The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Havill, Juanita

Jamaica and the Substitute Teacher

32 pp. | Houghton | March, 1999 | Trade ISBN 0-395-90503-6 $$15.00

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien. Jamaica does her best to impress the substitute teacher, but she realizes she's forgotten to study for the spelling test--and so she copies. When she confesses, the teacher explains that she doesn't have to be perfect to be special. As in the other books about Jamaica, Havill treats the moral dilemmas of childhood with sensitivity and respect. Warmly colored illustrations depict a cheerful, diverse classroom and a sympathetic main character.

Reviewer: Terri Schmitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 1999