The Wednesdays

fun. Really fun. I almost quit halfway through and I'm so glad I didn't! I think I was just grumpy yesterday. longer review soon. ( )

Ever had a case of the Monday's? Well, Julie Bourbeau explores that theme with a slight twist. In The Wednesdays, Max's village is stuck with a huge case of the Wednesdays - on Wednesday of course! Anything and everything goes wrong one day of the week... so in order to avoid those things happening the entire town shuts down and everyone hides. After all, you don't want to let a Wednesday into your house!

So what happens when Max peeks out of the window and lets a Wednesday in? Well.. that's the story, isn't it?

I was completely delighted by this middle-grade adventure. It had mystery, fantastic secondary characters, and riddles galore. I don't often pick up middle-grade level books, but when I do I make sure that they have something unique about them, and The Wednesdays did not disappoint on that level. It was charming, full of fun, and definitely something I'll be recommending to my nieces and nephews to read.

For you parents out there: this is a great book filled with a lot of action and adventure. I could not find anything to object to in the story for first graders on, but there is a bit of scary stuff toward the end of the book. I'd recommend a read-through first if that worries you. And even though the book seems long, I flew through it in just a few hours. Very easy to check out first. ( )

On Wednesdays strange things happen in Max's town. Cars refuse to start, bumpers fall off, anything bad that can happen will. Most townsfolk stay inside their homes on Wednesdays and hope that nothing bad happens. On his birthday, Max irritates his parents until they put him outside with the Wednesdays.

Overall, I thought the book was a bit silly. But I think it is a perfect chapter book for younger children. It contains humor and a sense of danger that I think will excite and enthrall children. Overall, I thought it was well written and the characters were interesting and dynamic. ( )

Bourbeau presents a new story that intrigues from the beginning. Bad things happen in this little town--but why only on Wednesdays? Well, she never quite says why, other than because of the wednesdays. These creatures, at the same time frightening and funny, are sketched perfectly, with a simple yet dangerous design, though the pictures are disappointingly scant after the first couple chapters. The race against time as Max starts to become one of these creatures is surprisingly scary, sometimes walking the edge of too frightening for its audience. However, there are several instances of deux-ex-machina that would seem to bely the frightfulness, as the reader is almost disappointingly assured that Max and his friends will find a way out of each minor scrape. ( )

The Wednesdays
by Julie Bourbeau
Random House/Alfred A. Knopf
August 14,2012
received by NetGalley for review

Fun, spooky book. Something lurks halfway up the mountain...but only on Wednesdays. The people of the small village stay inside and board up their houses. Everything closed for 24 hours. Imagine living in a town that closes an entire day. The only people outside are the foolish tourists who don't know any better.

Max V. Bernard can't stand to stay inside on Wednesday. Unbeknownst to him, his curiosity will get the better of him. He goes outside on a Wednesday to try and discover what all the fuss is about. He meets the small gargoyle like creatures that terrorize the town on Wednesdays. The small creatures wreak havoc on anything, light bulbs blow out, tires are flattened, rose bushes are destroyed, sprinkler systems go off at all hours, well, you get the idea. Max interacts with these strange creatures and...well, no spoilers allowed here.

This is a wonderfully unique and delightfully spooky book. Great for Halloween time reading. This book is great for middle grade students. They will love the strange creatures of Wednesday. The will thrill at the rabble rousing the creatures do throughout the town. There is nothing too terribly frightening about the book. The illustrations are well done and cute. The book itself is downright fun. Max and his friends are great characters. The parapsychologist adds a bit of humor, especially when he and his profession are attacked by Max's cynical and sarcastic mother.

The Wednesdays' themselves are both nasty and comical at the same time. I enjoyed reading this strange and unique book. I think children will love this book. ( )