Francesco Ricciulli Ricciulli من عند حبابه، خوزستان، إيران من عند حبابه، خوزستان، إيران

Russel Culver thinks his prayers are answered when the strict teacher in his one room schoolhouse, with barely enough students to keep it open, passess away in August. He hopes that the school will close, so he and his best friend can leave their fathers' farms in Indiana to travel to North Dakota, where the farms are much bigger and the equipment and farming methods much more modern. Unfortunately, Russel's older sister is hired to replace the teacher. His dreams of travel are shattered when some harmless pranks go wrong and he begins to learn what growing up is all about. His best friend vies for Russel's sister's attention with both an older student and a well-off gentleman who rides through the town in the first racecar to see this county in Indiana. Russel learns a great deal both in school and out. I laughed aloud during parts of this book as the children played pranks on each other and generally got into miscief even when it wasn't intended, just as children often do. The book was very descriptive, giving an accurate picture of life in a rural town during the start of the 20th century. I would use this book grades 4-6. There are themes that lend themselves to good discussion topics: maturing, honesty, fairness, technological progress and the value of education.