Wringer
Written by Jerry Spinelli
Illustrated by Cliff Nielsen
Reviewed by Aaron B. (age 11)
This book is about a boy named Palmer who is having a tough time in a small town. The town has a day called Pigeon Day were people will go to watch shooters shoot down pigeons so wringers can go collect them. If they are floppy or alive the wringers will wring their necks. Well, Palmer doesn't want to be a wringer. But a pigeon just suddenly comes to Palmer's window every day. Palmer, one day, finally let the pigeon in. He tries to keep the pigeon, Nipper, on a low profile because he can't let anyone else know about the pigeon. There are some bullies who became Palmer's friends. If they found out he had a pigeon, they would kill him and Nipper because they want to be wringers. The only other person who found out was a girl named Dorothy across the street. Well, you'll have to read the book to find out what happens next. Tempting isn't it?
I thought this book was great! There is a lot of action in it. It's also amazing how near the end there isn't as much action as before. There was a character that reminds me of a bully at my church. The kid in the book was named Beans (well that's his nickname). He's almost exactly like the bully I know. The character, actually characters who changed, all changed by becoming nice and friendly. The book made me want feel like I wanted to laugh at the incident.
I would recommend this book because it's exiting and adventurous. I think that 6th through 8th graders would like this wonderful book. I think the genre would interest people because a lot of people like adventures. I also think it would interest people because of the author's writing style and unique use of words.