Jerry Reno, 14, did nothing but refuse to sell chocolates, which all school students traditionally sold. But this is how the real war began. A war that involved teachers, students and the secret school society of the Guardians. How do ordinary teenagers turn into a crowd and what can it go to in bullying a white crow? Where is the line between inaction and complicity in violence? How will the chocolate war end and will Jerry be able to defend himself and his choice?
Robert Cormier's novel, first published in 1974, was enthusiastically received by critics. It has been compared to William Golding's Lord of the Flies. In the United States, the book sparked heated discussions and, despite resistance from some teachers, was included in the school curriculum. In 1988, the novel was filmed.