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If I Built a School (If I Built Series) Hardcover – Picture Book, August 13, 2019
Purchase options and add-ons
In this exuberant companion to If I Built a Car, a boy fantasizes about his dream school--from classroom to cafeteria to library to playground.
My school will amaze you. My school will astound.
By far the most fabulous school to be found!
Perfectly planned and impeccably clean.
On a scale, 1 to 10, it's more like 15!
And learning is fun in a place that's fun, too.
If Jack built a school, there would be hover desks and pop-up textbooks, skydiving wind tunnels and a trampoline basketball court in the gym, a robo-chef to serve lunch in the cafeteria, field trips to Mars, and a whole lot more. The inventive boy who described his ideal car and house in previous books is dreaming even bigger this time.
- Print length32 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade levelKindergarten - 3
- Lexile measureAD610L
- Dimensions10.31 x 0.35 x 10.31 inches
- PublisherRocky Pond Books
- Publication dateAugust 13, 2019
- ISBN-10052555291X
- ISBN-13978-0525552918
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The Giggles Are Coming
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If I Built a School
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Customer Reviews |
4.9 out of 5 stars 7,588
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4.8 out of 5 stars 49
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4.9 out of 5 stars 3,403
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4.4 out of 5 stars 27
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4.9 out of 5 stars 4,224
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4.9 out of 5 stars 1,987
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Price | $10.17$10.17 | $17.99$17.99 | $8.54$8.54 | $17.56$17.56 | $16.18$16.18 | $10.99$10.99 |
Back to School Storytime | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
For Kids Ages | 4 -8 | 4 -8 | 4 - 6 | 4 -8 | 3 - 7 | 4 - 8 |
Focuses on Social Emotional Learning | ✓ | no data | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | no data |
Family Read Aloud | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
First Day of School Readiness | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
What is it about? | The first day of school can be hard, especially when you feel different. But sharing who we are can help us come together as friends. | Two friends can't keep the Giggles away on the first day of school. What will their teacher think if they can't avoid laughing in the middle of her first lesson? | Starting kindergarten is a big milestone--and the hero of this story is ready to make his mark! | They have spirit, yes they do! Follow kids from circle time to the lunch line in this lively, rhyming picture book that perfectly matches the high energy of a new classroom. | The confident Black boy narrator of this book is proud of everything that makes him who he is; he's creative, adventurous, smart, funny, and a good friend. | In this exuberant story, a boy fantasizes about his dream school--from classroom to cafeteria to playground to hover desks and pop-up textbooks! |
Editorial Reviews
Review
"An all-day sugar rush, putting the 'fun' back into, er, education." —Kirkus
"Told in excellently structured rhyming couplets, this story has a Seussian feel, although the vocabulary is much more varied and advanced. . . . Reluctant readers will be especially intrigued." —School Library Journal
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Rocky Pond Books; Illustrated edition (August 13, 2019)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 32 pages
- ISBN-10 : 052555291X
- ISBN-13 : 978-0525552918
- Reading age : 4 - 8 years, from customers
- Lexile measure : AD610L
- Grade level : Kindergarten - 3
- Item Weight : 15.2 ounces
- Dimensions : 10.31 x 0.35 x 10.31 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #7,212 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9 in Children's Art Fiction
- #152 in Children's School Issues
- #304 in Children's Activity Books (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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If I Built a School (If I Built Series)Amazon Video
About the author

Chris Van Dusen has created illustrations that have been published in magazines and books and printed on T-shirts and greeting cards. He lives in Maine with his wife, two sons and, naturally a dog.
Customer reviews
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star5 star94%6%0%0%0%94%
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star4 star94%6%0%0%0%6%
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star3 star94%6%0%0%0%0%
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star2 star94%6%0%0%0%0%
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star1 star94%6%0%0%0%0%
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers love this children's book for its engaging content and beautiful illustrations, particularly appreciating the "blueprint" sketches inside the covers. Moreover, the book features excellent rhyming text and brings much conversation to story time, with one customer noting how it sparks fun discussions. Additionally, customers praise the author's creativity and writing style.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book readable and engaging, noting that it inspires imagination and is a delightful book to share.
"This book is so much fun to read and the illustrations are just wonderful! My 4yo grandson and I love to read it again and again...." Read more
"...The imagination, descriptions and pictures make this book and all of the line of books just fun to read." Read more
"This is such a clever book. The illustrations are so cute and all of my grandkids ages 2-8 have LOVED it. We have read it multiple times...." Read more
"...The kids freaking loved it! It was so fun and creative. It made the kids think of what they would add to school to make it more fun for them." Read more
Customers love the illustrations in this book, noting their unique style and fun artwork.
"This book is so much fun to read and the illustrations are just wonderful! My 4yo grandson and I love to read it again and again...." Read more
"...The imagination, descriptions and pictures make this book and all of the line of books just fun to read." Read more
"This is such a clever book. The illustrations are so cute and all of my grandkids ages 2-8 have LOVED it. We have read it multiple times...." Read more
"So Creative - Love this Author, Love the illustrations, so do my kids. We have all the books in the "If I built Series"" Read more
Customers praise the author's creativity and imagination, with one customer specifically mentioning Chris Van Dusen's fantastic work.
"...all of Chris Van Dusen's books bc they are all so fun, funny, imaginative, and happy...." Read more
"...The kids freaking loved it! It was so fun and creative. It made the kids think of what they would add to school to make it more fun for them." Read more
"So Creative - Love this Author, Love the illustrations, so do my kids. We have all the books in the "If I built Series"" Read more
"...He demonstrates a first rate imagination as he details the zoo, glass tubes and pods for transportation, classroom towers, and stylus's that write..." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's excellent rhymes, which are written in a very catchy and clever way.
"...They also rhyme and I love to hear my grandson "read" the rhyming words that are coming next. I couldn't recommend these books more!" Read more
"...As the one reading it to him, nightly, I love the sing song rhymes and alliteration so much. I went back and bought him the rest of the collection...." Read more
"We love this series. The writing and design are absolutely amazing! My 5 year old loves them...." Read more
"...His books flow so well and we love the rhyming. My 4 and 6 year old boys have always loved them and still do." Read more
Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book, particularly its rhyming text, with one customer noting its occasional use of words.
"...typical Chris Van Dusen fashion, If I Built a School is terrifically written to read aloud...." Read more
"...The rhyming makes for a great read aloud and the bright illustrations and clever ideas make this a delightful book to share...." Read more
"...series. This is the perfect read aloud complete with rhyming text and retro feel illustrations...." Read more
"My boy and daughter love these books easy reading." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's conversation potential, noting that it sparks fun discussions and has plenty to explore on every page. One customer mentions it helps build vocabulary.
"...are good for all ages as they promote imagination and can spark a lot of good conversations on how would we built a school, house or car...." Read more
"...and the vivid, detailed illustrations will be sure to grab the attention of readers...." Read more
"...It always sparks conversations of ideas the listeners have, stemming from the story." Read more
"...to read and reread these over and over again and it always sparks fun conversations and imaginations and crafts of them dreaming of their own..." Read more
Reviews with images

A fun book for great reading and colorful creative pictures.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2024This book is so much fun to read and the illustrations are just wonderful! My 4yo grandson and I love to read it again and again. I finally ordered all of Chris Van Dusen's books bc they are all so fun, funny, imaginative, and happy. They also rhyme and I love to hear my grandson "read" the rhyming words that are coming next. I couldn't recommend these books more!
- Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2025This whole line of books are some of her favorites to read with our daughter. The imagination, descriptions and pictures make this book and all of the line of books just fun to read.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2025This is such a clever book. The illustrations are so cute and all of my grandkids ages 2-8 have LOVED it. We have read it multiple times. They still laugh and love to explore all the things they find in the pictures. They also love the "blueprint" sketches inside the book covers. Would highly recommend it and If I Built a Car and If I Built a House by the same author.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2025I picked this book out for a relative who is into construction that volunteered to be a Mystery Reader at my son's (ages 3-5) school. The kids freaking loved it! It was so fun and creative. It made the kids think of what they would add to school to make it more fun for them.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2024So Creative - Love this Author, Love the illustrations, so do my kids. We have all the books in the "If I built Series"
- Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2024My son was gifted one of the books in the series. As the one reading it to him, nightly, I love the sing song rhymes and alliteration so much. I went back and bought him the rest of the collection. These books are fantastic.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2024We love this series. The writing and design are absolutely amazing! My 5 year old loves them. They are good for all ages as they promote imagination and can spark a lot of good conversations on how would we built a school, house or car. I hope they add more books. So far we have all three. If I built a school, If I built a house, If I built a car. 10 stars!!!
- Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2024Love the series, love the imagination.... Encourages my son to think outside the box.
Top reviews from other countries
- John CurryReviewed in Germany on October 30, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Chris knows how to write and illustrate in a way that captures attention
The illustrations are amazing and the writing is top notch. Not only our kids love this book, we as parents enjoy reading it!
-
VianReviewed in Mexico on August 29, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente
Divertido y con ilustraciones muy padres. Ideal para el regreso a clases.
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in the United Arab Emirates on October 26, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Another hit!
My son loves this author. Great drawings, even better writing. Also not too short and not too long.
Great for kids of 2+.
- Joel BReviewed in Canada on April 5, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Like "If I Built a Car", but with a school instead (and that's a good thing!)
Chris Van Dusen's books are always a treat. The artwork is great, as is the text. My girls enjoy it when I read this (as well as "If I Built a Car") to them.
- Kim FernandesReviewed in India on September 11, 2019
4.0 out of 5 stars Very evocative illustrations
This book puts Fun into learning
Keeps us all yearning,
So colourful, large, and outrageous too!
So wish it could all truly come true!