Extra! Extra! Middle-school reporters stand up to authority to expose a school scandal in this funny, inspiring story set behind the scenes at a student newspaper. Late for math club, late for jazz band, late for soccer Adam Canfield has to be the most overprogrammed middle-school student in America. So when super-organized Jennifer coaxes him to be coeditor of THE SLASH Harris Elementary/Middle School's student newspaper he wonders if he's made a big mistake. Not only do editors get stuck with assigning stories (like an investigative report on the edibility of cafeteria food), but they also have to deal with annoying third graders like Phoebe, always pushing for a front-page slot. But when Phoebe's article on Eddie the janitor leads to a much bigger scoop an eccentric woman's mysterious gift to the school Adam and Jennifer rise to the challenge, risking their principal's wrath to uncover some shocking secrets. Along with a charming cast of characters and plenty of kid-friendly humor, NEW YORK TIMES education columnist Michael Winerip sneaks in some lessons about truth and cover-ups, personal integrity, and the rush that comes from breaking a really great story. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

"Between laughs, readers will also be prompted to think-about what constitutes truth, how the media massages it, the importance of ethics, fairness and getting the facts right," wrote PW about this story about two editors of a middle-school newspaper who uncover some shocking secrets about their principal. Ages 8-12. (May) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr. 4-7. Cub reporters hungry for a byline; editors fending off the intrusions of a powerful publisher: just another gritty newsroom drama, right? Sort of. With other media outlets in town run by an unethical tycoon, Harris Elementary/Middle School's student monthly the Slash is the last bastion of journalistic integrity. So it's up to scrappy Adam and his coeditor Jennifer to expose injustice, whether in city hall or the suspiciously spiffy renovation of the school principal's office. Alongside the Bernstein and Woodward-style investigative reporting, Winerip, an education columnist for the New York Times, satirizes both standardized testing and the relentless rounds of activities that put Adam on the verge of getting enriched to death. Kids may miss some of the satire, particularly in episodes involving ineffectual bureaucracy and precocious small fry engaging in sophisticated newsroom banter. But the characters' conviction that truth is a mighty precious commodity may inspire readers, as they are ensnared in the thrilling quest for the big scoop. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2005 Booklist From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.