The Homework Strike by Greg Pincus (review)

Gregory, the poet outlier in a family of math mavens (The 14 Fibs of Gregory K, BCCB 11/13), is back from Author Camp and content with his small circle of friends that now includes newcomer Ana. They’re all diligent students with different academic strengths and abilities as well as outside interests, and seventh grade is going reasonably well—except, Greg observes, for homework, which is consuming so many afterschool hours that he can barely find time to write. He’s not alone: plenty of other kids might sail through worksheets, essays, etc. easily, but all its takes is one difficult subject and suddenly three hours have vanished from every evening. That’s not even counting special projects. For kids with dyslexia, like Ana, the problem is even worse. Inspired by his challenging history teacher (who’s also the pile-it-on king of assignments), Gregory discovers that many states and municipalities once outlawed homework back in the early twentieth century. His own town struck that law from the books, but the idea of civic action regarding homework regulation sticks with him, and Gregory leads a crusade of civil disobedience, first with a one-man homework strike, and then with broader protests that capture media attention. This is a topic that will certainly rivet readers, and although Pincus is clearly on the side of his protagonist, he lays the groundwork for pro and con arguments and points out just how difficult (and, ironically, time consuming) it is to rally the middle-school masses. The ending is satisfying, leaving the details of Morris Champlin Middle School homework policy to be determined, but with students assured a seat at the table. Funny and substantive, this could be a top-notch classroom read.