THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING LUNCHROOM

Can a principled principal help beleaguered students?

The students at Parley Elementary School are fed up with their overcrowded, noisy, messy lunchroom. Soliciting help via polite correspondence with their principal, Ms. Mensch, they receive peculiar advice: Science projects should be placed on lunchroom tables; classroom pets should be brought to the lunchroom; sports teams must practice in the lunchroom. After carrying out these odd instructions—and seeing the situation deteriorate further—the desperate kids fire off another entreaty. Ever optimistic Ms. Mensch’s new solution? Projects, animals, and athletes must exit the lunchroom pronto. The result? The lunchroom is wonderfully spacious, neat, and quiet! Readers will note and appreciate that Ms. Mensch, who enjoys eating privately at her own desk, receives ample rewards in the end. The author’s note mentions that this story was inspired by a wise, witty Yiddish folktale, which serves as the basis for Margot Zemach’s It Could Always Be Worse. This book succeeds as an updated, equally humorous parable that conveys the realities of today’s schools and educators while emphasizing the moral to put life in perspective and be grateful for what one has. Children will relate to the students’ predicament and chuckle over the extremes they undergo to achieve a “fix.” The riotous digital illustrations capably match the comical shenanigans. Students are depicted diverse as to race, ethnicity, and physical ability. Ms. Mensch is light-skinned; some children wear kippot, and one child wears a patka. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Sage, farcical wisdom for lunchtime or any time.