Gary D. Schmidt
Reading Level X
My new favorite book! I laughed, I cried, I saw glimpses of my own family. Set in 1967-68, Holling Hoodhood is a 7th grader in Massapequa, NY. Each Wednesday, while the rest of his class is either at Hebrew School or Confirmation Class, he reads a new Shakespearean play at the behest of Mrs. Baker -- a teacher he is sure is out to get him. With the conflict in Vietnam casting a large shadow over each character, Holling learns that Shakespeare just might be relevant today.
While I was reading, I could think of so many connections to Winnetka, but I narrowed it down to two. First, the Village Green with it's memorial to those who made the ultimate sacrifice while defending their country.
Second, the Winnetka Community House -- home to many a theatrical production.
In reading this book, I could relate to just about every scene -- Walter Cronkite at dinner, check; a self-absorbed parent; check (my uncle); a rebellious teen, check (my cousin); a teacher in Vietnam, check; crazy antics at school, check; learning to stand up for a friend, check; learning that your teacher is human too, check -- the list goes on and on. Gary Schmidt weaves a poignant coming of age tale, one that stands the test of time. One could easily swap Mickey Mantle for Alex Rodriguez or Vietnam for Afghanistan and still have the same results.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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