Wringer (novel)

Wringer is a novel for middle-grade readers written by Jerry Spinelli, published in 1997. The story centers around Palmer LaRue, a young boy living in the town of Waymer, Pennsylvania, where the annual Pigeon Day tradition is a major event. On Pigeon Day, young boys of the town act as "wringers," killing pigeons that are released into the air by wringing their necks.

As Palmer approaches his tenth birthday, the age when boys are expected to become wringers, he struggles with the ethical implications of the Pigeon Day tradition. He secretly befriends a pigeon he names Nipper and grapples with the pressure from his friends and the community to participate in the event, versus his own growing moral objections to the violence.

The novel explores themes of conformity, peer pressure, animal cruelty, and moral courage. Palmer's internal conflict and eventual decision to defy the expectations of his community form the core of the narrative. He learns to stand up for his beliefs, even when facing social isolation and disapproval. Wringer is often used in schools to discuss themes of empathy, nonviolence, and making difficult choices.