During the 1967 school year, on Wednesday afternoons when all his classmates go to either Catechism or Hebrew school, seventh-grader Holling Hoodhood is forced to stay in Mrs. Baker's classroom where they read the plays of William Shakespeare. He learns a lot about the value of the world he lives in.
I'm a big fan of Shakespeare now, but I remember when I thought the language was inaccessible and the plots were way too complicated. Then I took an English class with Sister Joan, and somehow she had the key to unlocking the plays, much as Mrs. Baker does with Holling. I don't think you have to familiar with Shakespeare to enjoy this book but it certainly adds to the enjoyment. The thing is, Holling discovers, that Shakespeare can start creeping into your life no matter how much you try to resist him.
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