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Parents' Guide to

Miss Nelson Is Missing

By Peter Lewis, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Top-notch tale of teacher from the dark side.

Book Harry Allard School 1977
Miss Nelson Is Missing Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 4+

Based on 1 parent review

Ezv2y8xX
Ezv2y8xX Parent of 2, 4 and 4-year-old
March 28, 2020
age 4+
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Miss Nelson, a sweet and shrewd teacher who has to deal with a wild class of schoolkids, makes her winning picture-book debut. Harry Allard's wit and James Marshall's illustrations make this top-notch tale of the substitute teacher from the dark side a hilarious hit.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Allard delivers a crowd pleaser with his rowdy students and a substitute teacher that kids love to hate. His deadpan writing style underscores his comedy; school-age kids will be laughing out loud. Marshal's expressive and colorful pen, ink, and wash illustrations escalate silliness levels; he personifies mischievousness in the kids, kindness in Miss Nelson and vileness in Swamp.

The point that runs through the story -- that you ought to treat others with respect and consideration -- is clear yet tactfully unspoken. Along with the jokes, children seem to intuitively appreciate that the story could come true.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the characters in the story. Which are your favorite characters? How does the author make unlikable characters so funny?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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