The Recess Genius 1: Open for Business - by Janet Sumner Johnson

About the Book

Regina Grey, who is not good at much of anything, discovers she has a talent for helping others with her advice.

Book Synopsis

Now in paperback! A playground problem solver uses quick thinking anda little creative perspective to help schoolmates out of their stickiest jams. From the author of Help Wanted: Must Love Books and the illustrator of Hello World!

Regina Grey's never had much of a knack for anything, apart from disappearing into her books. She muddles her math, splutters her spelling, and gets jumbled up in gym.

Until the day she off-handedly solves a classmate's brother troubles. Soon, rumor spreads across the playground of the pint-sized crisis manager who makes her office at the top of the jungle gym. She can solve any problem. Itchy cast? Here's a stick to get to the spot. Gum stuck in your hair? Snip, snip solved. It's like she's a genius--a recess genius.

But all that problem solving for other kids doesn't leave much time for escaping in her books. Can the Recess Genius use her magical power to solve her own dilemma?

Review Quotes

"Sumner Johnson . . . employs a spry, wry voice. . . . scribbly full-color vignettes by Ebert . . . channel the quirky, mischievous energy of Hilary Knight's work."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Janet Sumner Johnson is the author of Help Wanted, Must Love Books, which was the winner of the 2021 CLEL Bell Picture Book Award and was nominated for the Washington and Colorado Children's Book Awards. She lives in northern Utah with her husband, three kids, and a dog. As a kid, she learned to distinguish good advice from bad, after following her big sister's suggestion to cut her own bangs. When she's not writing, Janet loves eating cookies, laughing, and going on long walks. You can learn more about her and her books at www.janetsumnerjohnson.com.

Stacy Ebert is the illustrator of Hello World! by Kelly Corrigan and How to Build a Story . . . or, the Big What If by Frances O'Roark Dowell. Stacy's background is in communication art and design and elementary education. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and three sons, where she is excellent at disappearing into books. Visit Stacy online at www.stacyebert.com.