The Unteachables

by Gordon Korman (Author)

The Unteachables
Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade
A hilarious new middle grade novel from beloved and bestselling author Gordon Korman about what happens when the worst class of kids in school is paired with the worst teacher--perfect for fans of Ms. Bixby's Last Day. A good choice for summer reading or anytime! The Unteachables are a notorious class of misfits, delinquents, and academic train wrecks. Like Aldo, with anger management issues; Parker, who can't read; Kiana, who doesn't even belong in the class--or any class; and Elaine (rhymes with pain). The Unteachables have been removed from the student body and isolated in room 117.Their teacher is Mr. Zachary Kermit, the most burned-out teacher in all of Greenwich. He was once a rising star, but his career was shattered by a cheating scandal that still haunts him. After years of phoning it in, he is finally one year away from early retirement. But the superintendent has his own plans to torpedo that idea--and it involves assigning Mr. Kermit to the Unteachables.The Unteachables never thought they'd find a teacher who had a worse attitude than they did. And Mr. Kermit never thought he would actually care about teaching again. Over the course of a school year, though, room 117 will experience mayhem, destruction--and maybe even a shot at redemption. This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 4 to 6, in the classroom or for homeschooling.--Publishers Weekly
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Publishers Weekly

Mr. Kermit was once among the best teachers at Greenwich Middle School, but a cheating scandal 25 years ago dampened his passion for the job, and now he is biding time until his early retirement. After the superintendent assigns him to the "Self-Contained Special Eighth-Grade Class"--widely called "the Unteachables"--he resigns himself to getting through the year, transferring his coffee and crossword habit to the new room, and ignoring his new students. The small class is known for being troublesome: Parker can't make sense of letters, tough Elaine terrifies the others, Rahim sleeps all the time, and Kiana ends up in the class when her stepmother fails to register her for school. After Mr. Kermit's former fiancée's daughter turns out to be the new teacher next door and meddles with disciplining the bunch, Mr. Kermit stands up for the kids, and both students and teacher realize the value of their abilities. Chapters rotate narration between students and administrators, giving varied perspectives to this humorous classroom underdog story that champions teamwork, kindness, and hidden sparks. Ages 8-12. Agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown Ltd. (Jan.)

Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6--When Mr. Zachary Kermit, a burnt-out teacher nearing early retirement, is assigned to teach Greenwich Middle School's most challenging students, he's unfazed. However, once Mr. Kermit and his class of so-called "Unteachables" discover their mutual frustration with the education system, they start striving to do better on each other's behalf. Korman keeps this twist on the "inspiring teacher" trope moving at a breezy clip by dividing the first-person narration between five students, Mr. Kermit, and assorted other adults. Though many of the characterizations are slight, and the adult points-of-view serve mainly to advance the plot, the student perspectives ring true. And while their circumstances sometimes strain credulity (it's tough to believe that an unregistered student could escape notice for months), the students' antics--which include a daring vuvuzela heist and a disastrous science fair stunt--are both endearing and entertaining. VERDICT Despite some missteps, this crowd-pleasing school story delivers the straightforward humor and warmth that Korman's many fans expect.--Rebecca Honeycutt, NoveList, Durham, NC

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"This crowd-pleasing school story delivers the straightforward humor and warmth that Korman's many fans expect."—School Library Journal
Gordon Korman
Gordon Korman published his first book at age fourteen, and since then he has written more than one hundred middle-grade and teen novels. His favorites include the New York Times bestsellers The Fort, Linked, The Unteachables, and Restart. Gordon lives with his family on Long Island, New York. He invites you to visit him online at gordonkorman.com.
Classification
-
ISBN-13
9780062563903
Lexile Measure
740
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Balzer & Bray/Harperteen
Publication date
December 20, 2019
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV035000 - Juvenile Fiction | School & Education
Library of Congress categories
Schools
Teachers
Middle schools
Teacher-student relationships
Middle school students

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