Dead Wednesday

by Jerry Spinelli

Can playing dead bring you back to life? Maybe on Dead Wednesday… On this day the worlds of a shy boy and a gone girl collide, and the connection they make will change them both forever. A brilliant new novel from the Newbery Medal winner and author of the New York Times bestseller Stargirl. "Jerry Spinelli has created another middle grade masterpiece." —BookPage, starred review On Dead Wednesday, every eighth grader in Amber Springs is assigned the name and identity of a teenager who died a preventable death in the past year. The kids don black shirts and for the whole day everyone in town pretends they're invisible—as if they weren't even there. The adults think it will make them contemplate their mortality. The kids know it's a free pass to get away with anything. Worm Tarnauer feels invisible every day. He's perfectly happy being the unnoticed sidekick of his friend Eddie. So he's not expecting Dead Wednesday to feel that different. But he didn't count on being assigned Becca Finch (17, car crash). And he certainly didn't count on Becca showing up to boss him around! Letting this girl into his head is about to change everything. This is the story of the unexpected, heartbreaking, hilarious, truly epic day when Worm Tarnauer discovers his own life.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Young Adult, Ghosts, Contemporary

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 3, 2021

About the author

When Jerry Spinelli was a kid, he wanted to grow up to be either a cowboy or a baseball player. Lucky for us he became a writer instead.

He grew up in rural Pennsylvania and went to college at Gettysburg College and Johns Hopkins University. He has published more than 25 books and has six children and 16 grandchildren.
Jerry Spinelli began writing when he was 16 — not much older than the hero of his book Maniac Magee. After his high school football team won a big game, his classmates ran cheering through the streets — all except Spinelli, who went home and wrote a poem about the victory. When his poem was published in the local paper, Spinelli decided to become a writer instead of a major-league shortstop.

In most of his books, Spinelli writes about events and feelings from his own childhood. He also gets a lot of material from his seven adventurous kids! Spinelli and his wife, Eileen, also a children's book author, live in Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Middle Grade book. I loved this book, and the story line behind this book is the best. In this book we follow a 8th grader. In the Middle School in this book on Dead Wednesday every 8th grader gets a name of a young kid that dead from something that they could have changed like drinking, driving to fast, and so on. After, they are giving the name of the Dead young kid they get a black shirt. Well, they are wearing their black shirt they are treating as they are dead. No one talks to them and no one looks at them. This is to scare them to make good chances in their high school years. I love the idea behind this program in this book, and I loved following this young kid during Dead Wednesday. The characters in this book is the best, and I think this will make young kids think about their chances. Great book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers) or author (Jerry Spinelli) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[Beth Heltebridle · Rating 1 out of 5]

A manic pixie dream girl ghost, outdated gender constructs, and weird descriptions of tween bodies? It’s a no from me, dawg.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly a book that should be rated closer to a perfect 5. Spinelli’s most recent work is poignant and potentially life-changing, much like Maniac Magee and Wringer. In Dead Wednesday, Robbie aka Worm, is looking forward to what most 8th graders view as a blow off school day. Established as way to encourage an entire grade level to consider the dire consequences of actions such as texting while driving, DWI, and other avoidable causes of death, students are given the name and brief bio of a deceased teen, must wear a black shirt, and are ignored by all in an effort to send the message of “this could be you.” I anticipated that Worm’s life would be impacted by the experience, but how Spinelli creates change in an awkward, shy teen’s life is far different that most readers will expect. Likely audience for this book is 6th-9th grade, but thoughtful readers in younger grades may also come away with a feeling that they matter and have a voice that is worth using. Content is free of profanity, violence (except for a gentle recounting of one girl’s death behind the wheel), and sexual content. Full disclosure—There are a few relatively mild kisses between male-female characters and one sentence that states that girls hold their books up against their breasts which would definitely send some of my more immature 5th graders into gales of embarrassed laughter. Highly recommended for libraries with readers of Joan Bauer, Rebecca Stead, Jordan Sonnenblick or Gary Schmidt. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

[Noura Khalid (theperksofbeingnoura) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you Penguin Random House International for sending me a gifted copy.

There's nothing that disappoints me more than picking up a book I'm excited about and then not enjoying it. Dead Wednesday was kindly gifted to me and after reading the synopsis I was intrigued. Sadly this book was not for me. I usually read middle grade and it's one of the genres that I always end up enjoying but this one missed the mark.

The book was very short but I felt like it dragged. I would even say I struggled to finish it. Everything just felt so prolonged and half way through I wasn't even sure what the point of the story was. Unfortunately, it just felt like reading a whole lot of nothing for me. It had some uncomfortable moments too that kind of put me off. The synopsis itself was disturbing but I wanted to give this a chance. All in all I was confused and just not interested.

[rue mortensen · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf. i had such high hopes for this book...it had so much potential.

but the whole romance between a 17 year old and a 14 year old was just,,, weird. especially considering the fact that the 17 year old kept touching the 14 year old without consent.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Jerry Spinelli, this is the writing I love from you [we will just ignore Love, Stargirl and never speak of it again] and am so glad to be reading again. I love when you write books that make you think, make you feel, make you laugh and of course, make you cry [and in this case, it doesn't matter HOW old you are when reading this. If you don't feel something when reading this, you might want to check your pulse], and finally, give you hope. All which seems a lot for a 224 page children's-middle grade book. Y'all, that is just how good Jerry Spinelli is.

My only problem is how to write a review about this amazing book. You see, this is one of those rare books that you absolutely need to come into blind [I even went and read other reviews to try and get ideas of how to write this one and was dismayed to see so many that give away the whole darn book. NOT OKAY PEOPLE] and there is just no way to review this in a way that doesn't give everything away, and trust me - you absolutely DO NOT WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING going into this. It needs to be seen with no knowledge of what it is all about. The magic is better that way. The feelings come more organically that way. And the hope is so much purer. Reading about Worm and his days before AND after Dead Wednesday is truly best that way. You will not be sorry. I promise. Just go and find time to read this [I believe that this should be a *must read* on everyone's lists - kids and parent's and aunties and uncles all], preferably with others so when you are all done, you've all wiped your tears away, you can sit and TALK about all that you just read and how it affects you and what it means to you. It is a way to have conversations about uncomfortable things that always need talking about, but rarely are. This book, is perfect for all that.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jerry Spinelli, and Random House Children's/Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Libriar · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise of this book was extremely problematic for me and the storyline did nothing to make up for it. This book is about a small - and seemingly all white - community in Pennsylvania that has a tradition where on one of the last days of 8th grade students are given the name of a high school student in the state who needlessly died. It appeared from the set up of the story that the students didn't take it seriously and even some of the town people didn't take it seriously. That alone seems like a reason that this should no longer be a tradition. The main character, Worm, gets the name of a girl who died in a car accident. But during the day the ghost of the girl visits him. But I didn't like Worm and I didn't like the girl. So pretty much I was wondering the whole time I was reading, "how in the world did this book get published?" And I'm still thinking that. Add to that the fact that there isn't a clear audience for this book. I think 8th grade and above would be turned off by it but I don't think anyone under 7th grade would really get anything out of it. I love Jerry Spinelli (although this book made me realize that his books have no diversity) but this is a hard pass.

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robbie "Worm" Tarnauer prefers to be out of the spotlight, out of sight, out of mind in a way. The upcoming school event, Dead Wednesday, will help him continue this trend. On this day, each eighth grader gets assigned the name of a teenager who has passed away, puts on a black shirt, and becomes invisible to everyone around them. The teachers believe it will give them a better outlook on life. The students however, take it as a day to do whatever they want and get away with it.

What Worm didn't expect was Becca Finch, the girl he was assigned, to actually show up, boss him around, and get inside his head. As Becca and Worm get to know each other throughout the day, Worm is left to wonder, can this girl help him rediscover his life?

When I was a freshman in high school, we had something like Dead Wednesday. I took part in it and remained silent until school ended. Not only did it remind me to respect the dead, but it also reminded me to never take life for granted and to live everyday to the fullest. Becca and Worm discover this together and learn to forgive, never forget, and to be bold, both in the present and afterlife. This novel also gave me massive Stargirl vibes. Truly, an unexpected, and beautiful novel that will be good for all ages. This book is also available as an Overdrive E-book.

Reviewed by Skye Kordistos, Youth and School Services Librarian, Vernon Area Public Library

[Karen Arendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worm is quiet and happy to let his best friend, Eddie, have the spotlight. But things change for Worm on Dead Wednesday. Dead Wednesday is the day the 8th graders don black shirts, receive a card with a previous student’s name who died, and become that person for the day. It is a day that anything goes. The students are not seen by any school staff. There are no assignments or class discussions. But then Worm, sees Becca, his dead person. Worm is about to experience life in a whole new way. What I love about this story is that writing is poetic and melodious yet down to earth. I also like how Worm slowly changes throughout the story. This is the perfect coming of age story for anyone who has relegated themselves to the shadows.

[Eileen Mackintosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is intended for middle graders and is an interesting coming of age story. It is the second book I read in the past couple of weeks with characters in the afterlife. Lessons on how to not die foolishly and also how to live bravely. Easy read. #indigoemployee

[Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me quite a while to decide how to rate this book. I honestly didn’t like it, but when I look at it from the perspective of young me, I feel like it would have resonated. That part won out. It’s an easy read with some good lessons about living life, though they do run the risk of being lost in some questionable content.

This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.

[MBenzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has two very clear and very different parts. The first half is total middle grade. Obnoxious middle schoolers being obnoxious. Not understanding the gravity behind their towns 'Dead Wednesday' tradition and looking at it as an excuse to have a slacker day at school and get away with whatever they want.

Worm is our quiet and shy protagonist, but he and his group of friends are typical 14-year-old kids who are clueless and immature. I didn't mind the first half of the book, but it is in stark contrast to the second half.

The second half of the book is Worm spending the day with the ghost (or Spiritual Maiden, if you will) of his Dead Wednesday assigned victim, Becca. He matures at lightning speed, and the experience has left him forever changed. He has some really profound thoughts and does a complete 360, becoming an almost entirely different person by the end of the book. Much more somber and wise. It's like this 14-year-old boy has aged 20 years in the span of a few weeks. It kind of felt like reading two different books.

Overall though, I enjoyed the story and its message. If you read it for what it is, a coming-of-age Middle Grade fiction story, then you'll enjoy it.

If you spend the entire time getting all up-in-arms about how this fictional town in this fictional story makes fictional kids assume the identity of fictional teenage accident victims as a way to teach them the gravity and finality of death and to not be so reckless, then you're going to hate this, so you may want to skip it.

[Rebecca]

I couldn't get into this. It was a bit meandering, and I never could figure out where it was heading. Plus the concept of assigning kids what they call "wrappers"--kids who have died in preventable accidents because they were texting, drinking, etc.--and making them wear black shirts and ignoring them all day seems unproductive and tasteless. The kids don't take it seriously (for the most part--they use it as a free-for-all day when they can do anything and not get in trouble), and it could be hurtful for a reader who has lost someone in that way, to see that the kids ignore the reason and just celebrate it as a license to go crazy. When all one kid got from his assigned "wrapper" was that she was the "hottest," that was really disturbing.

[Leigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-ARC of this novel.

A fan of Jerry Spinelli, I had high hopes for this book, but it never got off the ground for me. I struggled through the beginning, and never fell in love with Becca. This book came up as a middle grade novel, but is really probably better suited for high school aged students (the main character is in 8th grade, and is visited by a 17 year old ghost of sorts).

[Hanna *Middle School Librarian* · Rating 2 out of 5]

I truly do not understand how this book was published. Such an interesting premise but wow, does it fall far from the mark. Kind of bummed I already ordered it for the library.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dead Wednesday: when the living join the dead.
😵
14-year-old Worm Tarnauer is a quiet kid who likes to blend into the background. His best friend, Eddie, is Mr. Personality, which Worm is just fine with. But today, both kids are excited for school because today is Dead Wednesday. The school (and entire town, really) assigns each 8th grader the name of a teenager who died in their town in the past year. The kids wear black shirts so everyone know they’re “dead” aka invisible and are treated as such by everyone from teachers to parents to community members. This assignment is supposed to have students facing their mortality in the hopes they will drive safer when they get to high school, but most kids use it as an excuse to goof around. When Worm is assigned Becca Finch, a 17-year-old car crash victim, as his dead teenager, she actually shows up. Together they spend the day discussing how she died and trying to get Worm to learn how to live.
😵
This MG novel by the amazing Jerry Spinelli was very macabre. I saw a lot of Stargirl in Becca, but overall it was a dark subject matter for a middle grade book. Honestly it would have worked better as YA because both characters were teenagers. The idea that kids will understand death and loss by treating them like they’re invisible just didn’t connect for me. I’m sure many will enjoy Spinelli’s writing, the themes and the subject matter. It just missed the mark for me. Dead Wednesday is out now.
CW: death of a child

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a tough one. If you want to be offended, its easily done. This book follows a group of 8th graders who are each assigned another kid from their town who died in an accident or in some preventable way. I'm not going to mess around here- I struggled to get past that part. The punk kids don't take it seriously- and I've lost and known more than one friend in a car accident they never came home from... so to hear the casual insensitive way the middle schoolers- talk about the kids who were lost (even calling them wrappers, as in wrapped around a pole) I'm shocked I made it through. But the reality is- kids are that way- if they don't know someone personally, its not very serious. there is a stupid invincibility to youth that only tragedy seems to cure us of. This book isn't written for shock-factor and its important. I gave it to my sixth grader and am having her read it. (we can have conversations like- yeah the main guy was kind of a jerk at the beginning) But here's the thing... this book makes you think. It makes you stare at life and acknowledge that accidents happen and life is short. Our main character meets the girl he was assigned to who died, and he learns that he's kind of wasting his life being scared and hanging back... and for that, I love this story. middle school is such a selfish, insecure emotionally challenging time- Props to this author for writing a book the kiddos might actually relate to and even be inspired by. overall I recommend this one... I'm not sure my daughter is loving it- but its short enough and important enough that I think some good conversations can happen from it.

[Ms. Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have such mixed feelings on this middle grade novel. The story follows 14 year old Worm who must participate in Dead Wednesday. It is a tradition in his town in which all 8th graders are assigned a “wrapper” — kids who have died in preventable accidents because they were texting, drinking, etc. — a black shirt, and everyone in town ignores them. The kids don’t take it seriously and most of the 8th graders are excited because this is the one day they get to do whatever they want. While the concept as an adult is disturbing and meant to be taken seriously, I realize that 8th graders are still immature that I understand why they see it as a free-for-all day. The fact that this plot was so morbid is what kept me reading (I know, I’m sorry). For Worm, he’s excited that he gets a day of freedom, but everything changes when he meets his wrapper, Becca. I enjoyed the contrast between the two characters, although since the book is in third person omniscient I didn’t really feel like I knew how much Worm grew from his experience with Becca. I would recommend this to students, but I would definitely give them a content warning ahead of time.

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up in an Illinois town close to the border of Wisconsin. At that time, the drinking age in Illinois was 21 years old, while the drinking age in Wisconsin was 18 years old. In my town many kids had, if not their own cars, easy access to a family car. With those two elements in place, driving "up north" to go to Wisconsin bars was a major social activity when I was in high school. And, inevitably, driving home from the bars led to car accidents in which high school students died.

Despite being so close to these tragedies, kids kept going up north. Lessons were not learned for a variety of reasons. For some, it was social pressure; not going up north meant staying home alone while your friends went out. But for a larger element it was most likely that teenagers think they are immortal. "It won't happen to me."

Dead Wednesday tells a story of a unique way in which one town tries to give teens the very real experience of "it" happening to them. For one day a year, Dead Wednesday, 8th graders take on the identities of a teenager who died in an accident. The students are treated as dead for the rest of day, ignored by the faculty in their school and most of the adults in the community. Needless to say, this doesn't have exactly results intended as Dead Wednesday becomes a day in which the 8th-graders become free from many of the consequences they would normally face on any other day.

The events of one particular Dead Wednesday are the framework around the story of an 8th grader, a boy called Worm who prefers to fade into the background and looks forward to a day of invisibility. Worm is assigned to 17-year-old Becca, who died in a car crash. And Dead Wednesday becomes the story of teenagers finding themselves and learning to take charge of their lives and their deaths.

Author Jerry Spinelli has created some characters that resonate strongly and have stood the test of time in the world of children's literature: Maniac Magee, Stargirl. Worm and Becca hold their own in this group.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's "Dead Wednesday". All of the 8th graders in Amber Springs get a card with someone's name on it--a teenager who's died doing something "preventable" like a texting while driving, or drugs or just plain recklessness. They also get a black shirt to wear all day. No one will speak to them, or see them. It's as if they're just not there. It's as if they're dead. What seems like a chilling idea, that some well intentioned parent or teacher came up with, and the students have turned into a morbid day of celebratory freedom, turns out to be life altering for Robbie Tarnauer. After Dead Wednesday, he sees his world much differently. Having read the fly leaf description, this book turned out to be not at all what I expected. It's a beautiful, rare look into the mind of a 14-year-old boy as he's emerging from boyhood--noticing girls, feeling self-conscious, figuring out all kinds of things about himself. I could not, and did not, put it down. Wildly creative, completely believable--even what you know couldn't possibly happen, you still believe it did--such remarkable writing and word choice. Jerry Spinelli is amazing.

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been awhile since I've read anything by Jerry Spinelli, and this book was worth the wait. Worm is an 8th grader who can't wait for Dead Wednesday, a day each year that each 8th grader must don a black t-shirt and learn about a teen who died from via car accident or from drugs or alcohol. Everyone in school and in his small town do not talk to you or acknowledge your existence for a whole day. Most 8th graders treat this as a blow off day, but it doesn't turnout that way for Worm as his dead teen, Becca Finch, comes back from the dead to figure out why she's back and what she has to teach Worm, but as most Spinelli stories evolve Worm realizes he needs to enlighten Becca, and their brief encounter is life changing for Worm and hopefully for the reader as well. A true middle grade novel for 10 to 14 year-olds.

[Jaymie · Rating 2 out of 5]

1-2 stars
I think the idea is very creative. Could have been a great lesson about mortality for teens. It seems to have not quite hit the mark for me. There were some odd interactions between the two main characters that were just weird and out of nowhere. Both Physical and verbal. Becca freaks out at Worm. Worm freaks out at Becca. Becca sits on Worms lap. Touches him without consent quite often and bites his earlobe causing pain. Super odd behaviors ha ha

I like the idea of living life and just being yourself!

[Luca87 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amo la scrittura di Spinelli. Il suo stile è unico, capace di trasformare parole semplici in frasi ricche di magia, come se dipingesse un mondo incantato che troppo spesso non riusciamo a cogliere. Questo libro sarebbe potuto essere straordinario, ma tutto si è svolto troppo in fretta. Bruco, Becca e gli altri personaggi sono scivolati via come stelle cadenti: rapide, effimere, diverse da quelle a cui sono abituato. Forse mi illudo, forse cerco ancora la Stargirl della mia infanzia, ma resto ancorato alla speranza. Spero che un giorno Spinelli torni a sorprendermi come fece nella mia infanzia e nella mia adolescenza.

[Ashley Brenae · Rating 3 out of 5]

“And girls—well, sure, they cry, but they’re also really, really good at being happy.”
Is that all Jerry Spinelli thinks of teenagers? Girls are happy, boys are shy, girls bring boys out of their shells.
But the writing is great, even if the themes are repeated. Maybe 3.5.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every year the eighth graders get one day to wear black shirts and be ignored by everyone and represent one of the teenagers who died somewhere in Pennsylvania during the last year. Worm has been looking forward to "Dead Wednesday" for as long as he can remember. He likes to stay in the background, just on the periphery of the cool kids and is excited for the half day of school and the free pass for weird behavior that come with everyone pretending you are invisible or don't exist on Dead Wednesday. What Worm didn't count on was that the girl whose name he carries for Dead Wednesday actually shows up to spend the day with him.

Full of adventure and heart, this book kept me turning pages and I enjoyed every minute of it. Highly recommended!! 5 stars

[Kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the supernatural aspect to this book about finding yourself. I liked how most of the book was one single day. How it felt like a bunch of endless moments of change. Worm is a great character. Just a nobody kid who learns how to be somebody.

[Mariesa Potgieter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another solid 3.5

I really loved the concept and the writing style of the author.

The ending was a bit anti-climactic but overall a really heartwarming read. I loved Becca the most in this book and it's heartbreaking that she died so young. Very interesting story. It kept my attention all the way through.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply beautiful.

Be bold.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very manic pixie dream girl wish fulfillment for boys

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

D,: