The Bookshelf: Jan. 5, 2017

Trib+Edu is joining with respected books authority Kirkus Reviews to bring you select reviews of books of note in the field of education. For more book reviews and recommendations, visit Kirkus.com.

TROUBLEMAKERS: Lessons in Freedom from Young Children at School

by Carla Shalaby

When children enter the public school system, they are expected to sit still for long periods of time, listen, and do as they are told. In this intriguing, in-depth look at four young children, educator Shalaby examines the damage that may be done to kids who must conform. ... Shalaby ponders what's being lost when these highly inquisitive, energetic, think-outside-the-box kids are forced, through constant discipline, ridicule, and/or medications, to suppress their individuality. It's an important question, which teachers and parents should be asking when they notice a child expressing him- or herself in ways that aren’t necessarily “normal.” A provocative study questions the value and/or harm of conformity in a school setting.

For the full review, visit kirkus.com.