School of Fear

by: Gitty Daneshvari

Published by: Little, Brown and Company

Reviewed by Leslie Granier

Four children from very different backgrounds are unwillingly spending the summer together at the School of Fear, which is located on a secluded hill in Farmington, Massachusetts. Each child has a phobia and their irrational behaviors are beginning to control their lives.

Madeleine is terrified of spiders and walks around with a veil covering her face and cans of insect repellent around her waist. Garrison has a fear of large bodies of water. Theo’s obsession with death and dying has become worse since his grandmother’s recent death. Now he must keep in constant contact with all of his family members to make sure they are still alive. Lulu dreads being in confined spaces, especially elevators and bathrooms without windows. Although the kids seem to have little in common, they are forced to rely on each other when they are faced with a extremely dangerous situation.

School of Fear will appeal to boys and girls between the ages of nine and twelve. They will enjoy reading about the quirky characters as well as the adventures they experience. They will likely be able to relate to at least one of the characters and will recognize that some fears are rational but excessive ones need to be addressed and overcome. Readers also will be enthralled with the school itself because it is unlike any classroom they have ever encountered.

This is a fun book that explores how people’s fears influence the ways they live their lives. It shows the experiences they are missing out on because they are too afraid to participate. The characters are well developed and young readers can easily follow their thoughts and understand their apprehensions. In fact, they may even develop some empathy.

Gitty Daneshvari has created a gem for young readers. Even those who do not really like to read will be entertained by School of Fear. The plot is age appropriate, the characters are endearing, and their adventures will be remembered for a long time.

Armchair Interviews says: A 5-star middle reader with easily identifiable characters.