Frances Schoonmaker Books in Order

Through the transformation of a troubled Oklahoma school, Schoonmaker examines leadership and educational reform beyond standardized outcomes. Drawing on Philip Phenix's ideas, she considers how shared values and community relationships can shape a more meaningful school life.

Traveling toward California in the 1840s, twelve-year-old Grace is kidnapped and taken into Oklahoma Territory. Searching for her family, she encounters unexpected help and real magic, but must find the courage to act for herself.

Found on the steps of an Oklahoma church, James has little memory of his past and only a map, a shell and a dog as clues. Discovering his identity draws him into a dangerous struggle over a powerful crystal.

A wartime train journey brings four siblings into contact with a Nazi spy, a kidnapping and a mysterious crystal. Stranded far from their destination, they must cross a vast wilderness using their wits and a peculiar map.

Sid discovers that his family's Illinois farm shelters people escaping slavery, drawing dangerous attention from bounty hunters. When violence forces the family west, he learns that the fight for freedom follows them onto the Santa Fe Trail.

Following one teacher over ten years, Schoonmaker examines how personal knowledge and classroom experience shape professional growth. Kay’s development from student teacher to experienced practitioner raises questions about teacher preparation, continuing support and the relationship between educational theory and practice.