The Fungus that Ate My School by Arthur Dorros, reflection by Emma Peel

"The Fungus that Ate My School" by Arthur Dorros is an imaginative comedy of a children's book. The story is about three young students who leave their science experiments at school over spring vacation. They tell their wacky teacher that their experiements are getting out of control, but he assures them, "fungus can take care of itself" (p. 2). Little did he know that this crazy, multiplying fungi would soon overtake the entire school! The hallways and offices quickly become covered in squishy, slimy, purple, green, and yellow fuzz. It eats the halls, the library, the offices, the cafeteria, and the classrooms! Fortunately Professor Macedemia comes to the rescue and saves the school with the Fungus Unit. The students are even given a special award from the Museum of Fungus and Industry. This wacky tale is a great book to use in the classroom to introduce science. Science is an area that has been ignored in the classrooms for many years and it is now becoming more vital for teachers to plan science lessons in order to enhance students' learning. This book is a great opener to get kids interested in the idea of science. It is a bridge between literacy and science. I would use this book to get my students to want to learn about gross things that they think are 'cool', like crazy purple, yellow, and green fungi! The author even included a note in the beginning that gives teachers a great aid in using this book for lessons. He says that fungi are everywhere in the world: the air, the water, and wherever living things exist! I had never heard of this book before, but as soon as I saw the title and the fun illustrations I knew that I would immediately love it and be able to use it in my future classroom.