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  • Wishin' and Hopin'

  • A Christmas Story
  • Written by: Wally Lamb
  • Narrated by: Wally Lamb
  • Length: 4 hrs and 41 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (6 ratings)

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Wishin' and Hopin' cover art

Wishin' and Hopin'

Written by: Wally Lamb
Narrated by: Wally Lamb
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Publisher's Summary

It's 1964 and 10-year-old Felix is sure of a few things: the birds and the bees are puzzling, television is magical, and this is one Christmas he'll never forget. LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone's turntable, and Felix Funicello (distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doing his best to navigate fifth grade - easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares and you bear a striking resemblance to a certain adorable cartoon boy.

Back in his beloved fictional town of Three Rivers, Connecticut, with a new cast of endearing characters, Wally Lamb takes his listeners straight into the halls of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parochial School - where Mother Filomina's word is law and goody-two-shoes Rosalie Twerski is sure to be minding everyone's business.

But grammar and arithmetic move to the back burner this holiday season with the sudden arrivals of substitute teacher Madame Frechette, straight from Québec, and feisty Russian student Zhenya Kapakova. While Felix learns the meaning of French kissing, cultural misunderstanding, and tableaux vivants, Wishin' and Hopin' barrels toward one outrageous Christmas.

From the Funicello family's bus-station lunch counter to the elementary school playground (with an uproarious stop at the Pillsbury Bake-Off), Wishin' and Hopin' is a vivid slice of 1960s life, a wise and witty holiday tale that celebrates where we've been - and how far we've come.
©2009 Wally Lamb (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers
Historical Fiction Coming of Age Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction
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What the critics say

"Charming....Full of pop-culture references of the day. This will have broad appeal." ( Library Journal)

What listeners say about Wishin' and Hopin'

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Profile Image for Deanna

very funny! well written!

I found myself laughing out loud more than once throughout this story! takes you back to the childhood days your childhood talk and their childhood ways!

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