Winner of the 1998 Newbery Medal
When you turn ten in this town, you achieve the privilege of being a "wringer" at the annual Pigeon Shoot. Nine-year-old Palmer doesn't want to be a wringer. What is a wringer? After the townspeople have competed in the pigeon shoot, the wringers go out onto the field and find the pigeons that haven't been killed and then break or wring their necks. Imagine the peer pressure to be a "man." Palmer really struggles with this. At home he has his own pet pigeon, and he is horrified at the idea of harming these gentle birds.
240 pages 978-0064405782 Ages 8-12
Keywords: coming of age, peer pressure, birds, feelings, fears, fitting in, belonging, finding your voice, standing up for yourself, 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old, 11 year old, 12 year old, being different, being yourself, believing in yourself, Newbery Medal
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
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In Palmer LaRue's hometown of Waymer, turning ten is the biggest event of a boy's life. But for Palmer, his tenth birthday is not something to look forward to but something to dread.
Then one day, a visitor appears on his windowsill, and Palmer knows that this, more than anything else, is a sign that his time is up. Somehow, he must learn how to stop being afraid and stand up for what he believes in.
Wringer is an unforgettable tour de force from Newbery Medal winner Jerry Spinelli.--from the publisher
