Allan Woodrow

Allan Woodrow writes middle-grade comedy that lets young characters solve problems teachers usually handle for them. Class Dismissed begins when a frustrated teacher walks out and the pupils of Class 507 decide to keep her absence quiet. Five alternating narrators reveal different strengths and blind spots as the group attempts to manage schoolwork, friendships, and an original play. Scholastic released Class Dismissed in 2015, and Woodrow continued the same school community in Unschooled. Before writing children’s books, he worked as an advertising copywriter. That background suits his brisk comic timing, while the changing viewpoints give the classroom story a practical interest in cooperation, responsibility, and how a group learns to value quieter members.