In his town, Family Fest is a yearly fundraiser that ends with an annual pigeon shoot. Ten-year-old boys are "wringers."
It is their task to break the necks of wounded pigeons. Palmer is horrified by the event but convinces himself for several years that the pigeons are better off. . But as Palmer's tenth birthday approaches he wants to join a gang led by Beans, whose whole purpose in life, since age four, has been to become a wringer.
Palmer gains acceptance in the gang and is nicknamed "Snots." All this does not lessen his dread of his tenth birthday. Then, a pigeon pecks on Palmer's bedroom window. He tries to scare it away without success, and when he opens the window, "Nipper" steps into Palmer's room, and Palmer becomes its protector.
To make matters worse, the gang discovers Palmer is hiding a pigeon. The stage is set for high drama. Palmer turns ten. How can Palmer save his friend?
(Portions of this review came from www.bookrags.com)
It is their task to break the necks of wounded pigeons. Palmer is horrified by the event but convinces himself for several years that the pigeons are better off. . But as Palmer's tenth birthday approaches he wants to join a gang led by Beans, whose whole purpose in life, since age four, has been to become a wringer.
Palmer gains acceptance in the gang and is nicknamed "Snots." All this does not lessen his dread of his tenth birthday. Then, a pigeon pecks on Palmer's bedroom window. He tries to scare it away without success, and when he opens the window, "Nipper" steps into Palmer's room, and Palmer becomes its protector.
To make matters worse, the gang discovers Palmer is hiding a pigeon. The stage is set for high drama. Palmer turns ten. How can Palmer save his friend?
(Portions of this review came from www.bookrags.com)