The Magical Ms. Plum

November 1, 2009
Gr 2-4-Nearly every child at Springtime Elementary knows there is something unusual about Ms. Plum's third-grade classroom although former students never say much about it. It seems that anytime they try to talk about it, something funny happens to their mouths. At the start of the school year, the class is curious and, maybe, a little scared to find out what's so special about Ms. Plum. They quickly learn that it's her supply closet. Whenever she asks students to get an eraser or pencil, they return with a mysterious animalone with a cure to whatever ails them. Jeremy, the gloomiest kid in the room, returns from the supply closet with a glowering raven that repeats the phrase "pig snout" until Jeremy dissolves into a fit of giggles. Nadia, a worrier, returns with a kitten that drowns out a classmate's doom-and-gloom comments with its purring. The book is reminiscent of Candace Fleming's "The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School" (Random, 2007) in tone and telling. Readers will relate to the youngsters' problems and enjoy their magical resolutions. Illustrated with delightful black-and-white drawings and filled with clever and short vignettes, this fast-paced story is a good choice for struggling readers."Beth Cuddy, Seward Elementary School, Auburn, NY"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2009
Grades 2-4 Ms. Plum is the best teacher at Springtime Elementary School: after a year with her, every student in her class has blossomed. The secret is in the supply closet. Whenever students open it to replenish Ms. Plums chalk or pencils, they discover an animal that fits in with their personality: Tashala, a cowboy wannabe, finds a stallion; smarty-pants Eric discovers a mind-reading parrot. Each critter is instrumental in teaching the children something important about themselves. The children can never decide if Ms. Plum is magical or if it is the closet itself that is enchanted. In the end, it doesnt really matter. Just like Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Ms. Plum weaves a kind of magic that is tailor-made to each child. And just like all great teachers, she knows how to help students get the best out of themselves. This book will have readers wishing and searching for a Ms. Plum in their own lives.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)