I enjoyed this story. The idea of a Dead Wednesday is a little macabre for my tastes, but I like how Spinelli makes it into a lesson for the living, especially when the ghost of the girl he's assigned shows up to boss him around. This book kept me guessing.

I feel like maybe this book isn't as deep as it wants to be. The set-up is interesting. We see how an unexpected encounter with the supernatural leads to a perspective shift. Our protagonist gains confidence but also gets out of his on head a bit. It's a part of growing up, certainly, and one often addressed in books for this age.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advanced copy of this book to read and review.

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

Hauntingly beautiful, this is Spinelli like you haven't seen before! The characters were relatable and the story provided enough twists and turns to keep you wanting to read!

Thank you NetGalley and Alfred A Knopf Books for Young Readers for an early copy of this book! I listened to the audio version and really fell right into this world. What would you do if you could see the ghosts of your town? What if you were dead and could watch your world walk on by around you, without you? These are some of the questions that are explored in this book.

Be bold.

Originally I was excited by this new released by Jerry Spinelli, however after reading the book I was disappointed. I felt that the idea was strong but implemented poorly. I wanted it to be more then what it ended up being. I didn't like the language of some of the characters.

Spinelli's latest is about a 14 year old boy called Worm who is forever changed by Dead Wednesday, a day when the entire 8th grade wears black and is treated as if they don't exist--they're dead. Each student is assigned a local person who died and for Worm this introduces him to Becca, a teenager who died but has come to accompany him through the day to teach him how to make the most of the time he has. Spinelli is always compelling and knows how to pack an emotional punch into slim books that won't intimidate young readers. As a librarian, it's a little frustrating that it fits into that amorphous "grades 5-8" that brings cataloging issues.

I did enjoy aspects of this story, I don't think the setup (a middle school ignores the whole 8th grade class for a day to demonstrate the finality of death as a deterrent for drug use and inebriated driving) is realistic. Worm was very likeable. I kept wanting Becca's story to change, to have survived the car accident or never get in the car (although I guess that's part of the point of the whole Dead Day exercise). Her story was truly sad and haunting. I would recommend this to a middle school student looking for magical realism.

For me, Jerry Spinelli books are one big crap shoot. When they are good, they are great. But lots of them are confused, hit or miss, affairs. This falls into the latter category, with a premise that never takes off, a manic pixie dream girl ghost, and a hero that never once feels authentic. As always there are some sly lines, edgy observations, and engaging bits of business, but that's not enough to carry the book or to even out the unpredictable tone.

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.

The premise of Dead Wednesday sounded promising and unique. Yet, the execution of the story felt superficial and empty. While the main character Worm feels like a ghost, the eighth-grade class must confront real ghosts. I was honestly surprised that the plot mainly revolved around worm and how he occupied space. I wanted to know more about Becca and the other Dead Wednesday individuals. I know it was meant to show Worm come into his own and finding himself but it is called DEAD WEDNESDAY and often in situations the individuals who have passed are ignored. I would have liked a little more respect and depth for the past.

I was given a free copy of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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.

A lot of people love this book, but to me it was just meh. Jerry Spinelli is an awesome writer. Confused about the target for this book though, as it's labeled Middle Grade which is usually 4 - 7 grade. However, the main character is in 8th grade and is visited by the ghost of a 17 year old. Seems to me that it might be more suitable for older middle grade/younger YA. #netgalley #deadwednesday #JerrySpinelli

This is a middle grade book. I loved this book, and the storyline 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.

This review appeared in the August 2021 issue of SFRevu:

Worm Tarnauer worked hard to earn his nickname. Worm. He wanted to be unseen, to blend into the background. It helped that his best friend, Eddie, was the most popular guy in their class. No one saw him when he was next to Eddie. His parents still called him Robbie and said he used to be outgoing and friendly with the writers who stayed at their retreat. Now, he just wanted to not be seen.

The second Wednesday in June was always Dead Wednesday for the eighth graders. It was supposed to get them to be more careful when they moved to high school next year. On Dead Wednesday, each student got a card with the name of a teen who had died the previous year, and all day the students wore a black t-shirt so people would know they were dead. The entire town took part and ignored the students in the black t-shirts as if they didn't exist. To the students, it meant they could do anything because everyone pretended they didn't exist.

It was going to be just a fun day when they could do and say anything with no repercussions ... until Worm got a card with the name of Rebecca Ann Finch. He never expected the dead person's name would be more than just a name until an arm in really bright pjs reached around him and offered him green tic tacs. He followed the arm up to the shoulder and then the face of Rebecca Finch. From that moment on, nothing was what he expected.

No one could see or hear her except him ... and she loved to talk. Worm listened. He asked questions. They talked. He didn't know it but his life was never going to be the same after this Dead Wednesday.

I was curious about the title of this book. As I got to reading the story, I felt that I was back in junior high. Technology might have changed as has the slang but basically, the problems, confusion, wishes, hopes, and dreams remain the same. The coping mechanisms used to fit in were all too familiar. Aimed at young adults, I believe adults would find much that resonates with their youth. It's one of those books for young people that all ages can relate to in one way or another.

This book was made to make readers cry because there is no possible happy ending. It's great at showing character development, but there isn't a lot of plot. I also hated that the ghost is another manic pixie dream girl that just exists to better the life of the male protagonist. I also felt that there was too much dialogue at times, especially considering how short this book is.

This book was received as an ARC from Random House Children's - Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Immediately when I read the first chapter of this book, I could not help but to hesitate for the moment because the plot of this book was very similar to the Purge. Instead, everyone pretends that they are invisible for a day to appreciate their morality and remember those who have passed away from a preventable death. Then there is Worm who feels invisible everyday and then he gets paired with Becca who died in an unexpected car crash and she ends up being in his head bossing him around. My brain was flying all over the place in a good way. All of the characters were very intriguing and unique to their own nature which brought their backstories to life connecting them to the original plot. I can definitely see this as a potential candidate for Battle of the Books 2022. I also can see this book being on a reading list for our middle schoolers.

We will consider adding this title to our J Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Spinelli does it again! An ageless and sincere tale, Dead Wednesday explores the depths of the teenage condition through Worm, a shy 8th grader, and Rebecca, a young girl who has passed on but is as full of life as ever. Full of reflection, emotion, and depth, this book is perfect for every reader.

'Worm' Tarnauer is an 8th grader who prefers to stay out of sight and lets his best friend, Eddie (arguably the most popular guy in school), be the leader in all things school and social life.

The one day all 8th graders look forward to is "Dead Wednesday" - a day in which all 8th graders are given the name of a teenager who died in the past year and have them wear black shirts and essentially become invisible to everyone else in school (as well as many of the local townfolk). The goal is to make the the students contemplate their own mortality. For many 8th graders, being invisible is the chance to create mayhem, knowing that the teachers and administration will turn a blind eye because to reprimand them would mean acknowledging them and defeat the idea of having them be invisible.

For Worm, it's just another day of being invisible, but Worm didn't count on Becca Finch. Becca was a 17 year old girl who died in a car accident. Worm experiences a Dead Wednesday unlike any other and the day, and Becca Finch, have a profound impact on Worm.

There are so many great writers writing for children and middle schoolers, but Jerry Spinelli is pretty much at the top of my list of favorites. Dead Wednesday is a shining example of why I like this writer so much.

First, there are the characters. Everyone we meet here, from Worm to Eddie, Becca Finch to Mean Monica, we all know someone just like these people. Or perhaps we are one of these people. They represent a cross-section of youth and under Spinelli's hand our protagonist shows growth and represents the best a teen (or pre-teen) can be.

Spinelli also nicely captures middle school life. Aside from 'Dead Wednesday,' one of the topics of conversation among the students is a big fight between two students who absolutely hate each other. It's going to happen after school and it's so big Eddie and Worm think some of the teachers might even show up to watch. This is classic middle school thinking.

But what appeals to me most about this book is the surprise. Spinelli takes an ordinary boy in an ordinary school and adds in something extraordinary. I love this kind of book ... where the extraordinary feels so real and the story is uplifting. This is highly recommended, not only for middle schoolers (who will discover this one their own) but for any adult who just likes a good story with good people.

Looking for a good book? Dead Wednesday is an uplifting, delightful book for readers of all ages.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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. Advanced Readers Copy courtesy of NetGalley.