Books The smartest kids in the world

The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way is a journalistic investigation by Amanda Ripley into the education systems of top-performing countries compared to the American system. The author follows three American high school students—Kim (Oklahoma to Finland), Eric (Minnesota to South Korea), and Tom (Pennsylvania to Poland)—as they spend a year studying abroad.

Through their experiences, the book reveals how factors like rigorous teaching, parental attitudes, and a strong cultural emphasis on education have helped these countries achieve academic excellence in a relatively short time.