Unschooled

Gr 3–5—It's Spirit Week at Liberty Falls Elementary, and the fifth grade class has been divided into two teams—Blue and Red. Best friends George and Lilly have been looking forward to this event all year. Together they can conquer any challenge. To make the contest even more enticing, Principal Klein announces a secret prize for the winning team. Disaster strikes as George and Lilly realize that they are not only on different teams but are also rival captains. No one is playing fair, and Principal Klein threatens to cancel Spirit Week as team members are slimed, costumes sabotaged, and class pets held for ransom. George and Lilly struggle to salvage their friendship and save Spirit Week. Told in the alternating voices of the two protagonists, this work provides good fodder for discussion on right vs. wrong, pride, achievement, responsibility, and self-esteem.