The Wednesday Wars

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2007

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Download PDF

Access Full Guide

Before You Read

Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 1: "September"

Chapter 2: "October"

Chapter 3: "November"

Chapter 4: "December"

Chapter 5: "January"

Chapter 6: "February"

Chapter 7: "March"

Chapter 8: "April"

Chapter 9: "May"

Chapter 10: "June"

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Discussion Questions

Chapter 4: "December"Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 4 Summary

As Christmas and Hanukkah decorations fill the classrooms and school halls, Mr. Guareschi announces that students should begin preparing for the New York State Standardized Achievement Test, coming up in January. However, Mrs. Baker doesn’t seem to be in the holiday spirit; she won’t allow any decorations in her classroom. Meanwhile, Holling dreads his upcoming Shakespeare performance as a fairy, and tries to talk Mr. Goldman out of making him wear the feathered costume to no avail.

One day, Mrs. Baker announces that Mickey Mantle will be signing baseballs at the Baker Sporting Emporium next week, and invites the class to come. She also invites the class to the production of The Tempest on the same night. Holling is mortified that his classmates might see him in his feathery yellow tights, but knowing he’ll get to have a baseball signed by Mickey Mantle after the play eases his anguish.

Get access to this full Study Guide and much more!

8,350+ In-Depth Study Guides
4,700+ Quick-Read Plot Summaries
Downloadable PDFs

The night of the play, Holling’s father drops him off at the theater; his parents refuse to miss the Bing Crosby Christmas special on TV, so they won’t stay to watch him. Holling reminds his father to pick him up right after the show so that they can make it to Baker’s Sporting Emporium to see Mickey Mantle.