(image from Avi's official website)

Most kids would be ecstatic to learn that school is letting out early for summer break. Not 14-year-old Ida Bidson, heroine of Avi's The Secret School. When Mr. Jordan, the miserly school board president, makes the announcement - Ida's teacher will be moving to Iowa to care for her ill mother, so the one-room schoolhouse will be closed until next term, at the earliest - she is devastated. If school lets out early, she will not get credit for the work she has completed, thus delaying her entrance into the high school in town. Her dreams of becoming a teacher are further shattered when Mr. Jordan scoffs at her concerns, telling her, "I'm not so sure a girl needs a high school education" (11). She knows that attending high school was never a sure thing. After all, it's 1925 and things are hard, especially for the sheep farmers in rural Colorado. Still, Ida can't bear the thought of living out her life as a farmer. She has a dream, and she may have to risk everything to achieve it.

When Ida's friend Tom makes a suggestion - "You're such a gravy know-it-all ... You could take over the school when Miss Fletcher leaves" (18) - her hopes revive. Nervously, she accepts the challenge, insisting that the children keep mum about their "secret school." Ida knows teaching won't be easy, but soon she's dealing with a myriad of crises - from an insubordinate student to his ignorant father to an irate school board. All of this is in addition to her usual chores on the farm and her own studies. Soon enough, Ida wonders if she's gotten in over her head. Her childhood seems to be slipping right through her hands.

Finally, a school official agrees to give the students credit for the year only if all of them pass a final exam. Ida worries for her students, and herself. With all the responsibilities Ida has taken on, she's barely had time to crack open her own books. The fate of the school lies in her hands - will plucky Ida be able to save it? Or will her dreams crumble under the weight of her failure?

The Secret School is a short, simple read aimed at young readers. Still, Avi manages to pack in some very complicated and adult themes. At the heart of the book are questions that must plague all teachers - how much of my own life am I willing to give up in the service of my students? Where do I draw the line between being a friend and an authority figure? And, how do I cut through all the red tape and prove to my community that a good education is worth making a few sacrifices? It also discusses issues at stake when a child is teetering on the edge of adulthood - how does a kid get the courage to defy parents and conventions in pursuit of a dream? And, is it disloyal to even attempt it? As you can see, I was impressed with the author's ability to raise so many interesting questions while telling an exciting, compelling story at the same time.

Because of its many layers, I think The Secret School is a book both children and adults will enjoy. Kids will like it for the adventure (the schoolchildren drive Model T's, build a radio, and most exciting, keep secrets), while adult readers will appreciate it for the engaging characters, swift plot and important themes. It's a very quick read with universal appeal. The Secret School gets top marks in my grade book.

Grade: A

Reading Ivan Doig's The Whistling Season is like watching a low-budget film. Without special effects or a dramatic score, the film relies solely on the strength of the story. The screenwriter's

words alone must capture and captivate the audience. Doig's novel is like one of those films. His words engage, entertain and satisfy; no cheap stunts are needed to carry the story along.

The novel opens with 61-year-old Paul Milliron pondering an unpleasant task: as superintendent of schools, he must inform residents of rural Montana that their country schools are closing. A product of just the sort of school he's been ordered to dismantle, Paul is dismayed by the job he must do. To ward off his despair, he lets his mind wander back to his own school days in Marias Coulee, Montana.

His memory takes him back to one banner year: 1909. That was the year his widower father answered an ad for a housekeeper which boldly proclaimed, "Doesn't cook but doesn't bite." Neither Paul nor his two younger brothers know what to expect, but they are shocked when stylish Rose Llewellyn steps off the train accompanied by her equally elegant brother, Morrie. Before the Millirons know it, the pair have firmly ensconsed themselves in prairie life. Rose puts the bachelor farmhouse in order, while Morrie brings his fancy Chicago education to the local one-room schoolhouse. Under Morrie's tutelage, Paul's passion for learning ignites, but not all of his experiences will be in the classroom. As the school year unfolds, Paul experiences death and terror and heartache and wonder. Most of all, he discovers that things are rarely what they seem, not even a kindly housekeeper and her dandy of a brother.

Although it does have a little mystery, The Whistling Season is no edge-of-your-seat thriller. It's a meandering, lyrical tale that won't be rushed. The pleasure is really in the journey, as Doig's every word is poetic and masterful. His characters are real and endearing, as charming as they are sympathetic. Their stories are told with a warmth and humor that enchants and affirms. Simply put, the novel is a masterpiece of old-fashioned storytelling.

There were a few things that bugged me about the book. Although I loved Doig's gentle style, I found it lacked focus at certain points. When Rose and Oliver met, I had the story pegged as a romance, but it really wasn't. The spotlight oscillates from the pair to Morrie to the plight of rural schools and back again. I would have liked smoother transitions between the various plots and themes. Sometimes the juxtapositions just felt too abrupt and jarring.

Overall, The Whistling Season is a triumph of storytelling, a beautiful tale as charming as, say, a one-room schoolhouse in rural Montana.

Grade: B+