Sometimes tests prove very little and somebody gets left behind even when they’re thinking.

Since standardized testing became a priority for schools, nine-year-old Jeffery Taylor’s academic life has become pure torture. He suffers from a condition called test anxiety: when he takes a test, his stomach aches, his eyes hurt, he feels like his head is going to blow up, and, at times, he visibly trembles.

Jeff’s active imagination hasn’t helped his success at school either—especially if he’s drawing when he’s supposed to be working on other subjects. But schoolwork is not his only problem. His classmate, Matt Huggins, is a real pest, and Jeff and his best friend, Terry, are growing apart. But Jeff is delighted when he meets a new friend who helps him to face his academic challenges.

Testing is a tremendous issue in schools today. It can have a lasting effect on funding as schools balance the need to meet accountability standards with the desire to provide learning to students. But most importantly, it can result in test anxiety which has a lasting effect on children. In Nobody Left Behind, author Deanna Enos uses storytelling as an example of how to begin a dialogue between children, teachers, and parents concerning this important subject.

• Discussion Questions
• Activities for Art and Writing
• Test Taker Tips