One School, One Book

Welcome to the Lower School’s twelfth annual One School, One Book project!

What is One School, One Book? Simply put, it's an opportunity for all students, teachers, and parents in the Lower School to take time to read the same book and reflect on its themes and message. Brave Like That by Lindsey Stoddard is our 2023 One School, One Book selection.

Find yourself. Find your place. Find your brave.

This uplifting tale, which award-winning author Leslie Connor dubbed “a perfectly paced journey of the heart” is perfect for fans of Lisa Graff and Lynda Mullaly Hunt.

Cyrus Olson’s dad is a hero—Northfield’s former football star and now one of their finest firefighters. Everyone expects Cyrus to follow in his dad’s record-breaking footsteps, and he wishes they were right—except he’s never been brave like that. But this year, with the help of a stray dog, a few new friends, a little bit of rhythm, and a lot of nerve, he may just discover that actually…he is.

Lauded as “remarkable” by the New York Times Book Review, Lindsey Stoddard’s heartfelt stories continue to garner critical acclaim, and her latest novel will have fans new and old rooting for Cyrus and Parker’s special bond and the courage it helps them both to find.

This winter, each Lower School child will bring home a “book bag.” Each bag contains:

A family copy of Brave Like That
A bookmark for parents identifying the traits of a meaningful shared reading experience and good questions to ask while reading
A syllabus and schedule of planned student/parent events and activities
A research article supporting the importance of shared reading practices for older children

We ask that each family set aside time each evening to read aloud with their child. Time will be spent at morning meetings each week discussing an idea or two encountered in the assigned reading. Additional time will also be spent in various classes developing background knowledge or exploring information presented in the text.

An audio version of Brave Like That can be purchased and downloaded through www.audible.com. We would once again ask that if you choose to listen to the audio version, please commit to do so as a family. There is something powerful about listening to the language and message of this particular book together.

A parent round table discussion will be held on Thursday, February 16 at 11:00 in the Root Meeting Room. Please join Joe Mendes, English Department Chair, Julie Porrazzo, Director of the Educational Program, and me as we discuss the text and share ideas and insights.

We are thrilled to share this moving story with you and to come together as a community to further our love of reading.

One School, One Book

One School, One Book

Reading Schedule and Important Dates