Wringer

Main characters: Palmer, Dorothy, Beans, Henry, Mutto, Nipper

Setting: Waymer

Summary: Palmer LaRue was dreading his tenth birthday because in his town, that meant that you became a wringer at the annual pigeon day involving releasing pigeons to be shot while they fly through the air.  Palmer didn't want to be a wringer.  After his ninth birthday, he was counting down the days until his tenth birthday and he was terrified.  One day he had a guest at his bedroom window and it was a pigeon.  First, he began the feed the pigeon and then he was letting it stay in his room.  He grew to love the pigeon and named it Nipper.  His love for this pigeon confirmed that he did not want to be a wringer and he didn't understand why people in his town shot pigeons for fun.  After trying to hide his new pet from his not-so-understanding friends, they start to figure out that he has this new pet and they try to capture the pigeon and kill it.  Palmer realizes he has to let his pet go so it can be safe away from his "friends".  He lets the pigeon go, but once he learns that his friend Dorothy let Nipper free around the place where they capture pigeons to get killed, he runs to the event and ends up saving Nipper from being shot.  This is a great story about sticking up for what you believe in, even when it seems everybody is against you.  It also shows that you can overcome your fears and you don't have to follow everyone else just because they are all doing something and you don't believe in it.

There are many fun activities I would do in the classroom while reading this book.  I would have students write a paragraph about living life in Palmer's room from Nipper's point of view.  I would teach students about being descriptive and what describing words the book used to show you what Nipper looked like.  I would have students find those descriptive words and draw what they believe Nipper looks like.  As we read, I would also have different questions for students to reflect on in their writing journals.  Some of those questions would ask what they are afraid of, would you stand up for something you believe in, what would you do if a pigeon came to your window, and more.

Questions to consider:

• How do we help students reflect and respond to realistic fiction?
• How will you handle it when the subject matter hits close to home for your students?
• Most realistic fiction has quite a bit of dialogue. Was it well written? How so? What can you and your students learn about writing from the author?

Reference:

Spinelli, Jerry. Wringer. HarperCollins Publishers. New York, NY. 1997. Print.