Review by Booklist Review
What is recess if not a break from the ordinary? Enter this ode to the joy of mixing it up! Wildly varying fonts and exuberantly painted illustrations have rarely been used to such good effect. Noting that "you all look like you could use a recess this minute," the text enthusiastically encourages readers to shake their hands, legs, and booty--until the end of the page, when ("Stop! End of RECESS") it's back to business. Drab pages about school--math, spelling, gym--alternate with lively interludes spent quacking, bouncing, stomping, or repeatedly yelling "Bananas!" as directed by our narrator, until the book finally guides listeners to take some breaths and "chill." The breezy, conversational tone of the text, along with the dry observations of recess antics ("Shouting random fruits in a non-cafeteria environment feels way inappropriate") will bring smiles even to those beyond the usual picture-book crowd. While some teachers may wince at the spirited silliness, others will find this roller coaster to be just the right read-aloud for a midday change of pace.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Ever the troublemaker, Smith stages a jubilant, eye-popping, and highly interactive mutiny against the tyranny of strictly scheduled fun, declaring recess an anytime, anywhere affair. When pedagogical fatigue strikes ("I mean, you all look like you could use a recess this minute"), triumphant lines prescribe immediate rebellion in the form of a break: "RECESS! Everyone, shake your hands! Everyone, shake your legs! Everyone, shake your booty!" Mixed-media artwork that brings to mind Paul Klee in the throes of a sugar high combines with unleashed typography to offer a recess prescription for every academic scenario. And while some structure is imposed on the outbursts (each vignette concludes with "End of RECESS"), the narrator does seem at least occasionally taken aback by the aftermath ("I did not think there would be so much booty shaking"). It's a playful work that suggests an effective educational strategy can consist of knowing when to momentarily abandon ship. Characters are portrayed with a range of fanciful colors. Ages 4--8. (July)
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Review by Horn Book Review
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. Julie DanielsonSeptember/October 2025 p.52 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The essence of a school-day recess is siphoned down into pure joyous chaos. Before tapping into the kinetic energy of a classic "red light, green light" game, Smith begins with an acknowledgment that while school is "pretty fun," once in a while "we need a break from all that fun, right?" As he introduces different school subjects, he somehow always finds a way to end his descriptions of gym, spelling, and even math with a cry of "RECESS!" During these interludes, he encourages young readers to shake their booties, quack like ducks, stomp their feet, bounce invisible balls, and do any number of other loud things--until the fun abruptly ends, and it's back to more schoolwork. The triumphant finish invites readers to take part in all these activities at once in a riot of color and movement. This interactive explosion of a book bursts off the page, engulfing young listeners in its inescapable exuberance. The read-aloud potential is high, with the intrusive narrator providing hilariously disapproving commentary while also egging readers on. The characters are awash in bright hues and tones; Smith uses geometric shapes for many of the children's facial features. If B.J. Novak'sThe Book With No Pictures (2014) were smushed into Jon Scieszka and Smith'sThe Stinky Cheese Man (1992), this might well be the result. Wilder than any rumpus, this recess isn't just a break--it's silliness incarnate!(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
