Are there any schools that you wished you could have attended? How about any of these schools in children’s books? From quirky schools to ones that specialize in something unusual, here’s a list of schools to consider.
How about you? What are your favorite schools (quirky or otherwise) in children’s books? Please share!
p.s. Related posts:
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Native American Residential Schools #OwnVoices Book List
My Remote Learning Plan for My High School Sophomore
Tips for Families Navigating Remote School and Work
Top 10: Best Quirky Schools in Children’s Books
10. School of Fear series by Gitty Daneshvari
This is the kind of school you’d send your kids if they had debilitating phobias to conquer. Even if my kids weren’t terrified of something, I’d have them read this very funny series. [middle grade, ages 10 and up]
If you are afraid of the dark, I have a list of picture books you might relate to.
9. Yoko and Friends series by Rosemary Wells
I’d do a lot to get my kids into Mrs. Jenkins’ class at Hilltop School. She embodies the perfect teacher for any kind of child. The class itself seems like a typical group of kids: girl bullies, mean kids, messy kids, smart kids, shy kids, body image-conscious kids, and even a kid that brings sushi for lunch. This picture book series also feels like “every school” because I get a deja vu feeling when I read it. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
If you are starting school and want multicultural picture books to feel more comfortable, here’s my list: Multicultural Starting School Picture Books.
8. Alice Miranda at School series by Jacqueline Harvey
I’m not sure I could handle Alice Miranda’s posh private boarding school. I’ve always avoided the “richer than God” crowd and assumed that the richest brat runs the school. It appears to be the case at Alice Miranda’s school but she’s up to the task of taking her on and bringing her down. And fixing the dysfunctionality at the school simultaneously. Any kid who enjoys a funny chapter book where a girl bully gets her comeuppance would like this series. [early chapter book, ages 7 and up]
If you need more books that deal with bullies, here’s my list.
7. My Weird School series by Dan Gutman
I think my kids would like to attend this weird school where teachers go to extreme lengths to engage their students. This “weird” series gets kids reading, even reluctant ones. [early chapter book, ages 6 and up]
Need more chapter books for 1st or 2nd grade? Here are some good ones!
6. Bloomability by Sharon Creech
What’s fun about Bloomability is that fans of Sharon Creech can see flashes of brilliance in her written work that will be in full bloom in later books like Walk Two Moons. Creech’s first job was as a teacher at an International School somewhere in Europe so it’s not a surprise that this boarding school chapter book reflects the student body that she taught. Bloomability is told through the eyes of Dinnie, who is unhappily attending a boarding school for the first time. For any kid who wants to go to boarding school far, far away, this is the book for armchair travel to Switzerland for an alpine adventure. [middle grade, ages 9 and up]
Want to learn more about Sharon Creech? Here’s our Sharon Creech author study.
5. Maximum Ride series by James Patterson
These kids are in a “school” of sorts but it’s a dangerous one.
Angel, the youngest member of the flock, is kidnapped and taken back to the “School” where she and the others were experimented on by a crew of whack jobs.
And by flock, I should mention that Angel and friends are hybrid experiments themselves; half-human/half-bird beings that can fly. With riveting plot twists and turns, the reader is never really sure who the bad guys are and what’s truly going on but this is an adventure that is a thrill ride from start to finish. [young adult, ages 12 and up]
If you like action-adventure fantasy, here’s my list of More Books Like Percy Jackson.
4. Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
Hogwarts school was voted as the 36th best Scottish educational establishment in a 2008 online ranking, outranking Edinburgh’s Loretto School.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry shortened Hogwarts, is a fictional British school of magic for students aged eleven to eighteen.
May we all be able to attend Hogwarts one day! Who wouldn’t want to learn how to become a wizard at this school? Sign me up! [middle grade, ages 8 and up]
3. Agent Colt Shore: Domino 29 by Axel Avian
Another school that I wish I could have attended is one that trains secret agents, 007 style. While there are many secret agent youths in children’s literature, most are incognito and attend regular school. In this book (pardon the terrible cover), Colt Shore is recruited for a school for secret agents, where, apparently, only a scant amount of training is needed to go on a mission. I’d recommend this book to anyone who thinks that secretly she (or he) was born into a family of spies and destined to become an agent. [middle grade, ages 9 and up]
I have more Secret Agent books if you need them. You know who you are.
2. Sideways Stories from Wayside High series by Louis Sachar
For kids who like quirky schools or possibly might be attending such a school, this is the school for you. Strange things happen here at Wayside High; a small smelly teacher finally removes his outerwear and the person revealed is not what you’d expect. How do these teachers land jobs at Wayside High? How does a school get built incorrectly? Those who appreciate the odd and abnormal should get themselves to this school. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]
1. The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill
This is my vote for Teacher of the Year in children’s literature and it happens to also be a true story! Set in a remote part of Alaska, a new teacher for a one-room schoolroom arrives and changes the lives of those she teaches. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]
Quirky School Books for Kids Honorable Mention
The Truth About My Unbelievable School by Davide Cali, illustrated by Benjamin Chaud
Henry takes a new classmate on a tour of his school. He thinks his school is boring but it has some very interesting stuff: a sea monster is the swimming instructor, the art teacher has vertical eyes like a Salvador Dali painting, and the principal can do spells. The school facilities are also unusual with a treehouse playground, a tube slide shortcut, and an underground canal. The little girl isn’t shocked. When her mother comes to pick her up, it’s clear that this isn’t the most unusual place she’s ever visited! [picture book, ages 4 and up]
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So glad to see both Wayside School and Bloomability on this list! One of my colleagues actually used to teach with Sharon Creech at a boarding school, which made Bloomability even more interesting for me to read. Thanks for being a great #KidLitBLogHop co-host!
Hi Katie,
What a thrill it must have been to know Sharon Creech as a teacher! I suspect she was an amazing teacher! I loved how you can see Sharon’s development as an author from Bloomability to Walk Two Moons. Thanks for co-hosting with me too!
Emma loves Hogwarts and Sideways School. We’ll have to look for some of these other books.
Hi MaryAnne,
Some schools are wackier than others!:) Emma would love the Alaska one though. That’s an amazing story!
I’ll have to look for a copy!
Hi MaryAnne,
Hope you enjoy it too!
This is an interesting topic for gathering books into one arena. Many will surely be interested in digging further. Visiting from KidLit
Thanks so much Linda. I think I just like all the weird schools in children’s books! The phobia one fascinates me … it’s like that TV show to get over your phobias.
I’m not sure I’d put Hogwarts in a quirky category, but I found this to be an interesting list. Have you come across The Fabled Forth Graders of Aesop Elementary School? They’d definitely fit in with the students of these other schools.
Hi Stacy,
I think that I just wish I could go to Hogwarts :). Thanks for your great suggestion. I haven’t heard of it but I will try to track it down.
Hello! Stopping to say hello from the Kid Lit Blog Hop.
I love your list. I’ve made a few notes and am adding a couple of these to my “to read” list. While not a quirky school, I like the Enid Blyton Mallory Towers series (I’m missing two) and the characters there.
It was interesting to see Hogwarts came in #4. i had thought it would be higher. 😀
Avi has an interesting school story where the students end up taking over to finish out the year.
Hi Xyra,
Thanks so much for your great suggestions! I had the Avi book on the list initially — My Secret School, I think — but I didn’t have a copy and didn’t get it time so I ended up removing it from my list. I’ll have to read and add back.
Fascinating list, thank you so much!
Hogwarts is so legendary, it single-handedly changed my perception of what school could be.
Even to this day, I like to pretend that I’m searching for hidden passageways on my travels 🙂
Trevor Carss
TrevorCarss.com
I hope to come across hidden passageways as well! Thanks Trevor!