Synopses & Reviews
More than anything, Ida Bidson wants to become a teacher. To do that, she must finish eighth grade, then go on to high school. But her dream falters when the one-room school in her remote Colorado town shuts down. Her only hope is to keep the school open without anyone finding out. Yet even a
secret school needs a teacher. Ida can't be it. . . . Or can she?
In the spirit of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Newbery Medal winner Avi creates an inspiring story of a headstrong girl determined to control her own destiny.
Review
"[A] carefully plotted, enjoyable, old-fashioned tale."--
School Library JournalSynopsis
More than anything, Ida Bidson wants to become a teacher. To do that, she must finish eighth grade, then go on to high school. But her dream falters when the one-room school in her remote Colorado town shuts down. Her only hope is to keep the school open without anyone finding out. Yet even a
secret school needs a teacher. Ida can't be it. . . . Or can she?
In the spirit of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Newbery Medal winner Avi creates an inspiring story of a headstrong girl determined to control her own destiny.
Synopsis
By the 2002 Newbery Medal winner! In 1925, a fourteen-year-old girl secretly takes over as teacher when her one-room schoolhouse in remote Colorado is closed.
About the Author
AVI has written many acclaimed books for young readers, including The Secret School, The End of the Beginning, and A Beginning, a Muddle, and an End. His novel Crispin: The Cross of Lead was awarded the Newbery Medal, and Nothing But the Truth: A Documentary Novel and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle were named Newbery Honor books. He lives in Colorado.
Reading Group Guide
Q> Ida must choose between hating herself and scaring herself. Have you ever faced a similar choice? What did you decide? Would you make the same decision now? Q> Tom tells Ida something his uncle once said: "If you want to try something new, and you're not scared, means you're not really trying something new." What did he mean? Q> When Ida's dad asks her if she wants to be treated like a kid or a grown-up, she confesses, "I don't know." Why wouldn't she want to be treated like an adult? Q> Ida has to deal with Herbert when he acts up in class. Would you have handled the situation differently if you were in her place? Q> Tom warns Ida not to forget who she is. Why would that make things harder for Ida and her friends? Q> How is a day in Ida's one-room school different from or similar to a day in your own school? Copyright c 2003 by Harcourt, Inc.