Wringer

Synopsis

Newbery Honor Book Publisher's Weekly Children's Bestseller Palmer is excited to celebrate his 9th birthday and become one of the guys, "hoodlums" in his mom's opinion, but simply boys carrying on a town's traditions in his dad's view. As much as he anticipates this birthday, Palmer dreads the next one. It is the town's10-year-olds who are designated "wringers" in the annual fund-raising pigeon shoot; they must wring the necks of the injured pigeons. Palmer has dreaded the event for years, and the arrival of Nipper, a pigeon who "adopts" Palmer and becomes his pet, complicates his choices. He tells only Dorothy, a neighbor who is teased by the bullies, about his fears. Although he has not been a good friend to Dorothy, she is willing to befriend him and Palmer finally makes a decision that allows him to live with his conscience even it may mean living without the gang's acceptance.