This one had another slow start for me but once I got into it I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. At first it was reminding me of Leon and the Spitting Image with the protagonist mistrusting and not liking the teacher, but while that one stayed very superficial, this book got into territory with a lot more emotional depth. The use of the Shakespeare plays shape the story in a way that students may not understand at first, but is really smart and a great frame for the story of Holling Hoodhood wihout having to be hit over the head with it. I was disappointed some times in how perfectly things worked out for Holling in certain situations, but by the end, some of this trope had mellowed out and the emotional stuff took precedence. I wished some of this was present in the beginning, but it all came together in the end.
The book takes place during the Vietnam war. Holling is from a Presbyterian family in a town divided by Catholics and Jews. He finds he is alone with his teacher, Mrs. Baker, every Wednesday when the rest of his class leaves for their religious studies. She decides to have him read Shakespeare plays to occupy his time and soon Holling takes on a sort of mentorship with his teacher that removes him from the confines of his strict, conservative father's plans for his life and allows him to blossom and find a friend in his teacher.
Interest level: Grades 5-8 Reading level: Grade 5 (though I might argue for a little older with all the Shakespearean quotes)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Coming-of-age
Comparable Titles: Maniac Magee, One Crazy Summer
Book Connections: The Civil Rights Movement, Bobby Kennedy's presidential campaign, Shakespeare, Vietnam War, cream puffs, Track, Melbourne Olympics, New York Yankees, architecture
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