Set in 1967 Long Island, Holling Hoodhood is the only seventh grader at Camillo Junior High who does not attend weekly religious education. While his classmates leave for Hebrew school or Catholic catechism, Holling remains alone with his teacher, Mrs. Baker. What begins as a tedious punishment of cleaning chalkboard erasers and reading Shakespeare plays evolves into a mentorship. Outside the classroom, Holling navigates his father’s obsession with professional image, the looming Vietnam War, and the antics of his peers, including a memorable incident involving escaped lab rats and a disastrous appearance in a local play.
Students and educators read this story to see how historical shifts, like the 1960s counterculture and war, intersect with the mundane trials of middle school. It provides a look at how classical literature applies to modern social dynamics and family tensions. Readers walk away with a specific understanding of how academic pressure and familial expectations shape a teenager's identity. The book serves as a character study on how quiet persistence and mentorship help a young person find their own voice amidst social and political upheaval.
Clear-cut; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2007
- Language
- EN
