A Smart, Smart School by Anait Semirdzhyan, Sharon Creech
Published by Harper ISBN: 0063059614
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads

A companion picture book to Creech’s bestselling A Fine, Fine School. In this story, beloved Principal Keene is struck down with a burst appendix and taken to the hospital. The following week Mr. Tatters comes in to take his place. Suddenly, instead of art and singing and reading, students are testing, testing, testing! By Friday teachers can think of no more questions to ask, and student’s brains are “empty, empty, empty!”

Teachers and students go to the hospital on Saturday with a banner, cards and a song for Principal Keene, and he happily recovers enough to return to school on Monday, when things return to jolly normality.

This is a lovely book about the importance of creativity and joy at school, and of educators who instill a love of learning. Semirdzhyan’s digital illustrations are bold, colorful and perfectly in line with the spirit and words of the text. Written by a beloved Maine author, this will be a popular book in classrooms and libraries.

Reviewed by: Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta