Recess
by Lane Smith; illus. by the author; design by Molly Leach
Primary    Abrams    40 pp.
7/25    9781419776892    $19.99
e-book ed.  9798887074047    $17.99

At Freedom Elementary School, students tackle reading, writing, and math, but as the narrator wryly notes, sometimes they “need a break from all that fun, right?” Enter recess—spontaneous, unannounced, and absolutely necessary. What if, Smith suggests, students took a recess in the middle of a math assignment or during a spelling lesson? In this interactive story, children are invited to join in the action: shaking limbs, yelling “Bananas!” during a hilariously absurd math problem, air-typing in the media center, quacking like ducks, bouncing and tossing invisible balls in gym, and playing pretend musical instruments while marching in place. Each burst of movement begins with an exuberant “RECESS!” set in saturated neon pinks, sunny yellows, and electric oranges that contrast sharply with the dull, grayscale classroom scenes. The visual cue mirrors students’ pent-up energy and their deep longing to play. Smith’s meta-commentary adds a comic, teacher-like voice (“Too silly! Stop typing!” and “Enough! End of RECESS”), which creates a rhythm that mimics some real classroom dynamics. Underneath all the antics, the story honors children’s need to move, laugh, and be momentarily wild, even within the structure of the school day. A high-energy, high-participation read, tailor-made for storytime, that joyfully affirms play as essential, not extra, and is likely to become a classroom favorite.

From the September/October 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.