“Fall in Line, Holden!”

Holden, a young Navajo boy at boarding school, moves through a day governed by schedules and demands to fall in line. While the repeated commands emphasize conformity, Holden’s imagination transforms what he sees: wall pictures become animals, janitors become circus performers, gym becomes a gladiator battle, and the computer lab suggests space exploration. His classmates eventually begin to embrace creativity and nonconformity as well. The book contrasts the school’s strict routines with Holden’s vivid inner world.