Book Review: Between Home and School

Posted by Jeff on November 1, 2010 at 10:02 am

Between Home and School
by Bill Harley

The written correspondence between one parent and numerous teachers is a work of fiction, but the sentiments and emotions expressed within are anything but.

The real joy of these fabricated memos and emails is the mystery that lies in the ancillary conversations – between child and parent at home, parent and parent, and teacher and child in school. While reading the Bill Harley-composed communiques the reader naturally begins to imagine all of those additional discussions and, despite the relative scarcity of words in the letters, quickly develops an intimate connection with both the mother and the child. It’s a work of genius by Harley to make us feel anything for a boy who’s voice we don’t hear until the very last page. But he does it and I’d be surprised if your eyes are dry in the end.

Considering that no one, and I mean NO ONE, needs yet another coffee mug or pre-mixed package of dreadfully bland hot cocoa, consider Bill Harley’s Between Home and School as a unique, useful, and, frankly, brilliant gift for your child’s teacher(s) this upcoming holiday season. At $8 it’s likely cheaper than a flimsy ‘#1 teacher ornament’ and way more thoughtful than a Target gift card. We ordered 4 books for exactly this purpose. Ordering them from Harley directly means you can have him inscribe it to your kid’s teachers – how cool is that? I’ll bet they’ve never had a book signed by a 2-time Grammy winner.

At it’s core Between Home and School is an earnest memo to us, the caretakers and the educators. That message, delivered with Harley’s patented blend of levity, grace and sneaky depth, is that honest human interaction and meaningful, productive relationships are essential in raising bright, interesting and good children, and that that goal is best accomplished when we work together as a team.

Every member of that team – parents, teachers, grandparents, principles, etc – needs to read this book.

Buy Between Home and School by Bill Harley

*A copy of Bill Harley’s Between Home and School was provided to OWTK for review. The opinions expressed above are honest and unbiased. No arm-twisting took place in the review process.