Wringer

This book came recommended to me from a professional book I read by Franki Sibberson. She's a 4th grade teacher in Ohio, and she uses this book as a read-aloud for her class. I'm a big Jerry Spinelli fan, and I had picked this book up several times before - but the plot had never interested me. Once again, I had to trust the recommendation. Once I got a few pages into the story, I was hooked.

Every year in Palmer's hometown, they have a pigeon shoot (sounds crazy, doesn't it?). Boys who are 10 and older are assigned to be "wringers," having the job of wringing pigeons' necks who are wounded during the shoot. Palmer is terrified of being a wringer. But at the same time, Palmer wants to be part of the gang of boys in his neighborhood, who are fanatical about being wringers. Palmer is pulled in two directions. Should he follow his heart or be part of the group? It's a great book that deals with lots of interesting issues, and you really put yourself in Palmer's shoes when reading the story.

I don't have the book in our classroom library right now, but I plan on ordering it very soon. I have a feeling it might become a class read aloud! Jerry Spinelli has written some of my favorite books: Maniac Magee (might be my all-time favorite), Loser, The Library Card, and Crash.