Wringer - by Jerry Spinelli (Paperback)

About the Book

A boy's tenth birthday marks an event he would rather ignore: the day that he is ready to take his place as a "wringer" at the annual family fest, Pigeon Day. When an unwanted visitor--in the form of a trusting pigeon--arrives on his window sill, the boy realizes that it is a sign to stand up for what he believes.

Book Synopsis

Newbery Honor Book * ALA Notable Children's Book

"Deeply felt. Presents a moral question with great care and sensitivity." --The New York Times

"A spellbinding story about rites of passage." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A realistic story with the intensity of a fable." --The Horn Book (starred review)

"Thought-provoking." --School Library Journal (starred review)

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 Back Cover

Palmer LaRue is running out of birthdays. For as long as he can remember, he's dreaded the day he turns ten -- the day he'll take his place beside all the other ten-year-old boys in town, the day he'll be a wringer. But Palmer doesn't want to be a wringer. It's one of the first things he learned about himself and it's one of the biggest things he has to hide. In Palmer's town being a wringer is an honor, a tradition passed down from father to son. Palmer can't stop himself from being a wringer just like he can't stop himself from growing one year older, just like he can't stand up to a whole town -- right? Newbery Medal winner Jerry Spinelli's most powerful novel yet is a gripping tale of how one boy learns how not to be afraid.

Review Quotes

"Deeply felt. Presents a moral question with great care and sensitivity." - The New York Times
"A story both comic and disturbing, this is lit by Palmer's growing courage." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)