Palmer is dreading his tenth birthday. In his community, ten-year-old boys become wringers in the annual pigeon shoot and must twist the necks of the pigeons who are shot but haven't died. Palmer knew from a very young age that he didn't want to be a wringer, but he's afraid to tell anyone. Among his friends, becoming a wringer is an important rite of passage; as serious as submitting to the brutal birthday punches of the legendary wringer Farquar, or bestowing Palmer with his nickname, Snots. And his parents have never seemed to question that Palmer would be a wringer like his father was before him. In this atmosphere of expectation, there is no one Palmer can turn to without facing ridicule, or worse. Already haunted by dreams-- nightmares--of being a wringer, Palmer's stress is heightened when he befriends a pigeon outside his bedroom window and then must keep this secret, too, from his family and friends, along with concern for the pigeon's safety. In a challenging, powerful novel that documents the tense year between Palmer's ninth and tenth birthdays, Jerry Spinelli looks at the cruel and chilling way that children often treat each other, and the fear and anxiety that can isolate them from the caring adults in their lives as a young boy struggles to find enough courage to take a stand on his own behalf. (Ages 10-14)

A Newbery Honor Book and ALA Notable Children’s Book from the New York Times–bestselling author of Stargirl and Maniac Magee.

In Palmer LaRue’s hometown of Waymer, turning ten is the biggest event of a boy’s life. But for Palmer, his tenth birthday is not something to look forward to, but something to dread. Then one day, a visitor appears on his windowsill, and Palmer knows that this, more than anything else, is a sign that his time is up. Somehow, he must learn how to stop being afraid and stand up for what he believes in.

Wringer is a powerful tour de force from Newbery Medal winner Jerry Spinelli.

“Deeply felt. Presents a moral question with great care and sensitivity.” —The New York Times

“A spellbinding story about rites of passage.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A realistic story with the intensity of a fable.” —The Horn Book (starred review)

“Spinelli’s characters are memorable, and they are involved in a plot that, from the first page, is riveting. A wide audience will enjoy this thought-provoking book.” —School Library Journal (starred review)

“A story both comic and disturbing, this is lit by Palmer’s growing courage.” —Kirkus Reviews

“There is action and gentleness and also much to think about in Spinelli’s novel.” —Booklist (starred review)