Who Knows the Way to Mr. Grimly’s Classroom? by Chris Priestley perfectly captures the experience of eagerly volunteering to run an errand for a teacher—only to realize you have no idea where you’re going. I’m fairly certain I did this at least once as a child, though I’m sad to say that my school journeys were never as strange or spectacular as in the book!
Who Knows the Way to Mr. Grimly’s Classroom has been added to my September 2026 – New Release Spotlight list on Amazon.
Author: Chris Priestley
Illustrator: Mariachiara Di Giorgio
Genre: picture book, adventure, magical realism
Setting: school building with labyrinthine hallways and stairways
Themes: new kid at school, eagerness, school stories, getting lost, bats, detailed illustrations, back to school read-alouds
Protagonist: young girl, elementary age, white; classmates are diverse
Recommended for: PreS-Grade 4
Starred reviews: Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist
Publication date: September 1, 2026
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
It’s Grace’s first week at her unusual new school, but that doesn’t stop her hand from shooting up when Miss Flytrap needs someone to return a book to Mr. Grimly. There’s just one problem: Grace has no idea who Mr. Grimly is—or where to find his classroom.
Book in hand, she bravely ventures into the school’s dark, seemingly endless hallways. Eccentric staff members offer puzzling directions, sending Grace through dusty classrooms, cavernous kitchens, foggy playgrounds, and cobweb-covered staircases. Along the way, she encounters a talking bat, crosses a treacherous tower by zip line, and discovers that even reaching Mr. Grimly may not mean her errand is finished.
Despite every strange turn, Grace remains curious and determined. Her journey is suspenseful without becoming truly frightening, making this a wonderfully eerie adventure for readers who enjoy a touch of gothic mystery.
ILLUSTRATIONS TO EXPLORE
Mariachiara Di Giorgio’s richly textured, watercolorlike illustrations are the book’s true showstopper. The shadowy school feels enormous, mysterious, and almost alive, with Escher-like staircases and intriguing details tucked into every corner.
Children will want plenty of time to examine each spread. Sharp-eyed readers may discover a monkey’s silhouette inside a greenhouse, a crow admiring itself in a mirror, a crocodile near a basement grotto, and other curious surprises that the text never mentions. These mesmerizing visual details make the book especially well suited to shared reading and repeated visits.
GREAT FOR
Pair it with a children’s literature classic! This reminds me of Sideways Stories from Wayside School (Louis Sachar, 1985), Tuesday (David Wiesner, 1991), and Jumanji (Chris Van Allsburg, 1981).
With three starred reviews, Who Knows the Way to Mr. Grimly’s Classroom? is a fantastic choice for PreS-Grade 4. Its blend of gentle suspense, humor, persistence, and visual discovery will delight adventurous readers—and may leave them hoping for an errand of their own.
