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The School Story
Two middle school girls scheme to publish a book in this novel from Andrew Clements, the author of Frindle .
Natalie's best friend, Zoe, is sure that the novel Natalie's written is good enough to be published. But how can a twelve-year-old girl publish a book? Natalie's mother is an editor for a big children's publisher, but Natalie doesn't want to ask for any favors.
Then Zoe has a brilliant idea: Natalie can submit her manuscript under a pen name, with Zoe acting as her literary agent. But it's not easy for two sixth graders to put themselves over as grown-ups, even with some help from a couple of real grown-ups who are supportive but skeptical. The next bestselling school story may be in their hands—but can Natalie and Zoe pull off their masquerade?
Natalie's best friend, Zoe, is sure that the novel Natalie's written is good enough to be published. But how can a twelve-year-old girl publish a book? Natalie's mother is an editor for a big children's publisher, but Natalie doesn't want to ask for any favors.
Then Zoe has a brilliant idea: Natalie can submit her manuscript under a pen name, with Zoe acting as her literary agent. But it's not easy for two sixth graders to put themselves over as grown-ups, even with some help from a couple of real grown-ups who are supportive but skeptical. The next bestselling school story may be in their hands—but can Natalie and Zoe pull off their masquerade?
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2001
189 people are currently reading
2888 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Clements
190 books2,180 followersI was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1949 and lived in Oaklyn and Cherry Hill until the middle of sixth grade. Then we moved to Springfield, Illinois. My parents were avid readers and they gave that love of books and reading to me and to all my brothers and sisters. I didn’t think about being a writer at all back then, but I did love to read. I'm certain there's a link between reading good books and becoming a writer. I don't know a single writer who wasn’t a reader first.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 783 reviews
January 17, 2009
My daughter, Anne, told me that I had to read this book because it is the "best book ever written!" For a third grader, she loved how someone not much older than she was able to have her own office and succeed in the adult world. It is an entertaining book, well written, and empowering for children. A great read aloud!
March 25, 2014
Okay, because this book is out of the battle. I'm going to post my review.
3.5 stars really. Because this book has moments of being perfect and moments that just don’t work for me. (Note, this review devolves into a more general discussion of my thoughts on MG fiction pretty fast.)
Not just because I'm almost 30 an it's middle grade fiction (which I think I might have some issues with in general).
This is objectively a charming story about a young girl who ends up getting a book published with the help of her friend who acts as her agent.
Miss Clayton their teacher who is consistently supportive (for all her doubts) is kind of awesome as a character.
Some of the chapter titles are amazing. I laughed more than once.
Most of the stuff surrounding Nathalie’s dad's death is really well done. Not sure about the stuff with her Mom (who is a book editor). The part where Nathalie’s mom is all, “You’ll never guess what happened at work today” is hilarious (since Natalie has orchestrated the whole thing) But on the other hand (and this goes back to my issues with a lot of MG fiction), I don't know if my mother ever said that to me as a child and then described her day.
Although the fun of keeping the secret publishing plan from Nathalie's mother is nothing nothing to the hilarity of telling Zoe’s father, THEIR LAWYER.
The friendship between the two girls is great too.
But I just don’t know.
Part of it is that while I don’t read a huge amount of YA, I read some. So there is comparison ability. I have read some YA that is amazing, some that is mediocre, some that I really, really don’t like. I don’t read much MG. So I’m sort of stuck rating this in a vacuum, in my late twenties. And while moments were fabulous, IDK. I think in many ways I was far too practical for this book, even as a child (though that's hindisght). And in some ways I’m even more practical now. And the practical part of me is pointing out the inherent issues with this piece of MG fiction.
I've been thinking about this. Even while I was reading this book and finding it charming, part of my brain was rolling my eyes, because I just can't relate to this book in a lot of ways. And I don't think I would have related to it entirely at eight either. I read a lot as a kid, but I read a lot of books that were either classics and so sent in a different time period, or had fantasy elements (a lot of my favourite books as a child also had animal protagonists). I think part of the reason those were my preference was the increased degree of separation between the books and reality. It eliminates the problem of 'realism' in MG fiction (which isn't always particularly realistic in that it's slightly exaggerated for story pruposes).
This book is set in the "real world," at least theoretically (I really do recognize that it's fiction), and I think ten-year-old me would have been highly sceptical. It doesn't help that it features (as a lot of MG fiction does), at least one overly precocious child (in this Zoe, though Nathalie has elements of it). The character who's so enterprising and so brave and so unafraid to try anything that it rings a bit false, and becomes almost unrealistic. I understand that it's fiction. I understand the reason why these types of characters show up all the time in MG fiction; fiction favours the superlative when it comes to storytelling. I'm sure I read my fair share of books featuring overly precocious children as a child, but not a single one sticks out to me now as a particular favourite. Not one with a contemporary setting at least. Which leads me to think I probably liked some of them, but loved none (I remember the books I loved). All of the books that I can remember were either set during a different time period, or had something else to distinguish them from my day to day. There was a degree of separate that prevented my pragmatic child's brain from reacting with: "This book is a bit stupid. Why is it pretending to be realistic? No one I know would *ever* act like that or talk like that. We might play at writing books and let our parents read them, but actually publish them? No one I know would *ever* be able to do that." I suspect it's the same reason why I hated Anne of Green Gables the first time I read it at age 10-11 (and loved it when I got a bit older and could appreciate the humour). I just didn't find Anne, with all of her big words, anything even remotely realistic (11 year old Andree and 11 year old Anne probably wouldn't have been friends; by 14, I imagine we would have got along like a house on fire).
And while as an adult, I can appreciate that objectively this is an excellent children's book, part of me still couldn't resist the urge to roll my eyes from time to time. In the end, detracting from the reading experience.
3.5 stars really. Because this book has moments of being perfect and moments that just don’t work for me. (Note, this review devolves into a more general discussion of my thoughts on MG fiction pretty fast.)
Not just because I'm almost 30 an it's middle grade fiction (which I think I might have some issues with in general).
This is objectively a charming story about a young girl who ends up getting a book published with the help of her friend who acts as her agent.
Miss Clayton their teacher who is consistently supportive (for all her doubts) is kind of awesome as a character.
Some of the chapter titles are amazing. I laughed more than once.
Most of the stuff surrounding Nathalie’s dad's death is really well done. Not sure about the stuff with her Mom (who is a book editor). The part where Nathalie’s mom is all, “You’ll never guess what happened at work today” is hilarious (since Natalie has orchestrated the whole thing) But on the other hand (and this goes back to my issues with a lot of MG fiction), I don't know if my mother ever said that to me as a child and then described her day.
Although the fun of keeping the secret publishing plan from Nathalie's mother is nothing nothing to the hilarity of telling Zoe’s father, THEIR LAWYER.
The friendship between the two girls is great too.
But I just don’t know.
Part of it is that while I don’t read a huge amount of YA, I read some. So there is comparison ability. I have read some YA that is amazing, some that is mediocre, some that I really, really don’t like. I don’t read much MG. So I’m sort of stuck rating this in a vacuum, in my late twenties. And while moments were fabulous, IDK. I think in many ways I was far too practical for this book, even as a child (though that's hindisght). And in some ways I’m even more practical now. And the practical part of me is pointing out the inherent issues with this piece of MG fiction.
I've been thinking about this. Even while I was reading this book and finding it charming, part of my brain was rolling my eyes, because I just can't relate to this book in a lot of ways. And I don't think I would have related to it entirely at eight either. I read a lot as a kid, but I read a lot of books that were either classics and so sent in a different time period, or had fantasy elements (a lot of my favourite books as a child also had animal protagonists). I think part of the reason those were my preference was the increased degree of separation between the books and reality. It eliminates the problem of 'realism' in MG fiction (which isn't always particularly realistic in that it's slightly exaggerated for story pruposes).
This book is set in the "real world," at least theoretically (I really do recognize that it's fiction), and I think ten-year-old me would have been highly sceptical. It doesn't help that it features (as a lot of MG fiction does), at least one overly precocious child (in this Zoe, though Nathalie has elements of it). The character who's so enterprising and so brave and so unafraid to try anything that it rings a bit false, and becomes almost unrealistic. I understand that it's fiction. I understand the reason why these types of characters show up all the time in MG fiction; fiction favours the superlative when it comes to storytelling. I'm sure I read my fair share of books featuring overly precocious children as a child, but not a single one sticks out to me now as a particular favourite. Not one with a contemporary setting at least. Which leads me to think I probably liked some of them, but loved none (I remember the books I loved). All of the books that I can remember were either set during a different time period, or had something else to distinguish them from my day to day. There was a degree of separate that prevented my pragmatic child's brain from reacting with: "This book is a bit stupid. Why is it pretending to be realistic? No one I know would *ever* act like that or talk like that. We might play at writing books and let our parents read them, but actually publish them? No one I know would *ever* be able to do that." I suspect it's the same reason why I hated Anne of Green Gables the first time I read it at age 10-11 (and loved it when I got a bit older and could appreciate the humour). I just didn't find Anne, with all of her big words, anything even remotely realistic (11 year old Andree and 11 year old Anne probably wouldn't have been friends; by 14, I imagine we would have got along like a house on fire).
And while as an adult, I can appreciate that objectively this is an excellent children's book, part of me still couldn't resist the urge to roll my eyes from time to time. In the end, detracting from the reading experience.
November 8, 2015
I wish everything was as easy as the circumstances in this story. But there are so many talents which need to be discovered and so many talents which are wasted by a wrong educational system.
I especially liked how Andrew Clements created some very good female characters (and also some bad women too) as a male author himself.
I especially liked how Andrew Clements created some very good female characters (and also some bad women too) as a male author himself.
May 31, 2020
Dang I was not expecting to like this one so much. The friendship between the two girls is so cute.
December 22, 2008
It's no wonder that Andrew Clements books are popular with my students. He assumes that his reading audience is intelligent; he never writes down to kids. The main characters in this story are bright, witty and clever. Terrific book!
May 9, 2008
This is definitely one of my all time favorite books! I can really relate to this book because I like to write and the whole plot revovles around Natalie and her friend Zoe who try to publish Natalie's novel (with her mom as the editor) without their plan getting unmasked. It is an amazing read and your life is not complete until you read this book!
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April 19, 2021This is one of the books that cemented my desire to be an author. Looking back, I do think it's quite unrealistic that a twelve-year-old managed to be traditionally published (and her mom was her editor and her mom didn't know it)... but this book is still really fun, and I'm grateful to Andrew Clements for helping me on my authorial journey :)
August 27, 2016
This book is what inspired me to write myself!
October 7, 2016
I like this book because Natalie Nelson wrote a novel book called "the cheater". Its a good book because she wants to continue writing a book. Natalie's book is good enough to published but she's only a 6th grader and they need a real grown-ups to do it. She doesn't want to ask any favor from the mom and dad.
November 2, 2017
First read sometime in 2011.
4.5/5 stars because this book rocks.
4.5/5 stars because this book rocks.
January 2, 2014
SPOILERS AHEAD! :)
I read this a really long time ago, and when I decided to start writing, it occurred to me to read this again. Even the reread was some time ago, but it keeps haunting me. You see, it was kind of insulting.
And I know I know--it's intended for younger kids, and it's supposed to be fun etc. But I still have a problem with it, and dammit if I don't tell you why!
Basically it follows this girl who has little defining traits and I can't remember her name and her rich friend Zoe. The first girl (I'll call her Jane for the sake of this review) just finished her book with no grammar mistakes whatsoever
and her friend thinks it is wonderful.
Jane got the idea to write a book when her mom, who is an agent or publisher or something (how convenient!) complains there aren't enough school stories. So Jane decides to do something about it.
So this book is made out to be the best book on the planet even though the excerpt we receive is nothing special and kind of bland. But instead of showing her mom who would probably see it's greatness and try to publish it, or I don't know, send it to a real agent, they decide to do this:
Zoe pretends to be an agent, they pay a teacher to rent an office with Zoe's money, and they submit it that way directly to the agency.
And it works! It might have been interesting and a thousand times more realistic if she didn't get it on her first try, like every other author on the planet, but dammit that book is the best book on the planet and this was meant for 8 year-olds! Then they defeat this evil agent who wants to steal the book all for herself and they get right to rewriting.
But you know what is even more insulting than how easily she got an agent? There is ONE rewrite and it doesn't change the book hardly at all.
You know why? Because it has to do with her father and her mother is so emotional because Jane's father is dead or something. We never see him. He's just gone and we are expected to have an emotional attachment with him.
It would have been much more interesting if the mom wanted to change a lot of the book. Don't you think that would have set up conflict, especially since only the daughter knows. Again, it would have been more realistic too since this is her first novel and she is in eight grade, so the chances changes would have to be made are great.
[image error]
But no. This is perfect land so of course the book is published and it is really popular and a news team wants to interview her and the mom finds out it was her daughter and they hug with no moral consequences whatsoever.
I think that is my problem more than anything. The plot is just too convenient and there is just no struggle or consequences to any of their actions.
I mean, Andrew Clements' books are mostly based on stuff that would never ever happen in real life. A kid makes up a new word for pen? Maybe an inside joke for the class at best, but no way it would be a nation phenomenon. Grades in fifth grade being such a big deal that a genius brings a bad report card home on purpose? Where did this kid go to school?
Where I went, grades weren't a big deal in HIGH school. They might have been secretly, but everyone let D's roll off their backs like water.
Even when I was reading them when I was younger, I questioned the logic.
I mean, I get that most of these books' messages are to empower kid to try new things. Make up a word. Change the grading system. Write a book. There is nothing wrong with this, but in most of these, there are hardly any consequences. The only one that comes to mind is Frindle, but that plot was too ridiculous to take seriously anyway.
I haven't read all of his books, but I bet they are mostly the same. Can't one of them have one of these ideas/experiment/whatevers just phenomenally fail, or at least make the protagonist struggle in a realistic way?
I'd read that.
Well, happy new year!
I read this a really long time ago, and when I decided to start writing, it occurred to me to read this again. Even the reread was some time ago, but it keeps haunting me. You see, it was kind of insulting.
And I know I know--it's intended for younger kids, and it's supposed to be fun etc. But I still have a problem with it, and dammit if I don't tell you why!
Basically it follows this girl who has little defining traits and I can't remember her name and her rich friend Zoe. The first girl (I'll call her Jane for the sake of this review) just finished her book with no grammar mistakes whatsoever
and her friend thinks it is wonderful.
Jane got the idea to write a book when her mom, who is an agent or publisher or something (how convenient!) complains there aren't enough school stories. So Jane decides to do something about it.
So this book is made out to be the best book on the planet even though the excerpt we receive is nothing special and kind of bland. But instead of showing her mom who would probably see it's greatness and try to publish it, or I don't know, send it to a real agent, they decide to do this:
Zoe pretends to be an agent, they pay a teacher to rent an office with Zoe's money, and they submit it that way directly to the agency.
And it works! It might have been interesting and a thousand times more realistic if she didn't get it on her first try, like every other author on the planet, but dammit that book is the best book on the planet and this was meant for 8 year-olds! Then they defeat this evil agent who wants to steal the book all for herself and they get right to rewriting.
But you know what is even more insulting than how easily she got an agent? There is ONE rewrite and it doesn't change the book hardly at all.
You know why? Because it has to do with her father and her mother is so emotional because Jane's father is dead or something. We never see him. He's just gone and we are expected to have an emotional attachment with him.
It would have been much more interesting if the mom wanted to change a lot of the book. Don't you think that would have set up conflict, especially since only the daughter knows. Again, it would have been more realistic too since this is her first novel and she is in eight grade, so the chances changes would have to be made are great.
[image error]
But no. This is perfect land so of course the book is published and it is really popular and a news team wants to interview her and the mom finds out it was her daughter and they hug with no moral consequences whatsoever.
I think that is my problem more than anything. The plot is just too convenient and there is just no struggle or consequences to any of their actions.
I mean, Andrew Clements' books are mostly based on stuff that would never ever happen in real life. A kid makes up a new word for pen? Maybe an inside joke for the class at best, but no way it would be a nation phenomenon. Grades in fifth grade being such a big deal that a genius brings a bad report card home on purpose? Where did this kid go to school?
Where I went, grades weren't a big deal in HIGH school. They might have been secretly, but everyone let D's roll off their backs like water.
Even when I was reading them when I was younger, I questioned the logic.
I mean, I get that most of these books' messages are to empower kid to try new things. Make up a word. Change the grading system. Write a book. There is nothing wrong with this, but in most of these, there are hardly any consequences. The only one that comes to mind is Frindle, but that plot was too ridiculous to take seriously anyway.
I haven't read all of his books, but I bet they are mostly the same. Can't one of them have one of these ideas/experiment/whatevers just phenomenally fail, or at least make the protagonist struggle in a realistic way?
I'd read that.
Well, happy new year!
March 25, 2014
Even though I almost never read stories aimed at children, I found The School Story delightful. The description of the main character and how she learned to read was relatable to the extreme – I could just imagine reading this at that age and saying yes, that! that's it! The caper movie adventures sprinkled throughout the story make the book a page-turner.
The School Story also has lovely family relationships – and a missing father that made me cry, an awesome teacher who’s a very positive influence on her students, and a wonderful friendship between a reader and a talker. There are double identities and "big reveals" but never stupid misunderstandings. The writing style is very simple but that's what makes it so eminently readable. Of course, an adult needs to suspend disbelief when so many people are ecstatic over a book written by a twelve-year-old, but that would be the dream when reading it as a twelve-year-old, wouldn't it?
(from my round of the YA/MG book battle)
The School Story also has lovely family relationships – and a missing father that made me cry, an awesome teacher who’s a very positive influence on her students, and a wonderful friendship between a reader and a talker. There are double identities and "big reveals" but never stupid misunderstandings. The writing style is very simple but that's what makes it so eminently readable. Of course, an adult needs to suspend disbelief when so many people are ecstatic over a book written by a twelve-year-old, but that would be the dream when reading it as a twelve-year-old, wouldn't it?
(from my round of the YA/MG book battle)
April 30, 2009
Normally I love Andrew Clements books because there's a strong social justice message and the young protagonists risk a lot to stand up for what they think is right. For this book, I couldn't get that excited about a privileged 12-year trying to get her first novel published by questionable means. Plus, even though Clements seemed to want to write a book about interesting women and girls, the only characters with any power in the book are men (except for the villain, who seems to be a villain because she is powerful - eek). All in all, not a book I'll recommend to my students; I'd suggest Frindle or the Jake Drake books instead.
April 11, 2022
A charming book about two 12-year-olds who game the system to get a book published by a New York publisher. It's absolutely a hoot. I wish this book had been around when I was a kid.
The most unrealistic part of the entire book is not a sixth grader convincing numerous adults that she's a literary agent to sell her best friend's novel, but that an editor in New York can afford, on her salary, to take 2 taxi rides in Manhattan every single day.
The most unrealistic part of the entire book is not a sixth grader convincing numerous adults that she's a literary agent to sell her best friend's novel, but that an editor in New York can afford, on her salary, to take 2 taxi rides in Manhattan every single day.
September 1, 2017
WOW JUST SO LOVELY!!!! I can't believe NOTHING BAD HAPPENS IN THIS BOOK!!! I also can't believe that I didn't read this as a middle-grade reader, I would've eaten this up and reread it many times.
September 9, 2019
We read this aloud.
Kade age 10 rated it five stars which for him means he would read it again.
Finnegan age 8 rated it 4 stars which for him means he really liked it.
I would rate it a 4. It was a great book to share with my kids. I had to wipe tears a couple times. It was a sweet story with fun characters.
Adelee age 12 came in and out when we were reading it and quickly snatched it up to read herself when we finished.
Kade age 10 rated it five stars which for him means he would read it again.
Finnegan age 8 rated it 4 stars which for him means he really liked it.
I would rate it a 4. It was a great book to share with my kids. I had to wipe tears a couple times. It was a sweet story with fun characters.
Adelee age 12 came in and out when we were reading it and quickly snatched it up to read herself when we finished.
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February 8, 20131-10-13
This book is about a girl named Natalie who loveds to write. I love to write once I wrote a 7 page story. This book is a great book I have really enjoyed it so far. In the story Natalie's best friend named Zoe wants to help publish one of her books. I think that is a having a best friend also be a main character is really cool because I have never read a book like that. One thing I really like about this book is there is not much going on and it has very good detail and goes into depth about the story. One thing about this book I don't like is how Natalie doesn't have a dad I think they should have put a dad in the story because it would give the story more things to go into detail about. Whenever I write a story I try to add as much characters as possible because I can talk about theirs lives too. In the story Zoe went to hers dads office and it told about her life too which I think is awesome! I like how in the story Natalie's mom is always working so Natalie has to figure out stuff all by herself. One more thing I love is Natalie everyday has to go through the cities of New York to get to her moms office. It takes Natalie 3hours to get to her mom. My mom also works very far away. This is a fantastic book and I think everyone should read this!
February 27, 2014
I really wanted to love this book, but the premise of a twelve-year-old successfully publishing a best-selling book was simply too preposterous for me to suspend my disbelief. I enjoyed the book a great deal, but even though it is a sweet story and teaches kids about the publishing process, I can't take it seriously. I would like to give it four stars, but the suspension of disbelief problems pushes it down to three.
I've been a twelve-year-old writer, and I know how the creative process works, so I struggled to believe that the main character could possibly write a book so captivating and meaningful to adults. People her age have published books before, but no publishing agency believed that they were by adult writers. Nor would such a book receive rave reviews and become a best-seller. As nice as the story was, its implausibility hindered my ability to fully enjoy it.
I've been a twelve-year-old writer, and I know how the creative process works, so I struggled to believe that the main character could possibly write a book so captivating and meaningful to adults. People her age have published books before, but no publishing agency believed that they were by adult writers. Nor would such a book receive rave reviews and become a best-seller. As nice as the story was, its implausibility hindered my ability to fully enjoy it.
March 29, 2009
This book talks about what a brilliant writer, a best friend and a languange tacher are determined to do. Without getting caught the two 6th grade girls and their most trusted teacher publish a book, rent an office and do much more. I don't want to give away the ending, so to make a long story short, "The Cheater" becomes a book that everyone including the "boss" wants to read. So I suggest this book for people who love Andrew Clement's books. (Room One, Frindle, The Janitor's Boy, A Week in the Woods, etc.)
The School Story is just as good as all of his books. So don't think that like, this one is the best one. 'Cause in my opinion he's probably written more that in your opinion is more intriguing.
That was confusing.
The School Story is just as good as all of his books. So don't think that like, this one is the best one. 'Cause in my opinion he's probably written more that in your opinion is more intriguing.
That was confusing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2008
This book is really good! It is about a girl how writes a book called a school story. Well her best friend thinks it should be published and they do all these things to try to get it publish. Heres the chach, here mom works at the publishing compony so they need to do it with out her moms finding out!
November 11, 2024
2022
2020
The ingenuity of the children (Natalie for writing an amazing book and Zoe for being able to pull off being an agent) is amazing to read! I loved how the girls were able to get help from various grownups in order to keep Natalie's secret from her mom - and the reveal at the end :D
2015
2020
The ingenuity of the children (Natalie for writing an amazing book and Zoe for being able to pull off being an agent) is amazing to read! I loved how the girls were able to get help from various grownups in order to keep Natalie's secret from her mom - and the reveal at the end :D
2015
September 21, 2007
The School Story is pretty good. It is about a girl who loves writing storys. But she writes a really good one called "The Cheater." Her mom is the editor so she changes her name to Casandra Day. Plus her agent is her best friend Zoe. They are in sixth grade.
January 2, 2021
The plot was good, and I thought it might be a little more realistic. The story was cute, but I couldn't stand the main character.
Natalie was:
1). Snappy
2). When things got tough she was always ready to abandon ship.
3). She thought her friend was being stupid.
4). She was stubborn to a point where you couldn't stand her if you were a more laid back person.
I was going to give this book a three but Zoe saved it, she was the opposite of Natalie. Zoe was a talker but I knew that she was always thinking about how other people might feel she was a loyal friend.
Something that also pulled this book down was that the girls put a lot of work for a book that had NO point. So a girl cheats and she breaks a friendship, her dad steps in and always stands by her. I understood, Natalie’s dad gets into a car crash and dies. That was a minor bit of information, but the author makes it into a big part of the story.
Q&A:
Q. Was this book about Natalie’s dad and his impact on Natalie?
A. No, it wasn't it was more about Natalie’s talent.
Q. Did Natalie even want her book to be published?
A. No, Zoe was persistent and eventually Natalie agreed. But when that happens you want to think, ‘Then was the publication really necessary?’
If you just like to read and find Andrew Clements a AMAZING author then you may like this book. (Remember not everyone has the same opinion!)
Andrew Clements’ books:
Frindle
The Landry News
The Janitor’s Boy
Natalie was:
1). Snappy
2). When things got tough she was always ready to abandon ship.
3). She thought her friend was being stupid.
4). She was stubborn to a point where you couldn't stand her if you were a more laid back person.
I was going to give this book a three but Zoe saved it, she was the opposite of Natalie. Zoe was a talker but I knew that she was always thinking about how other people might feel she was a loyal friend.
Something that also pulled this book down was that the girls put a lot of work for a book that had NO point. So a girl cheats and she breaks a friendship, her dad steps in and always stands by her. I understood, Natalie’s dad gets into a car crash and dies. That was a minor bit of information, but the author makes it into a big part of the story.
Q&A:
Q. Was this book about Natalie’s dad and his impact on Natalie?
A. No, it wasn't it was more about Natalie’s talent.
Q. Did Natalie even want her book to be published?
A. No, Zoe was persistent and eventually Natalie agreed. But when that happens you want to think, ‘Then was the publication really necessary?’
If you just like to read and find Andrew Clements a AMAZING author then you may like this book. (Remember not everyone has the same opinion!)
Andrew Clements’ books:
Frindle
The Landry News
The Janitor’s Boy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2020
This was another recommendation from my grandson. Natalie, a twelve year old gifted writer, has written a book—a “school story”—just the kind of book her mom who is a book editor says is what her publishing company likes to publish. Natalie’s best friend Zoe acts as her agent and the two girls, under assumed names and with the help of a courageous teacher, get the book to Natalie’s mom who does, indeed, edit the book (not knowing her daughter is the author) and whose company publishes it. I like the book because there isn’t any scary drama, the girls’ friendship is positive, warm and solid and the adults, for the most part, are very supportive.
February 19, 2024
Another gem from Andrew Clements! He has now established himself as one of my favourite Middle-grade authors and I swear I'm going to hunt down every book he's written.
This book made me want to do all I can to be a better teacher for my students and if that's not a sign of a good book, I don't know what is.
This book made me want to do all I can to be a better teacher for my students and if that's not a sign of a good book, I don't know what is.
Read
May 12, 2017The book is a story about Natalie and her "epic" book-writing skills. After she starts writing a book, she gets very positive comments from her best friend Zoe and her English teacher. Zoe springs with an idea, getting her book published. With Zoe being her agent and her teacher the adult, can they pull it off?
The book is very easy to read, but very enjoyable. I would give this book to a 4th-6th grader.
The book is very easy to read, but very enjoyable. I would give this book to a 4th-6th grader.
July 22, 2019
Yet another quick and easy read. I enjoyed the story, and I think this would appeal to smaller children. I liked the little twist in the end, and I think that it was very inspirational. Would maybe read again.
October 20, 2020
I would suggest that the highest praise I can give for this book is the fact that despite both protagonists being girls my 10 year old son enjoyed it so much he wanted to move on to another book by the same author next.
January 7, 2021
I’m going to start giving myself credit for these chapter books I read out loud for my 2nd and 3rd grade homeschoolers.
Cute story and a great way to introduce how books are published. Kid power kind of vibe and even choked me up at times.
Cute story and a great way to introduce how books are published. Kid power kind of vibe and even choked me up at times.
November 12, 2023
I was pretty blown away by Zoe's ingenuity. I had no idea that a kid could set up a business and become a publishing agent just like that. This story is pretty clever, and I liked Natalie's mother's reaction.
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