The Secret School

The Secret School

Secretschoolbyavi.JPG The Secret School book cover
Author	Avi
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	none
Genre	Historical novel
Publisher	Sandpiper (August 1, 2003)
Media type	Print (paperback, hardback)

The Secret School is a novel by Avi.

Plot summary

The story takes place in rural Colorado in 1925. Ida Bidson wishes to go to high school and become a teacher. To do that she must past the Exit Exams. Bad news comes to her one day. Her teacher Miss Fletcher's mother is very ill off in Iowa. Miss Fletcher has to help her mother. Since it was almost the end of the period, Mr. Jordan will not get another teacher till next year. Without school, Ida and her friend Tom can't take the Exit Exams. So Ida and the class had a vote and they voted Ida would be the "teacher", since she was so smart. One day Mr. Jordan discovered what the children were doing. The school was closed down again. Herbert Bixler told Ida that Mr. Jordan and some other people were having a secret meeting. So Ida and Tom made some posters advertising everyone to go to the meeting. To find out if Ida gets in to high school and passes her exit exam I guess you will have to read the rest of the book.

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Ida Bidson: A caring, ambitious 14 year old girl who dreams of becoming a school teacher one day. She needs to pass the Exit Exams to go to high school to become a teacher, so she becomes a teacher at a secret school. She has a younger brother, Felix who is 7 years old, and baby sister named Baby Shelby. Her parents are sheep farmers. Ida is short for her age and is only 4' 11", so she has to have her brother Felix push down the brake and gas pedal in their old car every morning to school and back to avoid walking 5 miles there and back. She passed her Exit Exam, along with Tom.

Felix Bidson: Ida's 7 year old little brother. Felix is in first grade. He is pretty enthusiastic about his older sister becoming his teacher, although he hates calling her "Miss Bidson." Ida notices that he scrunches up his eyes when he's thinking hard during school. Every morning, he pushed down the gas pedal and the brakes on His and Ida's old car, because Ida's not tall enough and they don't want to walk 5 miles to school and back.

Miss Fletcher: The school's teacher. She is kind and loved by the children. She leaves the school because she received a telegram stating her mother had a stroke and has to go back and take care of her.

Tom Kohl: Ida's best friend, who is also 14 years old. He is Mary Kohl's older brother, and wants to become a scientist when he grows up. He created a crystal radio which he presents during class. Tom's radio actually worked, which he was very proud of. He is tall for his age and very skinny. He also rides a mule to school everyday along with his little sister, Mary. He is German, like his parents and little sister Mary. He passed his Exit Exam, along with Ida.

Mary Kohl: Tom Kohls' little sister and one of Felix's friends. Not much is known about, except that she's German like her older brother Tom, and is in second grade. She gives Miss Fletcher a basket when she leaves, from the other students, too.

Herbert Bixler: A trouble making student in school. His parents are very poor and can't always go to school every day. No one makes him go to school, he does it because he wants to. HIs age and grade is unknown.

Mr. Jordan: A mean, careless man. He is head of the school board, and won't get a teacher for the last month in a half of the last semester to save money. He is greatly disliked by all the students, and doesn't believe a girl needs a high school education.

Mr. and Mrs. Bidson: Ida and Tom's parents. They are generally good parents, being supportive of their kids and accept Ida's dream of being a school teacher. They will do the best they can to let Ida go to high school, but it depends how much money they make each year. They work on a sheep farm, and firmly believe that the farm should come first. Mr. and Mrs. Bidson didn't go to school when they sere younger, although Mr. Bidson does like to read.

Mr. and Mrs. Kohl: Tom and Mary's parents. They grew up in Germany and didn't go to school, so they want their kids, Tom and Mary, to go to school and have a good education. Mr and Mrs. Kohl have red cheeks and speak with German accents.

Mr. Bixler: Herbert Bixler's dad. He is very poor and works on a farm all day long. He often pulls Herbert out of school to help him out. It is unknown where his wife is. He can come off as a bit mean and rude, but he is really sort of compassionate.

Natasha: One of the students at school. She is in fourth of fifth grade,and is the best speller in the class.

Charley Spool: Another one of the students in class. He is brothers with Susie and is always the first one to get to school along with his sister because they live on the hill right next to the school. Susie Spool: A student in Ida's class. She is sisters with Charley, and is always the first one to get to school along with his brother because hey live on the hill right next to the school.

Miss Gertrude Sedgewick: A woman who gives the students their Exit Exams.

Shelby Bidson: Ida and Felix's baby sister. Not much else is known about her.

Mr. Plumstead: Miss Fletcher's ride to the airport to visit her mother.

References

• Publishers Weekly Description
• Kidsreads.com