Wringer (Trophy Newbery)

Palmer just turned 9. He got The Treatment and he made friends. His friends are nasty. After a while he turns 10. He doesn't want to be 10 because that's the age when he has to wring pegions' neck. He doesn't want to be a wringer especially if his own dear pegion is inside the cage, about to be shot. It looked at him. It seems as if the small pegion is about to speak, but it doesn't. Only the people speak they try encouraging him to wring the pegion, by saying "Wring it, Wring it!" He doesnot wring it. At the end he takes the pegion walked away. I feel a little sad after reading this book, because his pegion got shot on the wing and no one knows if it (gulp) will die or not.

Palmer is as cool as Manic Magee, another of Jerry Spinelli's books. Wringer is about boy named Palmer who gets a pigeon. His friends hate pigeons and are wringers. A wringer is someone who wrings pigeons neck. He has a dad who is a sharp shooter. But Palmer doesn't want to be a wringer himself. He has a friend named Dorothy who understands him.
This book is made for any age. I even made up a jump rope song (just like a jumprope song in Maniac Magee): "Palmer Palmer He's so cool Palmer Palmer Goes to school Has a pigeon Doesn't go to the kichen Palmer Palmer Kissed a pigeon! The book taught me alot. I'd like to read it again. I would also recommend this book to anyone!

The book "Wringer" is written by Jerry Spinelli. It is about a boy's father who is a wringer. A wringer is a person who shoots pigeons in a big cage. His 9 year old boy, "Snots", who just turned 10 has a big problem. Snots frinds don't like pigoens,and he just found one.The pigeon has been coming for food every morning,tapping on his window.There's a boy who goes to the soccer field. Any kid who has a birthday has go to the boy ,and get punched very hard.When they get punched, they become a wringer. Snots is never going to tell the kid when his birthday is so he never has to wring the neck of a pigeon. I recommend this book to people who like action and myterious books.

I absolutely loved this book. I could totally empathize with "Snots", as he wanted to fit in with his peers. I sympathized with him, as he felt such fear at turning 10 and becoming a wringer. I could understand all the pressures that young people are faced with as they try to please all members of their social structure. And the relationship with Nipper was wonderfully portrayed. Spinelli covers male/male, male/ female, and child/parent relationships. Also, the relationship of a child to an animal they wish to protect is so beautifully dealt with. I will read this book to my students, and I already know that they will love it!

Peer pressure, cruelty to animals, self-doubt, and the dark side of the very human need to be accepted form the bedrock of Spinelli's powerful and moving tale. Palmer is to become a wringer when he reaches the age of ten. Wringers break the necks of wounded pigeons at the local pigeon shoot where 5,000 birds are shot in one session. Pigeon shoots were common in the States at one time. Now they are legal only in Pennsylvania. Palmer makes a lonely and heartrending journey to discover the courage and confidence within himself to resist social pressure and take a stand against cruelty. Wringer is another of Spinelli's masterfully written books that won't let the reader go or forget.

This book is both good and bad in different ways. The way that it is good is that it carries a major message. I personally believe that the same message was better carried by Shirley Jackson in her short story "The Lottery", but the more it is stressed the better. This book yet again puts forward the fact that a person is capable of much destruction of life, but I do not feel for pigeons in the same sence that Shirley Jackson made me feel for people. This book made me very bored with its stereotypical characters after page 80, and none of the characters grew through the corse of the book. In conclusion, I believe that this book was very well written, but lacked the substance to keep me interested through 200 pages.

Jerry Spinelli is the greatest author yet. Wringer is a great book. Some themes are friendship and honesty. This story is about a boy who lives in a town where people hate and kill pigeons at a yearly festival. One day, the main character, Palmer, threw cereal out the window when a bird appeared. The bird kept coming back and forth. So Palmer kept it as a pet and named it Nipper. This causes problems for him.
My opinion is that this book was the greatest yet that Jerry Spinelli wrote. If I read through all of his books, Wringer would be the best. I hope Jerry Spinelli writes more books I can read.

Palmer counts the days until his tenth birthday with much suspense. For in his town, when you turn ten, you become a "wringer". Every summer Palmer's town has a festival that includes a shooting match. The wringers job is to wring the necks of the pigeons that are wounded in the shooting match. For most 10 year old boys becoming a wringer is a honor, but to Palmer it's a nightmare. Throughout the story palmer has to deal with keeping bigger secrets then he can handle, including hiding a pet pigeon in his room, and learning how to stand up for himself against his peers and what he believes in.

Palmer counts the days until his tenth birthday with much suspense. For in his town, when you turn ten, you become a "wringer". Every summer Palmer's town has a festival that includes a shooting match. The wringers job is to wring the necks of the pigeons that are wounded in the shooting match. For most 10 year old boys becoming a wringer is a honor, but to Palmer it's a nightmare. Throughout the story palmer has to deal with keeping bigger secrets then he can handle, including hiding a pet pigeon in his room, and learning how to stand up for himself against his peers and what he believes in.

Wringer is aboout a nine year old boy named Palmer.Every year his town has a Family Fest.In the Family Fest there are lots of fun things.But there is something Palmer doesn't like, pigeon shooting. His town hates pigeons.But one day a pigeon falls in love with Palmer.His three ten year old friends hate pigeons too.If they found out that he was caring for a pigeon he would be as good as dead.Do you think that the friends will find out that he is keeping a pigeon? Or do you think Palmer will keep his friends from finding out? You must read the book to find out.This book is definately a five star book.

I would give the book wringer four stars. I would give it four stars because some parts were interesting and some parts were kind of boring. It is about a boy when he turns 10 years old he has to become a wringer. A wringer goes around shooting pigeons on the annual pigeon day. They have to shot the pigeon and then if they don't kill it they have to wring their neck. But before he turns 10 years old a lot of things happen to him and he gets mixed up with the wrong type of boys. While messing with these boys, he does a lot of bad things. It is a great book you should read it.

Composed by Audrey, 4th grade student:

How far would you go to protect your pet pigeon from your friends? Would you spit on the classroom floor? Would you spend the night downstairs hiding behind the couch? If you were Palmer LaRue then yes. You would do all that and more to protect your pet pigeon. In Jerry Spinelli's Wringer, a young boy will do almost anything to protect Nipper his pigeon. This is a very thrilling, descriptive, and realistic book. I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't like getting lost in a book because Wringer is very clear. Say goodbye to boring, confusing, and rotten books. Say hello to Wringer by Jerry Spinelli.

The book Wringer really is cool! Palmer is the main character in the book. Palmer doesn't want to be a Wringer (a boy who wrings pigeon's necks at a yearly festival) but he has to deal with Pigeon Day. He likes Family Fest but it comes right before Pigeon Day. Later Palmer finds a Pigeon and he keeps it and names it Nipper. Palmer knows that he's not supposed to have a pet Pigeon because everyone in town hates Pigeons but Palmer doesn't he likes them.
I would recommend this book to anyone. But everyone should read this book. It's the best that Jerry Spinelli ever wrote.

Why be peer pressured into doing something you when you can go towards what you believe in? The Wringer is an award winning novel by Jerry Spinelli, a boy named Palmer goes through the tough decision deciding if he wants to become a Wringer or not by looking at what he believes, this portrays that you don't have to succumb to peer pressure but emphasize what you believe in. This book is an amazing novel and when you start reading it you won't want to stop. It was truly inspirational how Jerry Spinelli displays how what you believe in is the strongest aspect in life.

He sees the troubles and conflicts he goes through to making himself have a decision on what he should do. This novel was a very dramatic and traumatizing. You would think a ten year old boy would portray joy about his tenth birthday but he does just the opposite. Palmer has a secret friendship named Dorothy which helps him build his confidence towards himself. This Waymer boy demonstrates how he feels about killing a pigeon and when he a pigeon is suddenly found in his room he does everything he can to keep this pigeon alive by keeping it in his room. I would rate this novel being a five star novel because of the great determination Palmer exposes his feelings keeping the pigeons living. I would recommend this book to children ten years and older because the conflicts that he goes through are very mature and not going along with his peers is a huge step for a ten year old boy.

"Snots" is accepted into the crowd as he turns nine. Just a week after his birthday is Pigeon Day, his most feared day of the year. That is when he is scared to even watch, not to mention to wring the pigeons. Snots fears his ninth year of his life, knowing that he will soon be forced to wring the pigeons. Snots must hide the secret of his "pet" pigeon.

This book brings life to pigeons and is an awesome book to young readers. I like this book because of the tension that builds every page, just like all other Jerry Spinelli books.

Z.L.

Some people say this book should be banned for the violence. That it's going to cause killing in neighbourhoods and such. But the entire point of the book is to prove that violence is disgusting. You can tell that Palmer DOES NOT CONDONE the violence to the pigeons. He is sickened by it. The book is ANTI-violent. Just because it has violence in it, doesn't mean that the author approves of it.
What counts is the theme of the book. Love, and friendship. The end proves that Love is more important than Violence. It shows you what happens to kids in every-day real life. Constant peer pressure. Hanging around with the wrong crowd. The obvious intolerance of the differences between Palmer and his friends. This book lets you know you aren't alone, and that you CAN decide for yourself. It's not important what other people think of you, because there is still friendship with the RIGHT people.
I think what the book is trying to say is: "Forget it. Be your own person."
I don't really like reading Juvenile Fiction, but this is a very rare and pleasant exception.

Wringer, by Jerry Spinelli, is about a boy and his pigeon. Palmer, the main character, is keeping the pigeon a secret because his town kills pigeons. There are these boys that are his friends, or are they?
Palmer is my age. I liked it when he played with his army men. His dad taught him how to set them up. I felt the baseball sequence was confusing. After reading the story, I found out they didn�t really need it.
Wringer�s message is to stand up for what you believe in. Also, to stand up for what�s right, even though some people don�t think so.

Search up pigeon shootings. They are very,very real,and they often involve children. Though,often,they do not twist the birds neck,they just injure it some more and throw it into a garbage can stuffed with other birds.

This book may seem odd to some people.
"It's just a stupid Pigeon".
"What's so scary about killing a Pigeon?"

How ignorant. If that was a pet animal,such as a dog or cat,you wouldn't think that. This book's about violence,and peer pressure,it's more then meets the eye.

Wringer is a great book! Jerry Spinelli is a great author. Wringer is about a boy named Palmer who doesn't want to be a wringer. A wringer is someone who "wrings" the necks of pigeons at Family Fest. His friends, Beans and Mutto, want to be wringers. Later Palmer gets a pigeon named Nipper and tries to hide him from the town because the town hates pigeons.
I would recommend this book to someone else because it is a great book. I think anyone could read it. I like Wringer because of the characters.(...)Wringer is a great book!

Mills, Claudia. "The Structure of the Moral Dilemma in Shiloh." Children's Literature 1999: 185-196. Spinelli, Jerry. Wringer. New York: HarperCollins, 1997. The novel Wringer tells the story of Palmer LaRue, a young boy who faces a number of crucial decisions. The book takes place within a little over a year. Palmer celebrates his 9th birthday in the first half, then his 10th birthday in the second half. Palmer's group of friends consists of three boys, Beans, Mutto and Henry. The boys' main goal during their childhood is to become a wringer. A wringer is a young boy, 10 years of age, whose job is to break the necks of pigeons who aren't completely shot and killed during the annual pigeon shooting contest in their town. The only problem is that, Palmer dreads his 10th birthday because the last thing he wants is to become a wringer. Throughout the novel, Palmer faces this moral dilemma, and he must decide whether he should please his friends, his parents, society, or himself. Claudia Mills explains this struggle when she comments that; " children are trying to sort through their moral obligations against a background of their parents' beliefs...and transmitted beliefs of their culture"(185). Palmer's gang of friends all desire to be wringers, with the exception of Henry who just plays along so that Beans and Mutto will accept him. Since they constantly put pressure on Palmer to be "cool," Palmer goes along with them to be accepted not only by his friends, but by society as well. The pigeon-shooting contest is a known tradition in the town where Palmer lives and he thinks something is wrong with him since he doesn't like the activity. He exclaims, " I'm going to be ten in 71 days, and then I'm going to have to be a wringer and I don't want to. So what kind of kid am I? Everybody wants to kill pigeons but me. What's the matter with me?" Palmer believes he has the problem, when in actuality he is acting on his conscience and what he believes is morally right. According to Palmer, killing pigeons is wrong because there is no reason for it. When his younger friend Dorothy asks him why people kill pigeons, he simply says, "He was born a pigeon"(185). With this comment Palmer is reinstating the fact that the killing of the pigeons is done for no good reason at all. The townspeople support the shootings because it brings money to their park facilities. However, Mills writes that in the novel Shiloh, Marty's character "claims that it is love, not money, that should establish relation of belonging"(192). This theory also holds true in Wringer, because Palmer's love for Nipper, his pet pigeon, he believes is a much stronger force than the town park money problem. Throughout the story, Palmer continually struggles with what his dad thinks of him. Palmer's dad won the "sharp-shooter" award one year at the pigeon shootings, and Palmer believes that his dad will be disappointed in him if he tells his dad how he really feels. Later on in the story, Palmer is relieved to find out that his dad really didn't plan on pressuring Palmer into anything he didn't want to do. This realization makes Palmer much happier toward the end of the novel, and with his parents around to support him, he doesn't feel as insecure about his feelings anymore. Palmer LaRue, the main character in Wringer, struggles with moral dilemmas: he desires to please his family, friends and town, but he also wants to do what he feels is right. As the novel progresses, Palmer feels more strongly about his ideas; and at the conclusion of the story, he knows his decision is the right one for him.

My Review of the Book Wringer,

By Jerry Spinelli

This book review is about Wringer, written by Jerry Spinelli.

The main character in the book is a boy named Palmer LaRue, a non-selfish boy that puts his life on the line to help a bird. He also is an excellent student. Three other characters in the book are Beans, Mutto and Henry, his friends. They all gave Palmer the nickname "Snots".

The overall plot of this book is about a boy, Palmer, meeting and becoming friends with a pigeon who comes to his window on day. Palmer wants to help this pigeon, because he lives in a town where there's a one-day holiday to shoot 5000 pigeons released from a crate and Palmer wants to save this pigeon from being captured shot and killed.

The story takes place is in a small town in the United States. Every year this town has a weeklong celebration. The first six days starting on a Saturday are filled with fun and laughter; they have a carnival with games. The seventh day is Pigeon Day. Pigeon Day is a day when men let 5,000 pigeons out of a crate, to be shot at and to be wrung. The people that shoot the pigeons get points, who ever shoots the most points wins the tournament. The pigeons are wrung because if a pigeon is shoot in the wing it would live a tortured live, so 10 year olds go to a camp to learn how to wring the necks of Pigeons so they can put pigeon "out of their misery". So when there's a wounded but still alive pigeon the wringers wring the pigeon.

The theme of this story is that you need to pick your friends wisely. Palmer was very friendly and meets many people. He thought they were all his friends, but some of these people hurt him. Some of the so-called friends turned on Palmer and tried to beat him up because he tried to shelter a pigeon. They were not really good friends or they would have helped him. Friends help each other and are loyal to each other. It is important to really know your friends and build trust in them.

I liked this story because it made you think in a different way then you would normally think when reading a book, when you read a book you think it will end in an "and they all lived happily ever after", but not in this book. You have to think in a different way because in this book you can't assume anything.

Another reason why I liked this book was because it was an emotional book; you could get mad at a character, or laugh at a character. There are also moments where you want to cry too. I also liked the story because it is a good amount of pages. There are not too many pages or not too little, it is just the right length.

When you look at the title Wringer you want to understand the title more, so you look at the summery attracting you to the book even more because that really hooks you. I think this book is really a guy type of book, I say this because I think guys are more into death and action type books but everyone might enjoy this one too. I recommend this book to anyone who likes books with many characters and many things to follow along with.

The book that I read was the ''Wringer''. The book wasone of the best books that I read except in some parts I didn't understand. The book is about a boy named Palmer LaRuethat lives in Waymer. Palmer is about to turn ten there is going to be the biggest event of a ten year olds life. The event is an annual Family Fest and it's a tradition to become a wringer when you turn ten. But on palmer's tenth birthday he has something to tell but is afraid to say it which is that he doesn't want to be a wringer.

The Wringer was a very humorus book but there were also some very emotional parts. 9 year old Palmer Larue was an average kid that had 3 good friends, Beans, Mutto, and Henry. In the town that these boys lived in, at the age of 10 you became a wringer and would run out on the field and wring the necks of the pigions. Although they were all good friends Palmer did not like the idea at all of being a wringer but his friends did. Palmers friend's always put him under pressure and sneak out at night to Palmers house and take Palmer to mysterious places. Then one night Palmer was awoken by a loud scratching noise. To find out what it was and what it was doing outside Palmers window you have to read the book. This "thing" outside of Palmers window ended up teaching Palmer very valuable lessons and helped Palmer end his fears.

Personally, I enjoyed this book very much. I am a sixth grade girl. I would reccomend it to boys mostly but girls can enjoy it as well. If you like macabre, then you'll enjoy this book. It's dark and disturbing. About a ten year old boy named Palmer LaRue who has to wring the necks of pigeons for Pigeon Day in his town. Everyone comes that day to shoot pigeons and the injured ones get their necks wrung by ten year old boys called wringers. It was great except it was VERY disturbing to me.

Wringer by Jerry Spinelli is a book about standing up for what you believe in.

Palmer LaRue lives in Waymer, a town famous for its Family Fest. Family Fest is a week long festival of amusement rides and contest. The last day of Family Fest is Pigeon Day. Pigeon day is a day when thousands of pigeons are released and men shoot them down. The pigeons that don't die immediately are killed by ten-year-old boys called Wringers. It's a tradition and an honor for boys to become Wringers when they turn ten. Palmer does not want to be a Wringer. He has nightmares about wringing a pigeon's neck. Palmer is finally accepted by a group of boys he's been trying to befriend when a pigeon shows up at his window. Palmer is faced with hard decisions when he decides to take the pigeon in and keep it as a pet.

Palmer's character is faced with many conflicts through out the book. Palmer knows the difference between right and wrong and feels a lot of guilt. He does things normal young boys do such as pick on the girl next door, go along with his friends to be accepted, and even lie to his parents. Soon all the secrets get to Palmer and he tries to avoid his friends but it doesn't work.

Young adults can easily relate to Palmer and his situation. This grabs the reader's attention beginning with the first page and holds it until the last.

Have you ever worried about something every day of your life? The main character Palmer does. He has to live with a secret only he knows and if he tells he will lose his best friend. But who wants to be friends with the Gang? Palmer known as a good small town boy, now that's he's with the gang he's known as a TROUBLE MAKER. The Gang comes to Palmers 9th Birthday and gives him an apple core, a crusty old sock, and a cigar bud but he still wants to be there friends. ENJOY YOUR READING!

Wringer was no ordinary book -- it was amazing! Palmer didn't want to be a wringer. In his town boys 10 and older became wringers and the men were sharpshooters. Palmer finds a pigeon and names it Nipper.
Nipper brought lots of trouble. Jerry Spinelli uses some similar themes and characters in every book. All of his books are interesting to me.
I recommend this book to every one from ages 7-100. I hope you will enjoy this book. This book will leave you sad and happy.

This is another one of Jerry Spinelli's fascinating books. The Story is excellent and you'll just want to keep on reading it.
In the setting of the story, the town has a once-a-year ceeremony called "Family Fest". It lasts a week, and on the last day of Family Fest, the climax of the festival takes place: a mass slaughter of pidgeons occurs, and the wounded pidgeons have a worse fate then being shot. A teenager wrings its neck, with a bone-snapping twist. This began the tradition of becoming a wringer when a boy comes to the age of 12.
Palmer hates the pidgeon slaughter. He hated it since his youth, when he had the experience of watching a "loppy-sided" pidgeon being wrought. But when his 11th birthday comes around, he invites 3 neighborhood gangsters: Beans, Mutto, and Henry. But a couple of weeks after his birthday, a soft scratching came at his window. If it sounds interesting to you, then buy the book! I would give this a 6 out of 5 rating, but I like the sort of books that contain some action and a lot of emotion.

Wringer is a great book for everybody. I would like to recommend this book to a friend; because I simply think that the person I recommend it to will really like the book especially the ending. There's a very big climax in the book. It's a bird named Nipper. Palmer wants the bird to go away very badly.Then palmer kept Nipper and didn't say anything to anybody except Dorothy. The father and mother aready knew Palmer already had a bird.
I think people will like this book

You will really like the book "Wringer". It's an interesting book, and it's an OK length. It's a good book because it's funny, especially the nicknames like Beans and Snots. There are plenty more. When every boy in that town becomes ten they have to perform an interesting test that is very weird. It's sometimes hard to understand if you don't read it carefully. It is very exciting sometimes but other times it really dull. If you like the book you will like the characters and you will LIKE THE BOOK.

Wringer

Author- Jerry Spinelli

Reviewed by- Tiffani

The pigeon's eye is like a polished shirt button.

The pigeon's eye is orange

with a smaller black button in the center.

It looks up at him.

It does not blink.

It seems as if the bird is about to speak,

But it does not.

Only the voices speak:

"Wring it! Wring it! Wring it!"

He cannot.

He cannot wring it,

Nor can he let go. He wants to let go,

desperately, but his fingers are stone.

And the voices chant

"Wring it! Wring it!"

And the orange eye stares.

This story is about a boy that is terrified of Pigeon day. In his town this is one of the many days of Family Fest. His first pigeon day was when he was 4 years old. Five years later the smell of gun smoke haunts him. The only thing he remembers is the sound of gun shots, birds in the air, and then no birds at all. The terrifying image of feathers falling to the ground is the worst sight in the whole world.

The Boy(palmer) winds up keeping a stray pigeon that he calls Nipper. Nipper is set loose in the wild early in the morning so he cannot figure out where he is. Palmers Friends, Beans Mutto and Henry start getting suspicious. Palmer is soposed to be a wringer when he turns ten.

Palmer doesn't want to be a wringer. Wringer was a really good book. When he turns a certain age he has to wring a pigeon. If you want to know what a wringer is then read this book. If you are looking for a mysterious and sad story, then this is the book for you! Do you ever worry about something every day? If you do I think you could relate to Palmer. I gave this book 5 stars because it was a really good story and I could relate to the characters.

I spent hours late at night reading this great novel by Jerry Spinelli. I have read many books in my 12 years. This book is about Palmer LaRue. Palmer does not want to be a wringer, he does not want to kill pigeons like the whole town does. When Palmer gets a visitor at his window Palmer starts to live two different lifes.

This book is very inspiring it has inspired me to be a writer.

I give this book five stars.

Wringer is so cool. Palmer LaRue is the main character. This book takes place in a town with people who kill "wring" pigeons. Palmer has a problem because he doesn't want to be a wringer,especially after he gets his own pigeon.
I recommend this book to any one who likes realistic fiction. This book is for any one from ages 8-75. Jerry Spinelli uses great characters and scenes. Wringer won the Newberry Award. I really enjoyed it!

This book by Jerry Spinelli is a wonderful book about a boy named Palmer LaRue. Palmer goes thought numerous amounts of problems in this book. He must decide whether or not he will be a wringer or not. Every boy on their tenth birthday becomes a wringer but Palmer hates the thought of being a wringer. He does not think that pigeons should be shot and wringed. After his ninth birthday Beans, Motto, and Henry finally accept him as one of the guys. The guys are about the same age as Palmer but they can't wait to be ten the cant wait to be wringers. That puts Palmer in a bad situation. To make maters worse the winter before his tenth birthday a pigeon shows up at his window. That starts the pressure. He keeps the pigeon as a pet even gives him a name. He can't stand the pressure he feels he has to tell someone but who can he tell? Who can he trust? What will Palmer do? I liked this book it shows a bond that a kid can share with an animal not only just a cat or a dog but a bird. It also teaches a lesson to do what you think is right and to choose friends wisely. Children may even be able to relate this book to personal experiences. Over all this book is a great book for any child to read alone or in a group.