What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wednesdays
Mystery, magic, mischief and monsters abound in this slightly fantastical story of a human kid who wants to stay that way. Perfect for fans of Ransom Riggs and Maryrose Wood.
Max’s village is absolutely normal in every single way and on every single day— except Wednesday. Most of the townsfolk shutter their windows and lock their doors to hide away from the many peculiar things that happen—things like cats getting stuck in the vacuum cleaner and birthday cakes meeting fiery and horrific ends. But Max is too curious for that, and so, breaking every rule in the village, he searches out the cause of all the Wednesday weirdness.
What he uncovers is a secret so devious—so dastardly and mischievous—that life as he knows it will never be the same. Max himself is not the same. Suddenly the mysterious little accidents so common on Wednesdays are happening to him on Thursdays, Fridays—even Saturdays! What’s come over Max? And more importantly, is there any cure for a case of the Wednesdays?
Max’s village is absolutely normal in every single way and on every single day— except Wednesday. Most of the townsfolk shutter their windows and lock their doors to hide away from the many peculiar things that happen—things like cats getting stuck in the vacuum cleaner and birthday cakes meeting fiery and horrific ends. But Max is too curious for that, and so, breaking every rule in the village, he searches out the cause of all the Wednesday weirdness.
What he uncovers is a secret so devious—so dastardly and mischievous—that life as he knows it will never be the same. Max himself is not the same. Suddenly the mysterious little accidents so common on Wednesdays are happening to him on Thursdays, Fridays—even Saturdays! What’s come over Max? And more importantly, is there any cure for a case of the Wednesdays?
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
16 people are currently reading
799 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
November 15, 2011
“Max shrugged and decided to follow. He was quite certain that this was all going to turn out to be either a very good idea or a very bad idea. He just wished that he could tell which one.”
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Nearly….? :-D
High Points.
Max. A case of the Wednesdays. Clock towers. Little bastards. Thursday. Blue dye. Baby Elvis. Bird poo. Parapsychologists. Piano Tuners. Drink fountains. Gemma Swift. Noah. Tree houses. The setting.
Low Points.
In my head I had some kind of crazy hybrid of Gremlins, Yoda and I wanted more of everything because I'm greedy. More Max. More Noah. More Thursday. More story. But most of all more Wednesdays!Minions. YES.
Also, I just checked the prices for flights from Manchester to Mt. Tibidabo and it’s so expensive.
Even Ryan Air aren’t willing to cut me a deal.
*pouts*
Hero.
Oh Maxwell Valentino Bernard, which is possibly the best name ever. But it’s funny because if someone in a YA book I would be so angry.
But middle grade books can get away with it… because they are brilliant.
Anyway, back to Max.
Oh poor Max. He makes me look lucky and I’m the girl who once broke her toe when a packet of frozen mince fell out of the freezer onto it (I wish I was kidding).
What I love most about mg books is that sense of adventure that our heroes have. When everyone in his town is cowering in their house on Wednesday, Max is all like “Whatever” and runs around, laughing, making friends and turning blue.
Yes, that’s right. HE TURNS BLUE.
Max is hilarious, and never whinges. Did I mention he turns blue? And has to wash his hair with oil? You see that’s the difference between Max and I… I would be sulking like no one’s business if that happened but for Max, it’s all part of the adventure!
And I want to be best friends with him.
I’ll just have to work hard on not making him cross.
Because I know what he’s capable of and I want my clothes to stay dry.
It’s getting cold out.
Parapsychologists.
Well, I wish this was a regular topic on this blog.
There are three things I feel MG/YA books need more of: Mummies, dinosaurs and parapsychologists.
(Can you imagine the book with all three of them in? Oh man, I’m going to write that book.)
Anyway, Dr Conkle-Smoak (Telepathy, hypnotism, apparitions, and haunts… also piano tuning, but that’s just a hobby) is brought in to help out when Max gets a case of the Wednesdays.
LOL.
Theme Tune.
Monsters by The Boy Least Likely To.
Scaredy Cat Level.
I think you’ll be OK with this one.
But it does get a bit hairy towards the end.
Meep.
Recommended For.
People who don’t likeMondays Wednesday. People who will always be polite to people, whether they are monsters or not. People who like to get up to mischief. People who wonder why babies stare at them in an odd manner. People who have ever wondered how powerful their mind actually is. People who always wonder why the Town Hall clock is ever so slightly slow :-|
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publishers.
You can read this review and lots of other exciting thing on my blog here.
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Nearly….? :-D
High Points.
Max. A case of the Wednesdays. Clock towers. Little bastards. Thursday. Blue dye. Baby Elvis. Bird poo. Parapsychologists. Piano Tuners. Drink fountains. Gemma Swift. Noah. Tree houses. The setting.
Low Points.
In my head I had some kind of crazy hybrid of Gremlins, Yoda and I wanted more of everything because I'm greedy. More Max. More Noah. More Thursday. More story. But most of all more Wednesdays!Minions. YES.
Also, I just checked the prices for flights from Manchester to Mt. Tibidabo and it’s so expensive.
Even Ryan Air aren’t willing to cut me a deal.
*pouts*
Hero.
Oh Maxwell Valentino Bernard, which is possibly the best name ever. But it’s funny because if someone in a YA book I would be so angry.
But middle grade books can get away with it… because they are brilliant.
Anyway, back to Max.
Oh poor Max. He makes me look lucky and I’m the girl who once broke her toe when a packet of frozen mince fell out of the freezer onto it (I wish I was kidding).
What I love most about mg books is that sense of adventure that our heroes have. When everyone in his town is cowering in their house on Wednesday, Max is all like “Whatever” and runs around, laughing, making friends and turning blue.
Yes, that’s right. HE TURNS BLUE.
Max is hilarious, and never whinges. Did I mention he turns blue? And has to wash his hair with oil? You see that’s the difference between Max and I… I would be sulking like no one’s business if that happened but for Max, it’s all part of the adventure!
And I want to be best friends with him.
I’ll just have to work hard on not making him cross.
Because I know what he’s capable of and I want my clothes to stay dry.
It’s getting cold out.
Parapsychologists.
Well, I wish this was a regular topic on this blog.
There are three things I feel MG/YA books need more of: Mummies, dinosaurs and parapsychologists.
(Can you imagine the book with all three of them in? Oh man, I’m going to write that book.)
Anyway, Dr Conkle-Smoak (Telepathy, hypnotism, apparitions, and haunts… also piano tuning, but that’s just a hobby) is brought in to help out when Max gets a case of the Wednesdays.
“Get to the point!” Max roared irritably.
“Fine,” sniffed Dr. Conkle-Smoak, who looked hurt by Max’s interruption. “To put it in the crass terminology that seems to be preferred by your appallingly inattentive generation: you need to shock the little bastards."
LOL.
Theme Tune.
Monsters by The Boy Least Likely To.
Scaredy Cat Level.
I think you’ll be OK with this one.
But it does get a bit hairy towards the end.
Meep.
Recommended For.
People who don’t like
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publishers.
You can read this review and lots of other exciting thing on my blog here.
March 1, 2013
Max is a clod. Even moreso than me, so of course, I loved him from the get-go. He turns blue after swimming, locks himself in a garbage can, dumps oil on his hair, and best yet... he sets his mom's hair on fire. As the queen of kitchen fires I particularly like stumbling across a character with disasters of monstrous proportions. It reminds me of the kids who love Junie B. Jones - she's so dumb it makes them feel smart. Max is so accident prone it makes me feel graceful. Except Max is really being plagued by a Gremlin-like creature called, "The Wednesdays." Creatures that transform children into monsters who play mean tricks on humans. When the Wednesdays claim Max as their next victim, he puts forth a plan to stop their caper.
This fun read has a dark side that appeals to those who want a little scare, balanced with humor. The parapsychologist is a silly buffoon at first who actually helps Max resolve his situation at the end. He's great fun. Other characters are engaging and well-done with Max changing from a care-free mischievous boy to one who fights for his freedom. He also tries to understand the Wednesdays and even makes a connection with some so that they help him in his quest. The villain is one-dimensional and I found many of my questions unanswered as to why he was scarred and less human than the other Wednesdays.
The setting of Mount Tibidabo didn't come alive for me, but because the characters did, I didn't find myself distracted from the story. It just felt somewhat incomplete. I love the unique beauty of Barcelona's landscape and architecture, especially with cathedrals. I wanted to hear the squawking, obnoxious green parrots in Max's town, the church bells scattering pigeons as they rang, and see the beautiful fuschia bougainvilleas hanging like carpets down the sides of iron fences. These are my memories of Barcelona and I sort of wished the author had just made up any 'ole name for the town rather than use Tibidabo - then my brain would have stopped expecting more in the setting descriptions. I'm sure most readers won't notice this.
The plot has some interesting twists with Mr. Grimsrud and the little brother that kept me turning the pages. I did wonder at the end how the Wednesdays transformed and where the power source came from that caused their transformation. This debut novel leaves some loose ends that are not explained at the end. Perhaps a sequel is in order and that is why the explanation doesn't occur. Either way, this is a fun fantasy read. Enjoy!
This fun read has a dark side that appeals to those who want a little scare, balanced with humor. The parapsychologist is a silly buffoon at first who actually helps Max resolve his situation at the end. He's great fun. Other characters are engaging and well-done with Max changing from a care-free mischievous boy to one who fights for his freedom. He also tries to understand the Wednesdays and even makes a connection with some so that they help him in his quest. The villain is one-dimensional and I found many of my questions unanswered as to why he was scarred and less human than the other Wednesdays.
The setting of Mount Tibidabo didn't come alive for me, but because the characters did, I didn't find myself distracted from the story. It just felt somewhat incomplete. I love the unique beauty of Barcelona's landscape and architecture, especially with cathedrals. I wanted to hear the squawking, obnoxious green parrots in Max's town, the church bells scattering pigeons as they rang, and see the beautiful fuschia bougainvilleas hanging like carpets down the sides of iron fences. These are my memories of Barcelona and I sort of wished the author had just made up any 'ole name for the town rather than use Tibidabo - then my brain would have stopped expecting more in the setting descriptions. I'm sure most readers won't notice this.
The plot has some interesting twists with Mr. Grimsrud and the little brother that kept me turning the pages. I did wonder at the end how the Wednesdays transformed and where the power source came from that caused their transformation. This debut novel leaves some loose ends that are not explained at the end. Perhaps a sequel is in order and that is why the explanation doesn't occur. Either way, this is a fun fantasy read. Enjoy!
March 12, 2012
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.
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.
July 23, 2014
One Sentence Review: As I recall I enjoyed this book quite a bit when I was reading it, but now that time has passed I can't remember single solitary detail (which is probably a bad sign right there).
May 27, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, it definitely drug on a bit and was pretty predictable but for a younger audience I can see why it’s loved. I am glad I read this though and I would definitely recommend, especially since it’s such a short read.
October 30, 2011
The Wednesdays was disappointing. The premise sounded good, but unfortunately the characters just didn’t capture my attention. There were parts of the story where I really wanted to know what was coming next, but mostly I had to make myself keep reading. You never learn where the wednesdays come from, why Two is so mean, or where the girl wednesdays went. These were all plot points that were discussed, but never came up again.
I got the ARC from netgalley.
I got the ARC from netgalley.
June 4, 2012
Really fun, adorable read. Reminded me a lot of Ronald Dahl books with a quirky cast of easy to love characters. Full Review to come closer to review date.
Gina @ My Precious
Thecallawayfam.blogspot.com
Gina @ My Precious
Thecallawayfam.blogspot.com
September 18, 2017
Fun book. My 4th grade son loved it and still talks about it.
August 7, 2023
did they rly kill off the dog 😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2012
Author: Julie Bourbeau
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Release Date: August 14, 2012
Pages: 256
Source: Netgalley
Why I read it: Got an ARC from Netgalley and the premise sounded interesting.
What I thought: Max lives in a village that is pretty normal except on Wednesdays. One Wednesday, he discovers that there are creatures called the Wednesdays that cause mischief around the village. Soon he discovers that he has caught a "case of the wednesdays," and is turning into one of the Wednesdays. The plot centers around Max trying to understand the Wednesdays and how to stop his transformation.
I was pulled in because the premise of the book sounded interesting, and I liked the illustration on the cover. Who doesn't love quirky little towns? But when I found out that the "wednesdays" were actually monsters, I felt a little disappointed. I probably should have seen this coming, as the description alludes to it and the cover does as well. I guess it's a case of nothing is scarier. The plot was a little predictable and simplistic to me, and I was able to accurately guess plot developments. As for the characters, I liked Max. He was complex and showed bravery and apprehension at the same time. I did like the supporting characters as well; his parents being afraid of him, but at the same time caring about his well being; his relationship with his baby brother; his friends Noah and Gemma, who help him carry out his final plan; Mr. Grimsrud and Thursday helping at the very end; and finally, the mystical doctor that was both intelligent and bumbling.
While I did like the characters, I felt like the world wasn't explained enough. Who are the Wednesdays, why did they become Wednesdays, why are the older ones so evil? Why do they cause mischief? Why did they choose Max? What happened to One? I get that they are supposed to be somewhat mysterious, but I wanted to know a little more about the village and the Wednesdays.
Maybe it's just me, but I read the book as a metaphor for puberty. Max's body and feelings are changing, and it's a completely negative experience. He's frustrated by his family and people at school and imagines bad things happening to them. Because he has caught a case of the "wednesdays," bad things do happen. This reminded me of how teenagers have been accused of causing poltergeist activity. His body is also changing and his clothes no longer fit. He wants to go back to the way things are before, and he has to struggle against this transformation that is happening to him. Maybe this was an odd reading of the book, but that's instantly what I thought when he started outgrowing his clothes. Surely I'm not the only one that felt this way!
I would rate this 3ish stars. I didn't hate it, but I didn't fall in love with the book either.
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Release Date: August 14, 2012
Pages: 256
Source: Netgalley
Why I read it: Got an ARC from Netgalley and the premise sounded interesting.
What I thought: Max lives in a village that is pretty normal except on Wednesdays. One Wednesday, he discovers that there are creatures called the Wednesdays that cause mischief around the village. Soon he discovers that he has caught a "case of the wednesdays," and is turning into one of the Wednesdays. The plot centers around Max trying to understand the Wednesdays and how to stop his transformation.
I was pulled in because the premise of the book sounded interesting, and I liked the illustration on the cover. Who doesn't love quirky little towns? But when I found out that the "wednesdays" were actually monsters, I felt a little disappointed. I probably should have seen this coming, as the description alludes to it and the cover does as well. I guess it's a case of nothing is scarier. The plot was a little predictable and simplistic to me, and I was able to accurately guess plot developments. As for the characters, I liked Max. He was complex and showed bravery and apprehension at the same time. I did like the supporting characters as well; his parents being afraid of him, but at the same time caring about his well being; his relationship with his baby brother; his friends Noah and Gemma, who help him carry out his final plan; Mr. Grimsrud and Thursday helping at the very end; and finally, the mystical doctor that was both intelligent and bumbling.
While I did like the characters, I felt like the world wasn't explained enough. Who are the Wednesdays, why did they become Wednesdays, why are the older ones so evil? Why do they cause mischief? Why did they choose Max? What happened to One? I get that they are supposed to be somewhat mysterious, but I wanted to know a little more about the village and the Wednesdays.
Maybe it's just me, but I read the book as a metaphor for puberty. Max's body and feelings are changing, and it's a completely negative experience. He's frustrated by his family and people at school and imagines bad things happening to them. Because he has caught a case of the "wednesdays," bad things do happen. This reminded me of how teenagers have been accused of causing poltergeist activity. His body is also changing and his clothes no longer fit. He wants to go back to the way things are before, and he has to struggle against this transformation that is happening to him. Maybe this was an odd reading of the book, but that's instantly what I thought when he started outgrowing his clothes. Surely I'm not the only one that felt this way!
I would rate this 3ish stars. I didn't hate it, but I didn't fall in love with the book either.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2012
Max lives in a perfectly normal town, except for the fact that on Wednesdays, nothing is normal. People have to endure such a bad luck on Wednesdays, that they lock up the shops, shutter their windows and stay at home on that day of the week, hoping the Wednesday will pass without any catastrophes like the TV breaking, shampoo suddenly turning to motor grease or cakes being ruined.
But one Wednesday, Max’s birthday even, he ignores the unwritten rule and goes out, determined to hunt down the Wednesday and find out why the town is suffering so badly. So he actually manages to find the Wednesday, a peculiar creature with long arms and legs and a bulky head. Soon Max realises that there is not just ONE Wednesday in town, but lots of them. After meeting them, Max finds himself attracting bad luck not only on Wednesdays but other days as well, plus there are some other disturbing changes going on with him.
The story is written in a light and funny way, I enjoyed little phases like “to catch a very bad case of the Wednesdays” or the fact that some dog is called “Thursday”, “because he always goes after Wednesdays, of course.”
To me it seemed like an ideal book to read to children, even if they are able to read themselves. The language is very vivid and you feel like you can “hear” the people talk. It surely is equally great for children to read it themselves as well though. It is recommended for readers aged 8 and up, but the story can be enjoyed at any age. It is told in a charming and sparkling way. I enjoyed the main character, Max, but also the minor parts like the Doctor, Max’s parents and his friend Noah are nicely described, very alive and easy to imagine. There are a lot of quirky moments, but no violence or really bad “Wednesday accidents”.
I have to say I didn’t like the style of the drawings (by Jason Beene) in the book too much, without being able to explain why. They just didn’t appeal to me personally at all. Maybe too close to “Disney style” without getting there? They are well done, just not my style.
I looked up Mount Tibidabo, where the novel is set and found out (shame on me for not knowing) that it is the signature mountain of Barcelona, from which you have an amazing view over the city and there really is an amusement park on top of the mountain with a Ferris wheel.
The author is actually a former CIA officer and this is her first novel.
It’s a wonderful book for children and also enjoyable for adults.
I obtained a digital copy of this book via NetGalley.
But one Wednesday, Max’s birthday even, he ignores the unwritten rule and goes out, determined to hunt down the Wednesday and find out why the town is suffering so badly. So he actually manages to find the Wednesday, a peculiar creature with long arms and legs and a bulky head. Soon Max realises that there is not just ONE Wednesday in town, but lots of them. After meeting them, Max finds himself attracting bad luck not only on Wednesdays but other days as well, plus there are some other disturbing changes going on with him.
The story is written in a light and funny way, I enjoyed little phases like “to catch a very bad case of the Wednesdays” or the fact that some dog is called “Thursday”, “because he always goes after Wednesdays, of course.”
To me it seemed like an ideal book to read to children, even if they are able to read themselves. The language is very vivid and you feel like you can “hear” the people talk. It surely is equally great for children to read it themselves as well though. It is recommended for readers aged 8 and up, but the story can be enjoyed at any age. It is told in a charming and sparkling way. I enjoyed the main character, Max, but also the minor parts like the Doctor, Max’s parents and his friend Noah are nicely described, very alive and easy to imagine. There are a lot of quirky moments, but no violence or really bad “Wednesday accidents”.
I have to say I didn’t like the style of the drawings (by Jason Beene) in the book too much, without being able to explain why. They just didn’t appeal to me personally at all. Maybe too close to “Disney style” without getting there? They are well done, just not my style.
I looked up Mount Tibidabo, where the novel is set and found out (shame on me for not knowing) that it is the signature mountain of Barcelona, from which you have an amazing view over the city and there really is an amusement park on top of the mountain with a Ferris wheel.
The author is actually a former CIA officer and this is her first novel.
It’s a wonderful book for children and also enjoyable for adults.
I obtained a digital copy of this book via NetGalley.
August 12, 2012
THIS REVIEW ON B'S BOOK BLOG!
A wednesday's job is never done as long as Wednesdays are. We heed the clock when it tolls twelve and come from near and far. We're never late -- we cannot be for then we'd miss the door. Neither do we dare to leave till Wednesday is no more.
So start one of the wednesdays' song.
This review will be short and simple because it's been 10 days since I finished this book and I already forgot some of plots of the story. I'll just say that I enjoyed this book. Normally I don't really enjoy middle-grade books because I find them too light for my liking. However, The Wednesdays has enough dark stuff in it. It's kind of paranormal, though I'm not sure if we can really call it that.
As the title suggests, this book goes around the wednesdays. We're talking about both Wednesdays as in the day after Tuesday, and wednesdays as in little paranormal creatures that come out on Wednesday to wreak havoc in Max's village. According to Max, they look like this:
That's the wednesdays for you.
I really like the idea of them coming out to cause trouble for everyone. It's fun to read, honestly. The elements and plot come together nicely to form an impressive ending. I wouldn't have thought the Wednesday songs could be that important, but Max figures it out, which is awesome. It's a little sad near the end, and I found it very moving.
All in all, great plots, nice illustrations (which really helped me picture the wednesdays more clearly), beautiful writing. A very enjoyable read.
Wednesdays come and wednesdays go but we know something you don't know.
I received the ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for review.
A wednesday's job is never done as long as Wednesdays are. We heed the clock when it tolls twelve and come from near and far. We're never late -- we cannot be for then we'd miss the door. Neither do we dare to leave till Wednesday is no more.
So start one of the wednesdays' song.
This review will be short and simple because it's been 10 days since I finished this book and I already forgot some of plots of the story. I'll just say that I enjoyed this book. Normally I don't really enjoy middle-grade books because I find them too light for my liking. However, The Wednesdays has enough dark stuff in it. It's kind of paranormal, though I'm not sure if we can really call it that.
As the title suggests, this book goes around the wednesdays. We're talking about both Wednesdays as in the day after Tuesday, and wednesdays as in little paranormal creatures that come out on Wednesday to wreak havoc in Max's village. According to Max, they look like this:
Besides the silver eyes, the wednesday appeared more or less boy-like, in a crooked, simultaneously squished-down, stretched-out sort of way. It looked like a proper boy whose arms had been pulled like taffy, while the rest of his body had been scrunched down into a tubby egg shape with springy, squat legs. [...] The creature's head was mostly head-shaped and -sized, except for the fact that it seemed vaguely square and didn't seem to have the benefit of much of a neck to sit upon. Overall, the thing gave the impression of being rather putty-like.
That's the wednesdays for you.
I really like the idea of them coming out to cause trouble for everyone. It's fun to read, honestly. The elements and plot come together nicely to form an impressive ending. I wouldn't have thought the Wednesday songs could be that important, but Max figures it out, which is awesome. It's a little sad near the end, and I found it very moving.
All in all, great plots, nice illustrations (which really helped me picture the wednesdays more clearly), beautiful writing. A very enjoyable read.
Wednesdays come and wednesdays go but we know something you don't know.
I received the ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for review.
June 4, 2012
Max lives in a village that is completely average in just about every way - except on Wednesdays. Everyone closes up their homes and they refuse to come outside again until it's Thursday, which means it's safe. Bad things, strange, unexplainable things happen on Wednesdays - Max's brother getting his hair soaked in black shoe polish, the TV getting broken, Max's birthday cake meeting a fiery end. But none of this can stop Max's curiosity, which leads him outside on a Wednesday, perilous though it might be. This time curiosity catches up in a bad way, when Max gets a bad case of the Wednesdays that lasts throughout the week. After an encounter with the actual, gargoyle-like creatures who cause the mischief Max begins to change physically. Max tries to get the Wednesdays to tell him what's happening, but Two is in charge and he has plans for Max, really nasty plans...His parents send him to parapsychologist Dr. Conkle-Smoak, desperately trying to cure him before he becomes one of the Wednesdays forever. Can Max and his friends Noah and Gemma figure out a way to block the Wednesdays from their town forever or is Max doomed to become one of them? This book was an interesting mix of Roald Dahl-esque humor, quirky illustrations and a hero with some oddness and major heart. I did enjoy the idea of an entire town closing up for the day because of gremlin-like mischief makers. The Wednesdays themselves were interesting, all them once human and now varying degrees of horrible. They all had numbers instead of names, which was little sad to me but very in keeping with the children's book M.O. Dr. Conkle-Smoak was absolutely useless and completely hilarious so of course he was one of my favorite characters. I liked the smooth progression of the plot and the resolution, which ended up being fairly creepy for a middle-grade fantasy book. Overall it was a very amusing book with interesting, well written characters and a fresh story in a world where that is hard to come by. My only complaint would really be the illustrations - they just didn't quite match what was in my head.
VERDICT: 4/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is August 14th, 2012.*
VERDICT: 4/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is August 14th, 2012.*
August 31, 2012
The Wednesdays, written by Julie Bourbeau and illustrated by Jason Beene, is a children's book scheduled for release on August 14 2012. Max is your average kid, in a not so average town. In Max's town Wednesdays are a day of mishaps and accidents, so the entire town shuts themselves away indoors every single Wednesday. Max gets bored on these days and would rather risk getting a case of the Wednesdays than stay cooped up inside. In his search for the Wednesdays, Max discovers some of the secrets behind the day and looks for a way to keep anyone from getting hurt, and himself from becoming trapped in Wednesday forever. Can Max stop the changes that seem to be affecting him, and can he stop the Wednesdays from getting out of control?
The Wednesdays is a fun and well told story. Max is a normal boy, that wants to stay that way. He loves the adventure and weirdness that he uncovers, but not the danger it brings to those around him. While, like every kid, there are days that he does not like his family, he obviously loves them. He is a character that most children can relate to and understand through out the story. His family, the town residents, and his friends are all interesting and quirky as well as believable (except perhaps the wacky specialist brought in to help Max). The build up of tension and conclusion are perfectly staged, without being predictable or too cut and dry. Slap stick humor and awkward moments for Max and his companions keep the story moving in a fun way. The adventure and mystery of the story is interesting, and might ring true enough to have readers looking for Wednesdays hiding in their own lives. I might be looking around the corner for some myself.
I recommend The Wednesdays to readers between 7 and 13, although many teens and adults might enjoy the story as well. The story is engaging and really captures the imagination. I continued thinking about Max and his town for quite awhile after I finished the story. This would be on the list of books I would offer to reluctant readers, and their parents, as an option that might spark interest.
The Wednesdays is a fun and well told story. Max is a normal boy, that wants to stay that way. He loves the adventure and weirdness that he uncovers, but not the danger it brings to those around him. While, like every kid, there are days that he does not like his family, he obviously loves them. He is a character that most children can relate to and understand through out the story. His family, the town residents, and his friends are all interesting and quirky as well as believable (except perhaps the wacky specialist brought in to help Max). The build up of tension and conclusion are perfectly staged, without being predictable or too cut and dry. Slap stick humor and awkward moments for Max and his companions keep the story moving in a fun way. The adventure and mystery of the story is interesting, and might ring true enough to have readers looking for Wednesdays hiding in their own lives. I might be looking around the corner for some myself.
I recommend The Wednesdays to readers between 7 and 13, although many teens and adults might enjoy the story as well. The story is engaging and really captures the imagination. I continued thinking about Max and his town for quite awhile after I finished the story. This would be on the list of books I would offer to reluctant readers, and their parents, as an option that might spark interest.
November 6, 2011
I wasn’t expecting more than a mildly entertaining, cute novel as I opened The Wednesdays. However, Julie Bourbeau’s debut novel is a witty, wicked and wonderful read.
Max is a curious, adventurous ten year-old that lives in a village on Mt. Tibidabo. It is an adorable, quaint town…except on Wednesdays. This is the day everyone locks their doors and windows, hiding out from what townsfolk call, ‘the Wednesdays” – bizarre creatures with silver eyes whose only goals seems to be as mischievous and naughty as they can for 24 hours.
So on Wednesday everyone hides - everyone, that is, except for Max, who is constantly peeking out the windows to see if he can catch a glimpse of these creatures. One stormy Wednesday afternoon, Max opens the window and “lets the Wednesdays in”. Furious, (and a little frustrated dealing with Max’s colicky baby brother) his parents send him outside. Not daunted in the least, Max heads out for some Wednesday fun, and meets the little critters. At first, he thinks they are just harmless, but soon he realizes he is becoming a Wednesday himself.
I heartily recommend you and your children read this book. Max is cute, and reminds me of my son – not mean, but with tons of curiosity, which often gets him in a heap of trouble. Even children who aren’t fond of reading (like my son – who would rather be exploring than reading) will find themselves engrossed in the book. The book does have a darker side than most middle reader fiction. However, there is plenty of humor to lighten up the darker side of the book. It is also a great book for opening discussion on a variety of topics. There is a little bit of profanitiy in the book – the word “Bastard” is used once. For me, this was a shock to have it included.
Overall, I give this book five stars, but five stars with caution. Consider the profanity and the darker side when purchasing the book for younger children, or those that scare easily.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Max is a curious, adventurous ten year-old that lives in a village on Mt. Tibidabo. It is an adorable, quaint town…except on Wednesdays. This is the day everyone locks their doors and windows, hiding out from what townsfolk call, ‘the Wednesdays” – bizarre creatures with silver eyes whose only goals seems to be as mischievous and naughty as they can for 24 hours.
So on Wednesday everyone hides - everyone, that is, except for Max, who is constantly peeking out the windows to see if he can catch a glimpse of these creatures. One stormy Wednesday afternoon, Max opens the window and “lets the Wednesdays in”. Furious, (and a little frustrated dealing with Max’s colicky baby brother) his parents send him outside. Not daunted in the least, Max heads out for some Wednesday fun, and meets the little critters. At first, he thinks they are just harmless, but soon he realizes he is becoming a Wednesday himself.
I heartily recommend you and your children read this book. Max is cute, and reminds me of my son – not mean, but with tons of curiosity, which often gets him in a heap of trouble. Even children who aren’t fond of reading (like my son – who would rather be exploring than reading) will find themselves engrossed in the book. The book does have a darker side than most middle reader fiction. However, there is plenty of humor to lighten up the darker side of the book. It is also a great book for opening discussion on a variety of topics. There is a little bit of profanitiy in the book – the word “Bastard” is used once. For me, this was a shock to have it included.
Overall, I give this book five stars, but five stars with caution. Consider the profanity and the darker side when purchasing the book for younger children, or those that scare easily.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
August 24, 2014
The Wednesdays is a charming middle grade novel about a village afflicted by a supernatural phenomenon they call The Wednesdays on account of it occurring every Wednesday. Max, the protagonist of the piece, is fascinated by these Wednesdays and is determined to find one of them so he can see for himself who they are and what they look like. Trouble abounds when he not only meets these Wednesdays but finds himself turning into one.
The novel is innovative and very original in its mythology. It focuses mostly on themes of friendship and superstitions – advocating that an individual has the ability to shape their own fate. The adult characters are mostly caricatures and it is obvious that the novel is meant to entertain. Children will relate to Max’s feelings of alienation from his family and there are particularly poignant moments when Max has to interact with his family with a wall between them because no one wants to catch his bad luck. Max as a character is reminiscent of Maurice Sendak’s Max from Where the Wild Things Are and I wonder if Bourbeau intended the name as homage to the famous Sendak character. I liked Max’s best friend a lot and I thought their easy camaraderie was telling of the friendships children have in their early years – rather uncomplicated and somehow the purer for it.
The novel does not fully explain the supernatural incident and leaves quite a few questions unanswered like “how were the Wednesdays created? Do they grow older? What happens when they grow too old to be Wednesdays?” Perhaps there is a sequel in the works that will answer these questions. I must also mention the wonderful illustrations by Jason Beene. I thought he covered Max’s gradual transformation quite splendidly. The illustrations made the reading process a lot richer and fun. I am definitely looking forward to reading more works by both the author and the illustrator.
The novel is innovative and very original in its mythology. It focuses mostly on themes of friendship and superstitions – advocating that an individual has the ability to shape their own fate. The adult characters are mostly caricatures and it is obvious that the novel is meant to entertain. Children will relate to Max’s feelings of alienation from his family and there are particularly poignant moments when Max has to interact with his family with a wall between them because no one wants to catch his bad luck. Max as a character is reminiscent of Maurice Sendak’s Max from Where the Wild Things Are and I wonder if Bourbeau intended the name as homage to the famous Sendak character. I liked Max’s best friend a lot and I thought their easy camaraderie was telling of the friendships children have in their early years – rather uncomplicated and somehow the purer for it.
The novel does not fully explain the supernatural incident and leaves quite a few questions unanswered like “how were the Wednesdays created? Do they grow older? What happens when they grow too old to be Wednesdays?” Perhaps there is a sequel in the works that will answer these questions. I must also mention the wonderful illustrations by Jason Beene. I thought he covered Max’s gradual transformation quite splendidly. The illustrations made the reading process a lot richer and fun. I am definitely looking forward to reading more works by both the author and the illustrator.
August 5, 2012
3.5/5
I'm not entirely sure why I requested this book to read other than that I've enjoyed a lot of middle-grade stories lately so I'm always on the lookout for more to love.
The book is set in a small village that seems perfectly normal except for the fact that it completely shuts down on Wednesdays and everyone stays indoors to avoid the awful and peculiar things that happen otherwise. One exception is Max who loves the freedom that comes from no one else being around. At least he loves it, until he runs into literal Wednesdays and discovers that he is turning into one, a fate he desperately wishes to avoid.
Honestly this book was just fine but it didn't have that extra something special that gets a book onto my favorites shelf. I think that was partly because of its focus on the male gender, which may make this a great book for young boys who like that sort of thing. However I tend to prefer a female main character so it didn't work for me. Although girls used to be Wednesdays but no more, that element isn't really discussed or delved into. That might have given this book an extra punch that would have made me more interested.
I thought the writing was fun with a good sense of humor and pretty good pacing. It did get a little scary and tense toward the end but then I'm kind of a wimp so that very much depends on your own fortitude. The illustrations were cool and something I appreciated; I love getting that extra peek into an author's conception of characters and scenes. There are also some great passages about family as Max wants to stay human and be with his.
Overall: A fun adventure, one perhaps better suited for its target audience than adults.
Cover: Love that the dog Thursday is on the cover as the only character who can fend off the Wednesdays.
I'm not entirely sure why I requested this book to read other than that I've enjoyed a lot of middle-grade stories lately so I'm always on the lookout for more to love.
The book is set in a small village that seems perfectly normal except for the fact that it completely shuts down on Wednesdays and everyone stays indoors to avoid the awful and peculiar things that happen otherwise. One exception is Max who loves the freedom that comes from no one else being around. At least he loves it, until he runs into literal Wednesdays and discovers that he is turning into one, a fate he desperately wishes to avoid.
Honestly this book was just fine but it didn't have that extra something special that gets a book onto my favorites shelf. I think that was partly because of its focus on the male gender, which may make this a great book for young boys who like that sort of thing. However I tend to prefer a female main character so it didn't work for me. Although girls used to be Wednesdays but no more, that element isn't really discussed or delved into. That might have given this book an extra punch that would have made me more interested.
I thought the writing was fun with a good sense of humor and pretty good pacing. It did get a little scary and tense toward the end but then I'm kind of a wimp so that very much depends on your own fortitude. The illustrations were cool and something I appreciated; I love getting that extra peek into an author's conception of characters and scenes. There are also some great passages about family as Max wants to stay human and be with his.
Overall: A fun adventure, one perhaps better suited for its target audience than adults.
Cover: Love that the dog Thursday is on the cover as the only character who can fend off the Wednesdays.
October 11, 2014
Max lives in a perfectly ordinary family in a perfectly ordinary village…that is, unless you happen to be there on a Wednesday. For reasons unknown, everything goes haywire on Wednesdays and anyone who goes outside runs the risk of having things go terribly wrong. To battle the bizarre bad luck, the whole village shuts down on the third day of the week, staying inside with the shutters closed tight.
While the rest of the village is content to hide from its fears, though, curious Max simply cannot stand to be confined. In an unprecedented move, he steals out of his house one Wednesday and spends the whole day in unrestrained, unlucky, and highly messy glory. His good fortune soon changes when he runs into the gang of gobliny creatures who are the cause of the town’s troubles every week. Worse still: their evil leader has chosen him to join their ranks. Now, even on non-Wednesdays, uncontrollable and bizarre things are happening to Max and the whole village is turning against him.
How can Max possibly hope to find a cure for his case of the Wednesdays? Will he be able to team up with friends to outsmart the devious creatures and stop himself from transforming into one of them?
The Wednesdays is a very funny, very mysterious tale with good action and intrigue. Older readers will root for Max as he fights for his freedom.
This review originally appeared on abookandahug.com
While the rest of the village is content to hide from its fears, though, curious Max simply cannot stand to be confined. In an unprecedented move, he steals out of his house one Wednesday and spends the whole day in unrestrained, unlucky, and highly messy glory. His good fortune soon changes when he runs into the gang of gobliny creatures who are the cause of the town’s troubles every week. Worse still: their evil leader has chosen him to join their ranks. Now, even on non-Wednesdays, uncontrollable and bizarre things are happening to Max and the whole village is turning against him.
How can Max possibly hope to find a cure for his case of the Wednesdays? Will he be able to team up with friends to outsmart the devious creatures and stop himself from transforming into one of them?
The Wednesdays is a very funny, very mysterious tale with good action and intrigue. Older readers will root for Max as he fights for his freedom.
This review originally appeared on abookandahug.com
August 10, 2012
Affacciatevi alla finestra. - O forse è meglio di no, oggi è mercoledì, e il mercoledì succedono strane cose.
Almeno nell'altrimenti tranquillo paesino in cui vivono Max e la sua famiglia, e che ogni mercoledì cade preda di una curiosa maledizione: se doveste attraversarlo in qualsiasi altro giorno della settimana lo trovereste palpitante di vita, e i cortesi abitanti renderebbero la vostra permanenza una cosa da ricordare; ma il mercoledì si aggirano i Mercoledì per le sue strade, e cose strane e misteriose (e particolarmente caratterizzate dalla cattiva sorte, altrimenti conosciuta come "sfiga") accadono agli imprudenti che non si barricano in casa.
Ma cosa sono esattamente i mercoledì? Da dove vengono? e, soprattutto: possono essere fermati?
Domande che diventano vitali per Max, dopo aver passato un intero mercoledì fuori, ed esserci inciampato contro.
Domande che dovranno trovare una risposta - e in fretta, se Max vorrà riprendere in mano la sua vita, e quella di tutto il paese.
Un romanzo divertente e ben costruito, che analizza con intelligenza anche i cambiamenti che la lotta per mantenere la propria identità causano in Max e negli amici che si aggiungono a lui lungo la strada. E che, con sottigliezza, dimostra come ci sia sempre la possibilità di scegliere il Bene, non importa chi - o cosa - tu sia.
Ringrazio l'editore per avermi fornito una copia al fine di scrivere questa recensione.
Almeno nell'altrimenti tranquillo paesino in cui vivono Max e la sua famiglia, e che ogni mercoledì cade preda di una curiosa maledizione: se doveste attraversarlo in qualsiasi altro giorno della settimana lo trovereste palpitante di vita, e i cortesi abitanti renderebbero la vostra permanenza una cosa da ricordare; ma il mercoledì si aggirano i Mercoledì per le sue strade, e cose strane e misteriose (e particolarmente caratterizzate dalla cattiva sorte, altrimenti conosciuta come "sfiga") accadono agli imprudenti che non si barricano in casa.
Ma cosa sono esattamente i mercoledì? Da dove vengono? e, soprattutto: possono essere fermati?
Domande che diventano vitali per Max, dopo aver passato un intero mercoledì fuori, ed esserci inciampato contro.
Domande che dovranno trovare una risposta - e in fretta, se Max vorrà riprendere in mano la sua vita, e quella di tutto il paese.
Un romanzo divertente e ben costruito, che analizza con intelligenza anche i cambiamenti che la lotta per mantenere la propria identità causano in Max e negli amici che si aggiungono a lui lungo la strada. E che, con sottigliezza, dimostra come ci sia sempre la possibilità di scegliere il Bene, non importa chi - o cosa - tu sia.
Ringrazio l'editore per avermi fornito una copia al fine di scrivere questa recensione.
April 9, 2013
Max's town is just like any other normal small town, where everyone knows each other and all the kids play together. The only exception is that every Wednesday, ALL stores/businesses/schools close and everyone makes a point to stay inside the house all day long, with their windows and doors shut tight. This is because strange things happen on Wednesdays if people step out of the house--such as their cars breaking down in the middle of the road, or people getting bird poop on their head while walking down the street.
On one Wednesday night, Max is so bored of staying cooped up inside all day long with only his parents and baby brother, that he makes a peephole out of a slit in the roof and decides to spy outside. In the process, he gets chosen by a Wednesday creature, who decides that Max will become the next Wednesday. Wednesdays are creatures who bring destruction and mayhem onto people every Wednesday, since that is their sole purpose in life. Slowly, Max turns into a Wednesday, with long, spindly arms and a squarish head. He finds out that he has less than a week to possibly stop himself from fully becoming a Wednesday, and with the help of his friends, does everything he can to stop the process.
This would be a great book for boy around ages 7-10. There's a lot of adventures/mystery involved as Max tries to figure out his transformation and where the Wednesdays actually come from.
On one Wednesday night, Max is so bored of staying cooped up inside all day long with only his parents and baby brother, that he makes a peephole out of a slit in the roof and decides to spy outside. In the process, he gets chosen by a Wednesday creature, who decides that Max will become the next Wednesday. Wednesdays are creatures who bring destruction and mayhem onto people every Wednesday, since that is their sole purpose in life. Slowly, Max turns into a Wednesday, with long, spindly arms and a squarish head. He finds out that he has less than a week to possibly stop himself from fully becoming a Wednesday, and with the help of his friends, does everything he can to stop the process.
This would be a great book for boy around ages 7-10. There's a lot of adventures/mystery involved as Max tries to figure out his transformation and where the Wednesdays actually come from.
March 10, 2020
A very unique and memorable book with colorful characters! I would definitely recommend it.
(It’s perfectly clean as well!)
(It’s perfectly clean as well!)
July 24, 2012
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.
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.
March 16, 2016
Max lives in a small village with one peculiar rule: nobody goes outside on Wednesdays. The villagers have long since figured out Wednesdays are prone to accidents and disasters, and everyone shuts themselves up for that one day a week in the hopes of warding them off. But Max is a curious child, and hates being trapped indoors for an entire day. When he goes exploring outside on a Wednesdays, he soon finds more than he expected . . .
This is actually more a horror story than a fantasy. A supernatural evil with its own peculiar set of rules terrorizes a small town, and an ordinary boy finds himself snared in the middle of it. If he can't figure out the mystery in time, the supernatural evil will claim him. Sounds like horror to me.
That said, the story has a unique take on such a well-trod path. In this case the evil is Wednesdays. (Ironically, since this happened to be next on my pile, I did read it on a Wednesday, which added to the amusement greatly.) Max is at first convinced it's all superstition, but he has a surprising amount of trouble when he is outdoors, so he continues to hunt for answers.
Overall this is a quick read that isn't too scary, and kids are likely to enjoy the variety of crazy accidents Max stumbles into. I rate this book Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
This is actually more a horror story than a fantasy. A supernatural evil with its own peculiar set of rules terrorizes a small town, and an ordinary boy finds himself snared in the middle of it. If he can't figure out the mystery in time, the supernatural evil will claim him. Sounds like horror to me.
That said, the story has a unique take on such a well-trod path. In this case the evil is Wednesdays. (Ironically, since this happened to be next on my pile, I did read it on a Wednesday, which added to the amusement greatly.) Max is at first convinced it's all superstition, but he has a surprising amount of trouble when he is outdoors, so he continues to hunt for answers.
Overall this is a quick read that isn't too scary, and kids are likely to enjoy the variety of crazy accidents Max stumbles into. I rate this book Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
June 12, 2013
The Wednesday was just an average book to me. I found it fun to read, but there weren't many surprising events. When I first read it I felt very weird because it was a Wednesday when I started reading it. The book is about a boy named “Max”. In my opinion Max was a really naughty boy that likes to get into trouble. Every Wednesday everyone in the neighborhood would hide in their home and never come out until 12:01 a.m. (which is officially Thursday). Their doors will be locked and windows will be covered so bad luck won’t travel inside. There will always be accidents happening on that day due to evil creatures called Wednesday. Max decided to go out on that day and ever since that day weird things have started to happen to people around him.
After I finish reading the book I found out the cover relates a lot to the book. The silver eyes would represent the Wednesdays. The dog would represent Mr. Grimsruds’ dog, Thursday. Although Max describes Thursday as an extremely ugly dog, I thought the dog on the cover was pretty cute. The Ferris Wheel will represent an event that happens in the book. The clock tower is an important part of the book.
After I finish reading the book I found out the cover relates a lot to the book. The silver eyes would represent the Wednesdays. The dog would represent Mr. Grimsruds’ dog, Thursday. Although Max describes Thursday as an extremely ugly dog, I thought the dog on the cover was pretty cute. The Ferris Wheel will represent an event that happens in the book. The clock tower is an important part of the book.
January 29, 2024
People in the village below Mount Tibidabo lock their doors and shutter their windows when they go to bed every Tuesday night. They hide in their homes every Wednesday for fear of the mischievous creatures who wreck havoc on their village. These malicious pranksters, whom they call “The Wednesdays,” overturn garbage cans, knock down fences, torment pets, and cause people to have mysterious accidents. Maxwell Bernard’s curiosity gets the best of him. On consecutive Wednesdays, he opens the door to let out the cat, opens the fireplace flue in an effort to rescue a trapped owl, and watches unsuspecting tourists through a secret peephole in the attic. When his frightened mother throws him out of the house, Max is ecstatic! Now he can find “The Wednesdays” and learn what they’re all about. What he thinks will be a fun frolic quickly turns into serious business. These creatures are governed by a diabolical leader. Soon, Max realizes that his arms are getting longer and his legs shorter. When “The Wednesday” call him “Next,” Max knows that he must find a way to stop them before he becomes one of them.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com
January 8, 2012
The Wednesday's
Here is what was fun about this book...
1. Bad...not evil bad but sort of prankish bad things happen in Max's town on one day of the week...Wednesday...no one seems to know why.
2. No one goes out of their houses on Wednesday's...the town...including school...is shut down.
3. Max goes outside on a Wednesday and suddenly bad things seem to happen whenever he is around...the cat gets vacuumed, motor oil is in his shampoo bottle, ink
on his mom's white robe...burnt birthday cake...and tons more!!!
4. Max meets the Wednesdays who have numbers not names...they are not too pretty to look at...bad teeth weird squarish heads...kind of smelly.
5. Max begins o believe that he I'll be the next Wednesday...they seem to have been mischievous little boys at one time!!!
6. There are no girl Wednesdays...lol...
7. Max has to figure out a way to make the Wednesday's go away.
A fun filled book that would make a fun read aloud for younger readers or a read alone for others.
Here is what was fun about this book...
1. Bad...not evil bad but sort of prankish bad things happen in Max's town on one day of the week...Wednesday...no one seems to know why.
2. No one goes out of their houses on Wednesday's...the town...including school...is shut down.
3. Max goes outside on a Wednesday and suddenly bad things seem to happen whenever he is around...the cat gets vacuumed, motor oil is in his shampoo bottle, ink
on his mom's white robe...burnt birthday cake...and tons more!!!
4. Max meets the Wednesdays who have numbers not names...they are not too pretty to look at...bad teeth weird squarish heads...kind of smelly.
5. Max begins o believe that he I'll be the next Wednesday...they seem to have been mischievous little boys at one time!!!
6. There are no girl Wednesdays...lol...
7. Max has to figure out a way to make the Wednesday's go away.
A fun filled book that would make a fun read aloud for younger readers or a read alone for others.
October 7, 2012
The Wednesdaysis a debut middle grade fantasy by Julie Bourbeau that has a similar magic and danger as JM Barrie's Peter Pan. Max lives with family in a small village near Mount Tibidabo that is besieged by bad luck every Wednesday.
To avoid the wednesdays, the creatures believed to be the source of the bad luck, the village shuts its doors on Wednesdays. People stay in doors unless it's an absolute emergency. Max, though, on his birthday, decides he's had enough of being stuck in doors, and goes out in search of the wednesdays.
Just as Wendy's wish to meet Peter ends up being a whole lot more trouble than she had expected, Max's successful encounter with the wednesdays leaves him cursed by his own personal bad luck. A boy who can bring bad luck on any day of the week quickly becomes the town pariah.
Bourbeau keeps the problem at hand focused on Max, his bad luck and the town's on-going history with the wednesdays. By avoiding extraneous details, The Wednesdays is a magical, believable and compelling read.
To avoid the wednesdays, the creatures believed to be the source of the bad luck, the village shuts its doors on Wednesdays. People stay in doors unless it's an absolute emergency. Max, though, on his birthday, decides he's had enough of being stuck in doors, and goes out in search of the wednesdays.
Just as Wendy's wish to meet Peter ends up being a whole lot more trouble than she had expected, Max's successful encounter with the wednesdays leaves him cursed by his own personal bad luck. A boy who can bring bad luck on any day of the week quickly becomes the town pariah.
Bourbeau keeps the problem at hand focused on Max, his bad luck and the town's on-going history with the wednesdays. By avoiding extraneous details, The Wednesdays is a magical, believable and compelling read.
June 15, 2015
I read the Wednesdays on the advice of my nephew (if you aren't going to let kids pick your kid book reads then you're doing it wrong) and I'm glad I did.
This was no where near the best or most cleverly written of books in this genre, but it was an enjoyable read. I think my favorite thing about Max is his very real ten year old boy-ness. Max does exactly what any of his (intended) readers would do in his situation and that I think is what makes the story so compelling. I found myself captivated with Max's dilemma and simply needed to know how he was going to solve his problem.
This is not going to be one of those kids books that has as much of an adult following as it does a young readership, it was never intended to be that either. But if you like quirky, little, light books you might find it to be worth a little of your time. More so though, if you know a young, curious, rule bending, thoughtful reader who likes to ask why a lot... then The Wednesdays is definitely a book you want to give them to read.
This was no where near the best or most cleverly written of books in this genre, but it was an enjoyable read. I think my favorite thing about Max is his very real ten year old boy-ness. Max does exactly what any of his (intended) readers would do in his situation and that I think is what makes the story so compelling. I found myself captivated with Max's dilemma and simply needed to know how he was going to solve his problem.
This is not going to be one of those kids books that has as much of an adult following as it does a young readership, it was never intended to be that either. But if you like quirky, little, light books you might find it to be worth a little of your time. More so though, if you know a young, curious, rule bending, thoughtful reader who likes to ask why a lot... then The Wednesdays is definitely a book you want to give them to read.
October 25, 2011
Max is just like any other kid. He lives in a small town, goes to school, has a good family, and is a little mischievous sometimes. But in this town, Wednesdays mean bad news, like cars not starting, toast burning, sweaters unraveling, and bikes falling apart. All of this is because of little creatures called wednesdays who reak havoc on the town, and Max is next. Now, Max must solve the mystery of the wednesdays or risk becoming one forever. The text is a little flat. The reader doesn't get a good sense of Max or his family, although this generic tone could be a writing device to make readers believe this could happen anywhere. Also, the book reads at a younger level than the 250 pages suggest. It truly reads like a simple 3rd grade book, but it has about 100 excess pages to really be solid 3rd grade choice. This is a relatively entertaining book, and many kids will be pleased to read it, but it's not a homerun.
November 26, 2013
I really liked this book! It was definitely my kind of mystery where there is more fantasy than clues and gumshoeing. I honestly laughed out loud at many of the slapstick mishaps that occurred on Wednesdays. Birds pooping on Max's mom's head, pants splitting open... among all the other things... are always funny. The best part of the humor was that the author was not trying to hard. The book had great pacing--not too slow, not too fast to insult the reader's intelligence. This book would make a great read-aloud for a 5th grade teacher or a family, as well as enjoyed by a child over 3rd grade (not because of content, just vocabulary and subtlety in the writing). I highly recommend this book!
Oh, and I wonder if anyone else noticed the nod to Sendak's 'Where the Wild Things Are'? Ahem... both books' main characters are named Max, both run around with monsters. It was cleverly done though, not a rip-off.
Oh, and I wonder if anyone else noticed the nod to Sendak's 'Where the Wild Things Are'? Ahem... both books' main characters are named Max, both run around with monsters. It was cleverly done though, not a rip-off.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews