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Reviewer:  Lauren A. '12

When 8 th grader Ida Bidson’s teacher, Miss Fletcher, must leave Colorado to take care of her ill mother, Ida’s dream of becoming a teacher falls apart.

This fourteen-year-old will do anything to teach, but she can’t go on to high-school without taking the final exam. Ida’s one-room class votes that she should be the new teacher, but they need permission from Mr. Jordan, Head of the School District. Knowing that his reply will be negative, her seven classmates keep the school secret, hence the title of the book. Things are going fine in the Secret School, but what will happen at Meet- the-Teacher-Night?

This is a very exciting novel filled with an interesting and descriptive plot. I’d recommend this book to anyone who wants to be a teacher and to anyone who just likes stories about determination.

Fall 2004

Ida Bidson just wants to go to high school and become a teacher.  Ida's dream starts to fade, when her school gets shut down. Ida's school gets shut down, because there is only one teacher. Suddenly that teacher has to leave town, because her mother is ill. The school does not have enough time to get a replacement.  How will Ida go to  high school if she does not have a teacher?  Other kids in her class do not want to repeat a grade.  So what will they do? Ida's dream is to keep the school going without anyone finding out.  Some people want Ida to teach the class, but she is only fourteen.  Can Ida do the job without anyone finding out or will she fail at her dream?

Spring  2004