first line: "Kate was flying. She was thinking beautiful thoughts, and she was flying."

This is part children's horror story, part satire on the standardized-test-based approach to education. Not too surprisingly, the human villains are more despicable than the supernatural ones. ( )

Synopsis: Popular 8th grader Kate, and her brainiac 6h grade Uncle George are accepted to the new Whittaker Magnet School, which boasts the highest standardized test scores in the nation. The school is run by Dr. Austin and his wife Cornelia Whittaker-Austin. Classes are held in the basement of the Whittaker Library and the students are fed protein shakes and forced to exercise on treadmills to improve their test performance. The hauntings seem to have begun again as staff and students appear to be possessed by a murderous demon. Kate and George, who right away realize that they do not belong at the school, try to solve the mystery of the ghostly demons.

Pros & Cons: This YA book is a satire of our nation's obsession with standardized tests, that any adult can crack a smirk over. However, I think much of the satire is above the targeted audience of the book - middle schoolers. The author puts "tween" references and dialogue in throughout the book, but they seem awkward. I enjoyed Bloor's Tangerine, but this book does not compare. I don't know if it is the attempt to combine realism with fantasy - but it just didn't work. I did enjoy the first 3/4th of the book and the mystery began to pull me in. The last quarter of the book and the ending just did not satisfy me. Overall, OK book (2 1/2 stars), but not highly recommended. ( )

Rated: G ( )

Ever suspect that there's something demonic at the heart of the standardized testing movement? Join Kate and her two-years-younger uncle George as they enter the Whitaker Magnet School, a mysterious place that recruits the best test takers from surrounding school districts to earn the school more tax money by training them to excel even further on tests.

I was a bit hesitant about picking up this book. I adored Tangerine, but Crusader was so bad I didn't know if I could trust the author again. I'm glad I picked up the book anyway, because Story Time is a wonderful book. His depiction of education today is spot on, and is also very funny. AFter the one-dimensional characters in Crusader, I was overjoyed to see well-rounded and sympathetic ones here. I can say now that Bloor has won me back as a fan.