Through the Cracks

Through the Cracks by Paolini, Judith. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780871922939.

Through the Cracks addresses one of the most important issues of our time: how youngsters become frustrated and disengaged in school systems that cannot always meet their emotional, mental, and intellectual needs. Presented as a children’s story, with powerful images that literally show the students “shrinking away” from the classroom, this allegory pleads with us to ensure the future of society by keeping kids creatively engaged. A young girl named Stella narrates, and she explains why she has lost pleasure in classwork. The problem: uninspired lessons leave them bored, with wandering minds that hinder learning. Fortunately, there are solutions here: bright and appealing classrooms where kids discuss their work and ideas, where special guests come to share their knowledge, where appealing art and research projects stimulate youthful imaginations, and where nature studies are actually done outdoors.