The Secret School

A 14-year-old girl secretly runs a school after the teacher leaves to care for her ailing mother and the school board refuses to replace her.

5.5/7 Bookroo expert·3.8/5 Goodreads · 5,346 ratings

157 pages· 23,694 words· Est. 3.5 hour read

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Bookroo's summary

In a remote Colorado town, young Ida Bidson's dream of becoming a teacher is threatened when her school closes. Desperate to continue her education, she hatches a daring plan to secretly keep the school running. But can she lead her classmates without anyone discovering their secret? As challenges mount, Ida must decide how far she's willing to go to control her destiny. Will her determination be enough to overcome the odds and achieve her dreams? This inspiring tale follows a courageous girl on her journey to defy expectations and forge her own path.

"If you want to try something new, and you're not scared means you're not really trying something new."

— from the book

From the publisher

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.

At a glance

Format
Pages: 157
Words: 23,694
Reading age: 8–11
Audience: Juvenile Reader
Lexile: 610L

Themes & topics

Books about teachers Books about school Books about rural living Books about 20th century Books about girls and women

For the grown-ups

The parent guide

What families may want to know

Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.

Language

This book contains one instance of profanity, "Lord knows, living round here is a full-time job."

After the last page

Talk about it together

When Ida takes on the role of teacher, she adds a great responsibility on top of her chores and studies. How does Ida manage to do it all, and what can we learn from her efforts?

The town school is faced with hard odds when the teacher leaves for a family emergency. Were you surprised by the children's decision to keep running the school in secret, and how does this story help you value your education?

What readers & critics say