Monday, August 04, 2008

Schooled by Anisha Lakhani

Schooled is a look inside the tutoring/private school world of Manhattan. Anna Taggert is a new graduate from Columbia. She is beyond excited to begin her career as a teacher and is invited to teach at Langdon. Though her parents don't exactly support her choice and her best friend is living in the luxury that Anna knows she will never be able to afford on a teacher's salary she starts the year optimistic.

She quickly learns that this is no ordinary school, giving homework and giving in class assignments get her phone calls from mothers, having lunch with the mothers gain her friends, and doing just about nothing in class but assigning the students to do research in the library gives her high praises. Anna soon realizes that her students for the most part are being tutoring, and she's unsure if any the homework her students turn in is their own true work. Anna vows to not let the children, parents, and tutors get away with this "tutoring" but it quickly gets taken out of her hands. Eventually Anna finds her way into the world of tutoring sort of accidentally and does exactly what she was previously fighting against. It's her journey through the highs and lows of the tutoring world.

I really enjoyed this book. I could relate to Anna, wanting to do something good in the world but also wanting to have fun, and have a little bit of money. She wanted her dream to come true of teaching but also living a great life with a nice apartment and time for friends. I could sympathize with her choices, thinking she could really tutor these kids and help them without just doing the work for them. It was also really funny. I especially liked the part about Tweebles the robot (you'll have to read to find out about this one), also the crazy teachers and parents and Anna trying to create lessons her students would like. It was very very fun! I didn't go to private school but always wondered how it was different then public school. I believe they have different things to offer but also just like with anything it is what you make of it.

You can find Schooled in stores tomorrow!
4/5 Stars
Review copy provided by publisher

7 comments:

  1. Thanks for the review. It sounds like a fun book. How did you get your ARC? I had not heard about Amazon Vine before, but when I went to add it to my wishlist, I noticed all the reviews from Amazon Vine and read a little bit about that program.

    My sister passed on a book called Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld. It is about a girl who goes to prep school and follows her freshman to senior year. You might enjoy it.

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  2. Did you get this through LT or a cold request? It did catch my interest when it was on the ER book, but I think I missed my chance to get it from Hyperion Select... maybe someday!

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  3. Mrs. V- I got it through a cold request. I tried for it through the Librarything Early Reviewer's program and wasn't successful so I emailed the author's publicist I believe. I wish I was cool enough for Amazon Vine ;) I've read Prep! I did enjoy it, it was definitely a different sort of book!

    Lenore- I tried for it through ER too and didn't get it so I emailed the author's publicist. It's weird, I got my copy about two weeks ago and the ER people have yet to get theirs, I feel kinda bad!

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  4. Nice review. I hadn't heard of this before, but it sounds like a good story. And I always love the humorous parts!!!

    -Lauren

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  5. Anonymous11:51 AM

    Great review! I have heard lots of positive things about this book.

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  6. Keri- Thank you! I really enjoyed this book :)

    shooting stars mag- It's really a fun book! It is pretty funny, especially Tweebles the robot!

    J. Kaye- Thanks! Yeah I really enjoyed it (now I'm gearing up for the movie version in a few years... there has got to be one!, they better feature Tweebles the robot!)

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