This was one of the books that I temporarily forgot the title of. However, a visit to the school library helped me to find the book (I actually found it by going to the shelf where I thought it was from and looking through all the titles). While I didn’t have the time to read the whole book, I managed to find a copy in the regional library last week.

The Year of Miss Agnes follows an Alaskan class as they meet their new teacher. The story is narrated by Frederika (Fred), who immediately informs us that teachers just don’t stay in this town. The smell of fish, as well as the rural location, is enough to drive them away. So when Miss Agnes, the new teacher comes, none of her students expect her to stay for long.

But Miss Agnes is different. She takes an interest in their lives, and she actually teaches them interesting things. She even gets Fred’s mother, who disapproves of schooling, to take an interest in their education!

Personally, I loved the book. Reading it reminded me of why I enjoyed it so much – it’s a heartwarming tale of what one good teacher can do. Miss Agnes knows enough to adapt her lessons to the needs of her students, gaining their interest and showing them that education has immediate and future impact.

I read that Kirkpatrick Hill, the author of the book, was not only raised in Alaska, she also spent a long time teaching in one of the schools. This gave the story a new dimension of ‘reality’ for me, and I appreciate the look into another culture.