This Is a School
Age 4+
Picture Books
A moving celebration of school and all it may signify: work and play, creativity and trust, and a supportive community that extends beyond walls
A school isn’t just a building; it is all the people who work and learn together. It is a place for discovery and asking questions. A place for sharing, for helping, and for community. It is a place of hope and healing, even when that community can’t be together in the same room. John Schu, a librarian and former ambassador of school libraries for Scholastic, crafts a loving letter to schools and the people that make up the communities within in a picture book debut beautifully illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison.
Creators
John Schu is the creator of the popular blog Mr. Schu Reads (mrschureads.blogspot.com), was the Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic Book Fairs, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University, and a former classroom teacher and school librarian. He has visited schools all over the world and has met with over 130,000 students, teachers, and administrators as he advocates for the people and things he cares about most: kids, books, schools, and the libraries — and librarians — that connect them. This Is a School is his picture book debut. John Schu lives in Naperville, Illinois. You can find him at JohnSchu.com and on social media at @MrSchuReads.
Veronica Miller Jamison is an illustrator and surface pattern designer who was trained as a fashion designer. She has created art and patterns for Hallmark, Essence magazine, and Lilly Pulitzer. The illustrator of A Computer Called Katherine, written by Suzanne Slade, Veronica Miller Jamison lives in Philadelphia.
Reviews
An invitation to the very best of schools: inclusive, diverse, entertaining, fun and a place of learning, greets readers as they open the pages of this book.
ReadPlus
This upbeat debut title from librarian and former classroom teacher, John Schu, positions school as nurturing, inclusive and trusted hive, buzzing and brimming with activities, discoveries and possibilities. Each person is a valued member and when they come together, hope and healing are possible – an important message with the pandemic not quite out of sight. Jamison’s vibrant watercolour, acrylic and digital collage illustrations match the book’s cheerful tone, inviting readers to take part in a truly transformative community. An inspired celebration of school and an ideal read for anyone with the ‘first day of school’ jitters. Bonus: the dustjacket doubles as a delightful poster that depicts the joy of reading.
Reading Time
