This book is incredibly helpful to parents in evalutating the the morass of private schools in Los Angeles. the information is set forth comprehensively and intelligently and makes one realize that there are real choices and distinctions in one school from the other. The brochures sent out by the schools make them all sound the same so this book is not only useful but actually uplifting! It is hard to imagine that such a subject could actually be presented in an amusing manner, but incredibly, this book is very witty and also made me laugh out loud as well! This is an essential guide to all Los Angeles parents!

"I have searched and searched all over Los Angeles for a helpful guide and this is the best one I've found. I'm giving it to all my pregnant friends to save them time and trouble. Get this guide now! "

"Being a single mother I felt I needed all the guidance I could get in order to select the appropriate school for the apple of my eye. This book was very informative and in the end Ms. Whitney's advice and review of the school I chose was beyond accurate. I would highly recommend this book to parents. Education is so important. Too bad there isn't one for every city...there should be. "

"There are upper and lower school libraries, two computer labs, three science labs, a music room, gymnasium, and performing arts auditorium. Computers abound. They seem to be everywhere from the classrooms to the library to the science labs...a distinctive, tower staircase and won an architectural design award from the Pasadena Beautiful Foundation." ~from The Chandler School review

In this informative guide, Fiona Whitney has divided the contents into four main sections. In the first section there is a letter to parents, a list of teaching methods, questions to ask when visiting a new school and information on how schools evaluate your child.

The second section focuses on Private Schools, while the third actually does feature some Public Schools. The last section has a directory of schools, a table of schools by philosophy and accreditation/Membership Codes.

The author also spends some time talking about "charter schools" and has updated this book in order to review additional schools with religious affiliations. She also welcomes comments through her website. She does state that all the reviews are based solely on her own opinion and the information given by the schools. This makes the book highly personal and enjoyable to read.

Right from the start, Fiona Whitney asks all the right questions. She discusses everything from how much money you want to spend on a private education to how much homework your child can expect to have at various schools. When I was a child, that was not an option. How far we have advanced!

As a teacher, I found the section on teaching methods and philosophy to be quite interesting.

Each School is featured on as many pages as it takes to explore all the possibilities. If you are considering "Mayfield Junior School" then you will find the telephone number, fax, address, website info and tuition all listed at the top of the page. The school types, grade range, accreditation and Memberships, application fees and new family fees are also included. You will have the name of the director of admissions and can see the application deadline.

In this particular review, the author starts to explain the school with a descriptive essay of the campus. She describes the visual aspects and includes information on their emphasis on athletics. She includes a section from the school brochure and then explains some of the ways the school reaches out to the community.

Fiona Whitney has a pleasant writing style and her reviews are informative and very helpful. If you are considering schools in the Los Angeles area this book is well worth your time to read. You could really find a school to suit your child's personality and needs. My favorite school as a child had a cozy library.

Reading through this book almost makes me wish I was a child again, looking for a new school. This book is really a labor of love and Fiona shows her love of a good education by making each report so detailed and interesting. Every city in America should have a school guide like this one!