Radio Fifth Grade [Mass Market Paperback]

Gordon Korman (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

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.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Korman tackles the topic of student-run radio with characteristic lightheartedness," said PW . "The novel is feelingly written; more than a romp, it has genuine charm." Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-- Benjy Driver dreams of becoming a big-time radio announcer. He gets an opportunity to develop his skills on a radio show produced by kids and aired every Saturday afternoon from the local station. The many elements of the novel's complicated and episodic plot involve a teacher who wins the state lottery, a talking parrot who says all the wrong things, a hair dryer that jams radios and traffic lights, and a school bully who writes stories about two kittens named Fuzzy and Puffy. Although the plot is thin and the characters one-dimensional, this story works well on the level of sheer farce. Korman is good at creating chaotic, if not always believable, situations. And although not all of the jokes work and the perspective is somewhat adult, this book has a fast pace and an amusing, goofy tone that many kids will enjoy. --Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Pub . Lib . , IL
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (August 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590419277
• ISBN-13: 978-0590419277
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #681,568 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #37 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( K ) > Korman, Gordon
  • #83 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Issues > Bullies

More About the Author

Gordon Korman has written more than fifty middle-grade and teen novels. Favorites include the New York Times #1 bestseller The 39 Clues: One False Note, The Juvie Three, Son of the Mob, Born to Rock, and Schooled. Though he didn't play football in high school, Gordon's been a lifelong fan and season ticket holder. He says, "I've always been fascinated by the 'culture of collision' in football and wanted to explore it-not just from the highlight films but from its darker side as well." Gordon lives with his family on Long Island, New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still lusting after Gordon Korman, October 16, 2002

By 

Ann Alquist (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Radio Fifth Grade (Mass Market Paperback)

I met Gordon Korman when I was 11 years old in Germany. He had achieved everything I wanted: to write a book by 7th grade. And Radio Fifth Grade was my favorite. These kids were funny, smart, had initiative, and always figuring out how to get the things that they needed in an adult world that wasn't too sensitive. Today I actually work in radio, and I still remember this book, what it was like to be inspired at a young age, and remembering all of the oppressive details of childhood. A witty, insightful, and hilarious portrayal of kids.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, July 8, 2010

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Radio Fifth Grade (Mass Market Paperback)

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 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.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

4.0 out of 5 stars Fifth Grade Broadcasters, February 18, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Radio Fifth Grade (Library Binding)

You will enjoy this book as much as candy. Benjy and his great friends from school are radio broadcasters. Benjy's class are going to have an exremly hard history test. They get the questions from the teacher's desk and ask them on the radio to prepare for the test. They give weird prizes like turtle food. So read this book because it truly is as good as candy.
critic:Kiersten