Radio Fifth Grade
by Gordon Korman
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Description
Mayhem breaks out in the fifth grade when the Venice Menace bullies his classmates into letting him become a regular guest on "Kidsview," the school's radio program.Tags
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Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
RADIO FIFTH GRADE is a lively adventure about a group of fifth graders who host a radio show. Benjy is dedicated to excellent journalism, but he discovers that's not always easy when you're working with a group of amateurs.
The kids have a pretty free hand with their programming because their advisor, Mr. Morenz, usually has his nose deep in some sci-fi thriller. Only Mr. Whitehead, the show's sponsor and owner of a local pet shop called Our Animal Friends, seems interested in what the kids broadcast. His sole interest in the programming is to demand that his advertising dollars turn into more people spending more money in his store.
The radio show normally includes things show more like school news, student stories, and some crazy editorial comments, but when the fifth grade teacher wins the lottery and leaves her job, things change. The new fifth grade instructor, Ms. Panagopoulos, arrives and their educational environment changes dramatically. She begins something she calls "seminar" and expectations of student performance increase.
Fortunately for the students, Benjy figures out a way for the radio show to help them with their grades. It's genius, really, but what if Ms. Panagopoulos finds out?
Written a bit earlier in Gordon Korman's career (1989), RADIO FIFTH GRADE still rings true today. Readers will find the story entertaining, and it might even inspire unique hands-on classroom activities. show less
RADIO FIFTH GRADE is a lively adventure about a group of fifth graders who host a radio show. Benjy is dedicated to excellent journalism, but he discovers that's not always easy when you're working with a group of amateurs.
The kids have a pretty free hand with their programming because their advisor, Mr. Morenz, usually has his nose deep in some sci-fi thriller. Only Mr. Whitehead, the show's sponsor and owner of a local pet shop called Our Animal Friends, seems interested in what the kids broadcast. His sole interest in the programming is to demand that his advertising dollars turn into more people spending more money in his store.
The radio show normally includes things show more like school news, student stories, and some crazy editorial comments, but when the fifth grade teacher wins the lottery and leaves her job, things change. The new fifth grade instructor, Ms. Panagopoulos, arrives and their educational environment changes dramatically. She begins something she calls "seminar" and expectations of student performance increase.
Fortunately for the students, Benjy figures out a way for the radio show to help them with their grades. It's genius, really, but what if Ms. Panagopoulos finds out?
Written a bit earlier in Gordon Korman's career (1989), RADIO FIFTH GRADE still rings true today. Readers will find the story entertaining, and it might even inspire unique hands-on classroom activities. show less
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167+ Works 76,672 Members
Gordon Korman was born in Montreal, Canada on October 23, 1963. When his 7th-grade English teacher told the class they could have 45 minutes a day for four months to work on a story of their choice, Korman began This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall. He was also the class monitor for the Scholastic TAB Book Club, so he sent his novel to the show more address on the TAB flyer, and a few days after his 14th birthday, he had a book contract with Scholastic. By the time he graduated from high school, he had published five other novels and several articles for Canadian newspapers. He received a BFA degree from New York University with a major in Dramatic Writing and a minor in Film and TV. He has written over 75 books for children and young adults including the Swindle series, The Juvie Three, and two books of poetry written by the fictional character Jeremy Bloom. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Awards
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Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1989
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- Members
- 971
- Popularity
- 27,233
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.86)
- Languages
- English, Swedish
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 3
