This funny picture book from Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech, author of  Walk Two Moons , and  New Yorker  cartoonist Harry Bliss is a delight for kids, with its colorful illustrations and gentle comeuppance for a well-meaning principal who learns that learning  outside  of school can be just as important as being in school. Tillie goes to a fine, fine school where kids learn about dinosaurs, build pyramids, and paint portraits. When her principal decides to call all the students and teachers together for an announcement, no one could have predicted he would say that there will be school on Saturdays! Soon everyone goes to school on Sundays, holidays, and even the summer. He loves school so much that he forgets to give anyone time off! On weekends, redheaded Tillie climbs trees and teaches her little brother how to skip. During the week, of course, she goes to school. Her principal, Mr. Keene, is the kind of gung ho leader any school would be lucky to have. That is, until he goes a little over the top. "Oh!" he says. "Aren't these fine children? Aren't these fine teachers? Isn't this a fine, fine school?" And then this exuberant administrator decides five days isn't nearly enough for such a fine school. "From now on, let's have school on Saturdays, too!" The teachers and students are not thrilled, but no one is willing to burst Mr. Keene's bubble. Soon their well-meaning principal has done away with weekends, holidays, and summer vacation. It's time for someone to take action... gently, though. Young Tillie has just the right amount of subtlety and tact--and motivation--for the job. Sharon Creech is the bestselling author of many fine, fine books for kids and teens, including the Newbery Medal-winning Walk Two Moons , and a Newbery Honor Book, The Wanderer . Wonderfully clever touches by the illustrator, award-winning New Yorker cartoonist and cover artist Harry Bliss, include signs in the cafeteria ("Why not study while you chew?") and the priceless expressions on students' and teachers' faces as Principal Keene announces yet another plan to increase school daze. Wonderful! (Ages 6 to 10) --Emilie Coulter K-Gr 2-Principal Keene is proud of his school. "`Oh!' he would say. `Aren't these fine children? Aren't these fine teachers? Isn't this a fine, fine school?'" He becomes so enamored of the learning he sees taking place that he decides there should be more. First he schedules school on Saturdays, then Sundays, then holidays, and finally throughout the summer. With each addition, readers are told, "The teachers and the students did not want to go to school [on Sundays, holidays, etc.], but no one knew how to tell Mr. Keene that." Finally, young Tillie confronts him and explains that not everyone is learning-there are little brothers who can't skip and dogs that can't sit-and she herself cannot climb her tree. The principal finally realizes that there are certain kinds of learning that take place outside the classroom and the normal schedule is resumed. Creech's telling of this implausible parable is repetitive and not particularly energetic, but Bliss's colorful cartoon illustrations take up the slack with their sly humor and meticulous attention to detail. Children are pictured with backpacks labeled "wide load," and plastered with Post-it notes reading "massive test on your birthday" and "power nap at 2 pm." In this day of the over-scheduled and hurried child, this book could be a good impetus for a discussion of the value of stopping to smell the roses. Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. *Starred Review* Ages 5-8. Mr. Keene, the principal of a fine, fine school, just loves to see his students learning. So happy is Mr. Keene, he calls an assembly, proclaims his pride, and gives an order, "Let's have school on Saturdays, too!" Young Tille is less than pleased. On weekends she likes to climb her favorite tree; show her dog, Beans, tricks; and teach brother how to skip. But soon, she's going to school on Sundays, holidays, and during the summer. Finally, Tille's had enough. She marches into Mr. Keene's office and announces that not everyone is learning. Horrified, Mr. Keene demands to know what she means, and Tille explains: Beans isn't learning his tricks, her brother isn't learning to skip, and she's not climbing very well. Mr. Keene gets the picture immediately, and he revokes his order: "Fine, fine, fine," the students and teachers cheer. This book has it all: a fine, fresh idea; a witty text that's fun to read aloud; and, most of all, intelligent, amusing art that provides an extra load of laughs. Bliss, an award-winning cartoonist at The New Yorker, takes a good idea and flies with it. He captures the initial intensity of the classroom and elevates it to the blissfully absurd, as banners spring up in the cafeteria ("Why not study while you chew?") and the children wear signs on their huge, stuffed backpacks that read, "H