Amanda Ripley’s The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way is a must-read for every parent, student, and educator. Ripley sets out to understand why the United States is mediocre in test-taking and quality of education by examining schools in other countries. Ripley conducts interviews and observations in South Korea, Finland and Poland and shadows three American high school students through their foreign exchange experiences. The book is written in a causal tone, and it has such a wealth of information that I filled several pages full of notes. Ripley’s research results are surprising, but she is able to discover what matters and what doesn’t in a successful learning environment. The Smartest Kids would be a great book club choice, as it is sure to cultivate lots of discussion. Readers will enjoy and appreciate this incredible book and resource.
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 1 religious exclamation, 1 scatological word.
Violence/Gore: Several secondhand reports of violence including Battle of Gettysburg, WWII, mugging, murder rates and child abuse; a brief non-detailed scene of violent death involving a student stabbing his mother.
Sex/Nudity: None
Mature Subject Matter:
War, battle, poverty, racism, depression, suicide and murder rates, cheating, “coming out” and homosexuality, underage drinking, smoking and drug use, communism and oppression.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
Underage drinking, smoking and drug use; tourists drink; mention of mothers who drink too much vodka; a few kids are described as “stoners”.
