patterns through a room—but everyone insisted that it was impossible. I’ve always wondered how many things are impossible only because we are told they are.

Pre-reading:

If you could have one extraordinary power (like, say, controlling the weather or speaking with animals) what would you choose? Why? Do you think there would be any negative consequences to being so remarkably different from your peers? How do people treat others who are different?

Discussion Guide:

1. Describe Mibs and her unique family. Would you want to be part of the Beaumont clan or not? Why?
2. Mibs wishes, at least temporarily, that her savvy could “give me the muscle to turn nasty girls into slimy green frogs or to glue their mouths shut tight with a nod of my head.” (p. 17)  Have you ever felt this way? Do you think bullying is an experience most kids face at some time or another? What advice would you give Mibs about dealing with Ashley and Emma or other bullies?
3. The Beaumonts have to keep a pretty big secret about their lives. How difficult would be for you? Do you think everyone has a secret? Who would you trust with yours?
4. Rosemary Meeks arrives to set the Beaumont house in order. Why? Who would arrive to take of your family in an emergency? Would you want Rosemary and her kids to land in your space or not?
5. Describe Mibs relationship with her parents and siblings. How is it complicated by their savvy’s? Do you think the inheritance of a savvy is a curse or a blessing? Why? What have you inherited from your family?
6. Explain how Mibs ends up on a bible delivery bus with Bobbi, Will, Fish, and Samson. Where do they hope to arrive? How do things go awry? Which scene in their wacky adventure is your favorite?
7. Slowly Mibs discovers the way her savvy works. How does she figure it out? Why is it not exactly what she hoped for? What would be the most difficult aspect of having this savvy?  In the last year what have you, like Mibs, discovered about yourself?
8. Of all the savvy’s described in the novel which would you choose for yourself if you could? Why? Do you think Momma Beaumont would think you were in possession of an unrecognized savvy or not?  Do you think everyone has a special talent? Are people born with talent or do people create them?
9. How does Lill Kiteley end up on the bus? What would you say is her savvy? What does she do for everyone but for Lester in particular?
10. How does Mibs’s relationship with Will and Bobbi change over the course of the adventure? Who do you think changes the most in the story? Why? How do authors show change in characters?
11.  Fish and Rocket have a terrible time scumbling their savvy’s. How does this cause a lot of ruckus for the Beaumont clan and others who know them? What do you have a difficult time controlling in your own personality? Is it important to tone down parts of yourself so that you fit in better or is it more important to be yourself completely?
12. Momma warned Mibs that, “You can’t get rid of part of what makes you you and be happy.” (p. 186) What is that for you?
13.  While Lester and Lill aren’t exactly Prince Charming and Cinderella they do have a romantic story between them. How do they bring out the best in each other? Do you believe that there is someone out there for everyone or not?
14.  When Bobbi talks to Mibs about Will’s obvious feelings for her she realizes that it “made me feel too young and too old at the same time.” (p. 223) Have you ever felt this way before? Do you think being a teenager is feeling conflicted like this or not? How does Mibs deal with these feelings? How do you?
15.  After listening to so many voices in her head throughout the novel what does Mibs discover about the voices we all listen to? What voices stalk your own confidence? How can you drown out the voices that don’t matter?
16. How does Mibs rescue Samson but not her father? How is Mibs still able to communicate with her dear Poppa in the ways that matter most? What are the best days like for the Beaumont’s at the end of the novel? What are the best days like for you?

Projects:

Reading:

 Savvy is peppered with a whole cast of quirky characters whose odd adventures somehow mimic our own struggles. Fill out the following chart to make connections and explore relationships in this fantastic novel.

Character	Description	Savvy/Talent	Conflict or problem
Mibs Beaumont
Rocket Beaumont
Fish Beaumont
Momma Beaumont
Poppa Beaumont
Grandpa Bomba
Will Meeks
Bobbi Meeks
Lester Swan
Lill Kiteley
Rosemary Meeks

Language Arts:

Read the original tall tale that Ingrid Law wrote that was the seed of inspiration for the rest of the novel (available online). Discuss the story of Eva Mae El Dorado Two Birds Ransom. How does her story relate to Mibs? What elements are usually included in a tall tale? How are they incorporated into this story?  How are tall tales uniquely American? What aspects of the tall tale are incorporated into the novel too?  Now create a character sketch of your own for a tall tale. Ask yourself these questions as you develop your sketch: What larger-than-life qualities does your character have? What challenges and conflicts will your character face? How is the setting important to your story?

Inspired by Ingrid Law’s wildly imaginative yet down-home descriptions (“She smelled like Lysol and butterscotch and had her own set of matching right and wrongs—like suitcases she made other people carry.” p.17 ) write a description of a character who could join the cast of Savvy. Or, write a description of Samson or Gypsy as they reach the tumultuous age of thirteen! Try to use one real word in a unique descriptive way like the author used the words savvy and scumble.

Music:

Create a playlist for the movie soundtrack of the book. In a brief journal explain why you picked these songs. Or, choose a song that you think best represents five characters from the novel. Again, explain your choices.

Art:

Create a piece of art inspired by the novel. It can be a drawing, painting, sculpture, or collage but it should represent your favorite scene. Explain your piece in a brief artist’s statement explaining why you chose your palette, medium and figures in the piece.

On My Honor

On My Honor

By Marion Dane Bauer

About this Newbery Honor book:

On the way to the park, Joel’s best friend Tony challenges him to take a swim in the treacherous Vermillion River. Both boys have been warned never to go near the river, but Joel gives in. He doesn’t want Tony to think he’s scared. It isn’t until Tony disappears that Joel comes to a terrible realization- Tony can’t swim.

Pre-reading:

What does it mean to be on one’s honor? What is honor? Have you ever been on your honor for anything? What?

-or-

What is peer pressure? Have you ever been influenced to do something by a friend that you later regretted? Why do friends have such influence over us?

Prediction Guide:

Great readers keep themselves involved in the story while they’re reading by making predictions about what they think may happen next. They look for clues to help them make these guesses. As you read On My Honor answer these questions AS YOU GO and don’t worry whether your answers are right or not. Also, create at least one prediction or question by the end of each chapter with one of these phrases:

“I wonder whether…”

“I think that Joel will probably…”

“I think the next event to happen will be…”

Chapter 1

Will Tony convince Joel to climb the bluffs once they are at the park? Why do you think so or not?

Chapter 2

Will Joel swim in the river?

Chapter 3

Will both boys follow through with the dare?

Chapter 4

How will Joel find Tony?

Chapter 5

What happens next? Will Joel find help?

Chapter 6

Will Joel go to the police? What will he say to them?

Chapter 7

What will Joel and Tony’s parents say?

Chapter 8

Will the truth come out? How?

Chapter 9

What will Joel say to Tony’s mom?

Chapter 10

What will happen next? What makes you think so?

Chapter 11

How will Joel’s parents deal with the truth? Will he be punished?

Comprehension Check:

1. Describe Tony’s personality.
2. What happens at the river?
3. Why does Joel blame his father?
4. Why does Joel smell the stink of the river on his skin even after his shower?  Does anyone else smell it?  Why or why not?
5. Does Joel face punishment from his family? Why or why not?

Discussion Questions:

1. Tony and Joel have been friends since they were babies even though they rarely wanted to do the same things anymore. “Joel wondered, sometimes, why they stayed friends.” (p.2)  Why do we keep some friendships alive while we let others slip away? Why do you think Joel and Tony remained companions even though they often had disagreements?

2. Joel tries to involve his dad asking permission so that he’ll refuse the boys plea to bike out to the park. Why can’t Joel just stand up to Tony’s demands and refuse to go? How does Tony exert such influence over his friend? Is this typical of boys’ behavior or all friendships between kids? Could Joel have found a way to save face without going on the ride?

3. Joel’s dad makes Joel promise “On your honor? You’ll watch for traffic, and you won’t go anywhere except the park? You’ll be careful the whole way?” (p. 8) Has your opinion about honor or responsibility changed after reading the novel?

4. Joel makes up a series of lies and excuses for what has happened at the river which he feeds to his parents that evening. Why, do you think, his lies and excuses ultimately don’t work? Do you think the truth would have eventually come out regardless? Which would be worse: living with everyone knowing the truth or hiding it? Why?

5. Do you agree with Joel’s statement: “Bad wasn’t something that could be locked out. Bad was something that came from inside you when you didn’t even know it was there.”(p.83) Why or why not?

6. “We all made choices today, Joel. You, me, Tony. Tony’s the only one who doesn’t have to live with his choice.” (p.88) How do you think Joel and his father will live with their choices? Will the events of that day change Joel? How? What do you think his father will be like from then on?

7. The entire novel of On My Honor occurs over the course of one day. Why do you think the author chose this dense timeline to tell the story? What does it add to the events? How would it be different if the storyline were spread across a year, or even a decade? What did you learn about storytelling that you could apply to your own writing?

8. Knowing what you do about Joel’s and Tony’s characters, discuss how the story would have been different if the events in the river had been reversed and it was Joel who was not found. What would Tony have done? Would he have felt as much responsibility and guilt? Would anyone feel guilty? Why?

Projects:

Make a cause and effect diagram that charts the choices and decisions that characters made along the path to and from the river. After that step is complete, add sticky notes wherever an alternative choice could have been made and what that might have been.

Share the book On My Honor with your own family. Discuss how you can create an atmosphere where you can reveal the pressure you feel from others. Perhaps you can create a signal that alerts your parents to something that you are uncomfortable with and would like to discuss in private.

Write a letter from Joel to Tony’s parents about the events in the book.

Research the topic of water safety and create an illustrated pamphlet about what you learned. Be sure to put the information into your own words so that kids can understand your pamphlet.

Create an abstract piece of art inspired by one of the following words: guilt, regret, honor, responsibility, peer pressure or blame. Give particular attention to the palette of colors you choose and be deliberate in your use of lines and shapes. Explain your piece in a short paragraph that you attach to the back.

After a brief class discussion on the purpose of chapter titles (why they are included or not, what they add to a text, how to write a compelling one), create chapter titles for On My Honor.  Make them compelling, of course, but without giving away the story. 

Write a chapter 13 for On My Honor. You can change the ending of the story to be whatever you wish would happen next, including Tony’s being discovered alive, Joel’s attending Tony’s funeral or any other event you would like to explore further.