On the HahaFiction shelf
Wishin' and Hopin'
A Christmas Story
by Wally Lamb
Ten-year-old Felix Funicello has an eventful fall ahead in 1964 Connecticut. His mother is going on television, a substitute teacher arrives at his Catholic school, and a new Russian classmate upsets the class pecking order. Then the school starts preparing its Christmas production, with plenty of competing ideas about who deserves the starring roles.
From the author’s blurb
“a wise and witty holiday tale”Read the full description at Wally Lamb’s book description
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What makes it funny?
Felix asks his father about the birds and the bees. Dad delivers a warning about drinking fountains, then buys doughnuts that keep everyone's mouth too full for further discussion. In the authorized opening excerpt, the adult Felix also presents his responsible-citizen credentials before admitting that he helped trigger a spectacular classroom disaster.
The comedy at work
The grown narrator understands the evasions and dirty jokes that baffled him as a boy. His younger self knows enough to get into trouble while missing the reasons adults are uncomfortable. Family pride and school rivalries give that confusion a public stage.
Try this if…
Catholic-school memories and the television-and-pop-music culture of the 1960s are central attractions. Adults looking for a nostalgic family comedy have more here than the young protagonist alone might suggest.
Good to know
Sexual innuendo, profanity and harsh school discipline appear in the sample. A teacher's mental-health crisis is described in the language of the period. The story spends time on autumn school and family adventures before reaching Christmas.
More funny coming of age
Sources & further reading
- Bookreporter review
Review
- Ebook listing
Book information
- Authorized opening excerpt
Reading sample
- Author
Author commentary
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