Reading Aloud: The Secret School

After the emotional tumult of reading Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls my children requested a read that would give our heartstrings a bit of a break. The Secret School by Avi was the answer. It is a simplified version in fictional form of my educational ideals. Although it is set in the 1920s it demonstrates what children and young adults are capable of when given the opportunity to invest in their own education. At one point, somewhere around page 94, Ida figures out how to make teaching less burdensome. The lesson is one every parent instinctively knows and every teacher deserves to learn.

This is a fast read. It is definitely a good read. I look forward to reading many more books by Avi by myself and with my children.