School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 2-The picture book by Miriam Cohen, originally published in 1980 and illustrated by the author and reissued (Star Bright, 2006) with illustrations by Ronald Himler, provides a reassuring look at the limitations of standardized tests. This iconographic version is introduced by the author. The first graders are all anxious when they are presented with the test--all except for Anna Maria, who sees it as an opportunity to find out how smart she is. Some of the children fail to finish in time, while others get questions wrong because their prior knowledge or curiosity complicates things. When Anna Maria is moved to the "special class because she did a good test," her classmates feel inferior and the refrain, "dummy" echoes across the room. Their usually mild-mannered teacher interjects, "Listen to me!...The test doesn't tell everything. It doesn't tell all the things you can do! You can build things! You can read books! You can make pictures! You have good ideas! And another thing. The test doesn't tell you if you are a kind person who helps your friend. Those are important things." In the end, Anna Maria misses her old classmates and chooses to rejoin them. "It's good to be together again...We don't need a test to tell us that!" While the message is timely and positive, it is somewhat didactic. Ronald Himler's pencil and watercolor illustrations for the reissued edition seem drab and washed-out compared to Cohen's original primary-colored artwork. The narration is adequate, and the gentle background music is soothing. Youngsters facing their first big test may be confused by the message presented here.-Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.