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The Unteachables
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Middle Grade & Children's (2019)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.
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.
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.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 8, 2019
2,754 people are currently reading
12.8k people want to read
About the author
Gordon Korman
220 books4,110 followersGordon Korman is a Canadian author of children's and young adult fiction books. Korman's books have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide over a career spanning four decades and have appeared at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,207 reviews
February 27, 2019
Reader, I cried.
But I also laughed.
This book isn't just for kids, who will find it funny but (I hope) also look at it with compassion and understanding. It's also for teachers, teachers who leaped from college bursting with energy and eager to mold young minds only to butt up against a teacher's worst enemy. No, not the students, no matter how difficult.
The administration.
The "public."
The Unteachables isn't just about kids who have been written off for various reasons (you know, like anger issues, struggling to read, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time), but it's also about a teacher who got written off and, seeing the futility of it all, went along with the public opinion that he was a bad teacher. It's a story, like all Korman's stories, full of humor and compassion for his delightfully human characters. They do crazy things. They fall in love, they make mistakes, they get in trouble and get others in trouble. And they pull through, because they've got heart. And I'm just gonna end with that, before I start sounding too much like a grizzled old baseball coach.
But I also laughed.
This book isn't just for kids, who will find it funny but (I hope) also look at it with compassion and understanding. It's also for teachers, teachers who leaped from college bursting with energy and eager to mold young minds only to butt up against a teacher's worst enemy. No, not the students, no matter how difficult.
The administration.
The "public."
The Unteachables isn't just about kids who have been written off for various reasons (you know, like anger issues, struggling to read, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time), but it's also about a teacher who got written off and, seeing the futility of it all, went along with the public opinion that he was a bad teacher. It's a story, like all Korman's stories, full of humor and compassion for his delightfully human characters. They do crazy things. They fall in love, they make mistakes, they get in trouble and get others in trouble. And they pull through, because they've got heart. And I'm just gonna end with that, before I start sounding too much like a grizzled old baseball coach.
May 23, 2021
Pozycja obowiązkowa dla nauczycieli!
October 3, 2022
করম্যানের আরেকটা হৃদয় উষ্ণ করা বই।একবার পড়া শুরু করলে থামার কোনো উপায় নেই। এইবার আছেন চটজলদি অবসরে যেতে চাওয়া নির্বিকার শিক্ষক মিস্টার কারমিট, পড়ালেখায় পিছিয়ে পড়া "শেখানোর অযোগ্য" আখ্যা পাওয়া একদল ছেলেমেয়ে আর ভুল করে তাদের সাথে ভিড়ে যাওয়া কিয়ানা। করম্যানের যে কোনো লেখাই খুব মজার হয়ে থাকে। এই লেখায় হাস্যরসের পাশাপাশি প্রচলিত শিক্ষা ব্যবস্থার ত্রুটি তুলে ধরা হয়েছে জোরালোভাবে। আমার নিজের এ বই থেকে শেখার আছে অনেককিছু।
প্রধান চরিত্র মিস্টার কারমিটের মধ্যে আছে নিজেকে নিয়ে আমার সবচেয়ে বড় দুশ্চিন্তার বীজ- নিজেকে হারিয়ে ফেলার ভয়;নিজের প্যাশন আর সংবেদনশীলতা ক্ষয়ে গিয়ে যন্ত্র হওয়ার ভয়, শুধুমাত্র বাঁচার জন্য বাঁচার ভয়। চারপাশের বিরূপ ঘটনা আর সময় আমাদের বেঁচে থাকার তীব্র আবেগটুকু কেড়ে নেয় ধীরে ধীরে, যেমন নিয়েছিলো মিস্টার কারমিটের কাছ থেকে। চারপাশে কারমিটের মতো দুর্ভাগা মানুষ আমি প্রতিনিয়ত দেখি। করম্যানের সব সম্ভবের জগতে কারমিট ফেরত এসেছিলেন, বাস্তবে এমন হলে ফেরত আসা দুঃসাধ্য।
(৩১ আগস্ট, ২০২২)
প্রধান চরিত্র মিস্টার কারমিটের মধ্যে আছে নিজেকে নিয়ে আমার সবচেয়ে বড় দুশ্চিন্তার বীজ- নিজেকে হারিয়ে ফেলার ভয়;নিজের প্যাশন আর সংবেদনশীলতা ক্ষয়ে গিয়ে যন্ত্র হওয়ার ভয়, শুধুমাত্র বাঁচার জন্য বাঁচার ভয়। চারপাশের বিরূপ ঘটনা আর সময় আমাদের বেঁচে থাকার তীব্র আবেগটুকু কেড়ে নেয় ধীরে ধীরে, যেমন নিয়েছিলো মিস্টার কারমিটের কাছ থেকে। চারপাশে কারমিটের মতো দুর্ভাগা মানুষ আমি প্রতিনিয়ত দেখি। করম্যানের সব সম্ভবের জগতে কারমিট ফেরত এসেছিলেন, বাস্তবে এমন হলে ফেরত আসা দুঃসাধ্য।
(৩১ আগস্ট, ২০২২)
May 8, 2019
I loved this book so much. It deserves the 5 stars and more.
Amazing story and characters. It's really good.
Amazing story and characters. It's really good.
August 2, 2020
OH MY, OH MY!
I've been in a very bad condition for the past few days, mostly because of [clears throat] PMS, and this book has been staying at the very end of my Kindle library, and oh my, thank you universe, and silly finger for casually tapping this book!
It's Hari Anak Nasional or National Children's Day in my country here in Indonesia, and I feel like I'm celebrating it with just the right book.
It tells you about a disheartened, messed up teacher with a scandalous past meeting screwed up group of eighth graders who were told they were failures called, The Unteachables. Because they can't be taught. Or so meany people said.
Mr. Kermit (or Ribbit, as the Unteachables referred him to everytime he enters the class. [IKR, genius!]) hated his life already, and it seems that all the world helped him suffer. After a scandal 20 years ago, all he wanted was a nice, peaceful early retirement. But then, the mean superintendent put him in the worst place possible : a class filled with the "Unteachables". A group of eight graders with problems. The dumb class.
But then, it turned out that The Unteachables were nothing like they were labeled with. And if he's totally honest with himself, The Unteachables even reminded him of a role that he had left behind, years ago : a teacher. A good one.
This book is a fast and easy read, I finished it within a day (which is a HUGE thing for me, because I'm a very moody reader). I LOVE the writing style : simple, and straightforward with equal parts of description and conversation. Oh screw it, I think I've found my NEW favorite author!
This book is witty and silly and also VERY funny. I literally laughed out loud in many many parts. But it also made me teary-eyed so often. I wouldn't say it was the PMS, this book just moved me in a heartwarming and sweet kinds of way. [Or yeah, maybe it was the PMS].
The POV varied between the characters with each chapters, and I LOVE how the author managed to sprinkle each of the character's distinct inner thoughts and attitude. You can sense that "yes, the narrator of this chapter is definitely different from the one before", and I adore Mr. Korman for that.
The author also didn't state anything physical about the characters clear and explicitly, only small parts that contributed to the story. And I think that's new for me, it gave you an opportunity to openly imagine the characters in your mind.
There's literally nothing wrong with this book, except that it was too short. I NEED MORE!
And okay, also that this book was predictable. But my only expectation was to feel better and distracted, and it did me good!
To conclude, I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS TO EVERYONE, especially those who need feel-good, wholesome, and easy to read book.
I've been in a very bad condition for the past few days, mostly because of [clears throat] PMS, and this book has been staying at the very end of my Kindle library, and oh my, thank you universe, and silly finger for casually tapping this book!
It's Hari Anak Nasional or National Children's Day in my country here in Indonesia, and I feel like I'm celebrating it with just the right book.
It tells you about a disheartened, messed up teacher with a scandalous past meeting screwed up group of eighth graders who were told they were failures called, The Unteachables. Because they can't be taught. Or so meany people said.
Mr. Kermit (or Ribbit, as the Unteachables referred him to everytime he enters the class. [IKR, genius!]) hated his life already, and it seems that all the world helped him suffer. After a scandal 20 years ago, all he wanted was a nice, peaceful early retirement. But then, the mean superintendent put him in the worst place possible : a class filled with the "Unteachables". A group of eight graders with problems. The dumb class.
But then, it turned out that The Unteachables were nothing like they were labeled with. And if he's totally honest with himself, The Unteachables even reminded him of a role that he had left behind, years ago : a teacher. A good one.
This book is a fast and easy read, I finished it within a day (which is a HUGE thing for me, because I'm a very moody reader). I LOVE the writing style : simple, and straightforward with equal parts of description and conversation. Oh screw it, I think I've found my NEW favorite author!
This book is witty and silly and also VERY funny. I literally laughed out loud in many many parts. But it also made me teary-eyed so often. I wouldn't say it was the PMS, this book just moved me in a heartwarming and sweet kinds of way. [Or yeah, maybe it was the PMS].
The POV varied between the characters with each chapters, and I LOVE how the author managed to sprinkle each of the character's distinct inner thoughts and attitude. You can sense that "yes, the narrator of this chapter is definitely different from the one before", and I adore Mr. Korman for that.
The author also didn't state anything physical about the characters clear and explicitly, only small parts that contributed to the story. And I think that's new for me, it gave you an opportunity to openly imagine the characters in your mind.
There's literally nothing wrong with this book, except that it was too short. I NEED MORE!
And okay, also that this book was predictable. But my only expectation was to feel better and distracted, and it did me good!
To conclude, I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS TO EVERYONE, especially those who need feel-good, wholesome, and easy to read book.
July 18, 2023
✰ 3.25 stars ✰
“Don’t you see? It’s not about the noisemakers. It’s about fairness!”
That doesn’t make much sense to me. If life was fair, there would be no such thing as the Unteachables in the first place.”
Look, I love Gordon Korman. I've read The Twinkie Squad so many times, I can recite it with my eyes closed. I've been reading his books since elementary school; so, it pains me to say this that The Unteachables lacked that punch of humor that I'm so very fond of when reading his works. 😔 In all fairness, this read more like a Middle Grade book that was written for adults - because, the emphasis of the story was mainly on the injustice that had been inflicted on the Unteachables' teacher, Zachary Kermit.
“Zachary Kermit is too good a teacher to lose his retirement just because a certain cranky superintendent can’t forgive him for something that was never his fault in the first place.”
As per GK's signature style he creates a this class of misfits - the rejects - the kids no teacher wants to have in their class - the misunderstood and the ones who were never given a fighting chance to be all that they could. But, slowly in the smallest of ways, Mr.Kermit starts to see their potential and actually care enough to teach them something. So, when on the eve of his retirement when his job is threatened, his seven students rally together in ingenuous extremes to somehow, repay the kindness of taking a chance on teaching the unteachables. 💫💫
It definitely had the premise of an interesting story, but it's delivery didn't quite meet up to par. I'm never one to dismiss varying view points, but even with a class of seven students, the chapters dedicated to their POVs were not evenly balanced - some didn't even get their own chapters! And being a Middle Grade book on the shorter side of length - I don't think there was enough development to the students, for me to be totally immersed in their personalities. 😕 There was - just not enough life to them to make me care enough about them. It didn't help matters either that the POVs were so sporadic and varied for any one person's view - ie the scheming superintendent, or the boy who led to Mr.Kermit's catastrophic failure of a career as a teacher.
“I knew it then, and the feeling has only gotten stronger since: I love these students. Parker, Aldo, Elaine, Barnstorm, Rahim, and Mateo. And Kiana, who, it turns out, isn’t even really in the class—or any class.
That’s my fault. I’m the one who never bothered to glance at my own attendance list long enough to realize that my top student wasn’t on it. How blind I was! How burned-out and detached!”
As much as I sympathized with Mr.Kermit's plight, I didn't quite feel sorry enough for him to see that he deserved a second chance - as heartless as it sounds. True, he was judged unfairly for past discretions, but the resolving of his storyline wasn't that satisfying either. 😞 The humor fell a little on the flat side and the conclusion didn't quite hit the mark to make a lasting impression of a worthwhile ending. There was just something missing that could have saved it from being a stale read for me - yep, that's the word! It was just bland reading and lacked the flavor and heart I've always appreciated in his writing.
Well, they can't be all winners, right? 😊 I'll always be a fan of Gordon Korman - his books hold a special place in my heart, so I'll always be more than ready to check out what else he has to offer for me. ✨✨
“Don’t you see? It’s not about the noisemakers. It’s about fairness!”
That doesn’t make much sense to me. If life was fair, there would be no such thing as the Unteachables in the first place.”
Look, I love Gordon Korman. I've read The Twinkie Squad so many times, I can recite it with my eyes closed. I've been reading his books since elementary school; so, it pains me to say this that The Unteachables lacked that punch of humor that I'm so very fond of when reading his works. 😔 In all fairness, this read more like a Middle Grade book that was written for adults - because, the emphasis of the story was mainly on the injustice that had been inflicted on the Unteachables' teacher, Zachary Kermit.
“Zachary Kermit is too good a teacher to lose his retirement just because a certain cranky superintendent can’t forgive him for something that was never his fault in the first place.”
As per GK's signature style he creates a this class of misfits - the rejects - the kids no teacher wants to have in their class - the misunderstood and the ones who were never given a fighting chance to be all that they could. But, slowly in the smallest of ways, Mr.Kermit starts to see their potential and actually care enough to teach them something. So, when on the eve of his retirement when his job is threatened, his seven students rally together in ingenuous extremes to somehow, repay the kindness of taking a chance on teaching the unteachables. 💫💫
It definitely had the premise of an interesting story, but it's delivery didn't quite meet up to par. I'm never one to dismiss varying view points, but even with a class of seven students, the chapters dedicated to their POVs were not evenly balanced - some didn't even get their own chapters! And being a Middle Grade book on the shorter side of length - I don't think there was enough development to the students, for me to be totally immersed in their personalities. 😕 There was - just not enough life to them to make me care enough about them. It didn't help matters either that the POVs were so sporadic and varied for any one person's view - ie the scheming superintendent, or the boy who led to Mr.Kermit's catastrophic failure of a career as a teacher.
“I knew it then, and the feeling has only gotten stronger since: I love these students. Parker, Aldo, Elaine, Barnstorm, Rahim, and Mateo. And Kiana, who, it turns out, isn’t even really in the class—or any class.
That’s my fault. I’m the one who never bothered to glance at my own attendance list long enough to realize that my top student wasn’t on it. How blind I was! How burned-out and detached!”
As much as I sympathized with Mr.Kermit's plight, I didn't quite feel sorry enough for him to see that he deserved a second chance - as heartless as it sounds. True, he was judged unfairly for past discretions, but the resolving of his storyline wasn't that satisfying either. 😞 The humor fell a little on the flat side and the conclusion didn't quite hit the mark to make a lasting impression of a worthwhile ending. There was just something missing that could have saved it from being a stale read for me - yep, that's the word! It was just bland reading and lacked the flavor and heart I've always appreciated in his writing.
Well, they can't be all winners, right? 😊 I'll always be a fan of Gordon Korman - his books hold a special place in my heart, so I'll always be more than ready to check out what else he has to offer for me. ✨✨
January 20, 2019
Oh I did not realise this was MG before reading the synopsis. I thought it was YA since they were 13. But hey it works for everyone!
This is THE class. The one everyone avoids and where the school puts the kids they do not know wht to do with, and forgets them.
Mr Kermit just wants to retire. The school really messed him up. A scandal destroyed his life and the school blamed him. And he had nothing do do with it. So now he hates teaching. Ok yes 27 years of not caring is hard to forgive, but I really liked him in the end. He is an amazing teacher that was forgotten about too.
And then there there kids. Parker who can not read, and has a driver's license. Eeek.
Kiara who wandered into the class and never left. And who is not even in this school.
Aldo who is always angry.
Barndoor who was the star of the school and then he broke his leg and forgotten about.
All with great personalities, and different problems. That all can be solved if someone just cares for two seconds.
There are also more. Rahim who falls asleep all the time. Elaine who everyone fears. And Matteo who is the biggest nerd and therefore the school finds him weird.
They will raise hell and at the end I wanted them to succeed. This is the class from hell and I cheered them on.
Really uplifting when I think about it! Yes it made me happy. It was fun, short and good.
Narrators
Ok so obvi there are LOT. But it works well, every big person gets her or his POV. Lots of narrators for that. But they ll have their own chapters so no one has a special own voice
This is THE class. The one everyone avoids and where the school puts the kids they do not know wht to do with, and forgets them.
Mr Kermit just wants to retire. The school really messed him up. A scandal destroyed his life and the school blamed him. And he had nothing do do with it. So now he hates teaching. Ok yes 27 years of not caring is hard to forgive, but I really liked him in the end. He is an amazing teacher that was forgotten about too.
And then there there kids. Parker who can not read, and has a driver's license. Eeek.
Kiara who wandered into the class and never left. And who is not even in this school.
Aldo who is always angry.
Barndoor who was the star of the school and then he broke his leg and forgotten about.
All with great personalities, and different problems. That all can be solved if someone just cares for two seconds.
There are also more. Rahim who falls asleep all the time. Elaine who everyone fears. And Matteo who is the biggest nerd and therefore the school finds him weird.
They will raise hell and at the end I wanted them to succeed. This is the class from hell and I cheered them on.
Really uplifting when I think about it! Yes it made me happy. It was fun, short and good.
Narrators
Ok so obvi there are LOT. But it works well, every big person gets her or his POV. Lots of narrators for that. But they ll have their own chapters so no one has a special own voice
January 5, 2023
Jak ja się cieszę, że powstaje coraz więcej książek, które w tak przyjemny, niewymuszony sposób wspierają dzieci, okrywają je ciepłym kocykiem i mówią – jesteś super.
August 26, 2022
নিঃসন্দেহে ৫ এ ৫। কেবল অ-সা-ধা-র-ণ এক কিশোর উপন্যাসই নয়, স্কুলব্যবস্থা নিয়ে খুবই গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ও প্রয়োজনীয় কিছু নিরেট বাস্তব বক্তব্য অত্যন্ত সফলতার সাথে তুলে আনতে পারার মতো একটা ��ীবনমুখী উপন্যাসও অবশ্যই। মন্ত্রমুগ্ধের মতো পড়তে পড়তে না চাইতেই আমার নিজের পঁচিশ বছর আগের ফেলে আসা স্কুলজীবনে দেখা কিছু কিছু তিক্ত অভিজ্ঞতার সাথে অনেকটাই মিল পেয়েছিলাম... হলোই বা সেটা নব্বই দশকে আর বাংলাদেশের ঢাকায়, আর এই বইটার গল্প ২০১৯ সালে আমেরিকার এক ছোট্ট শহরে। জীবনের আলোকে ভাল লেখা, ভাল গল্প স্থান-কাল-পাত্র উত্তীর্ণ করে চিরন্তন।
August 23, 2022
আরেকটা হৃদয় উষ্ণ করা বই। একইসাথে, প্রচলিত প্রতিযোগিতামূলক শিক্ষা ব্যবস্থার ভয়াবহ একটা দিকও উঠে এসেছে--যারা পিছিয়ে পড়ে, তাদের দিকে কারো কোন সহানুভূতি নেই, যারা অন্যরকম, তাদের জন্য কারো সময় নেই, এমনকি বিশ্বের সবচেয়ে উন্নত শিক্ষাব্যবস্থাগুলোতেও। হয় তোমাকে মেধাবী হতে হবে, নয়তো বাপের টাকা থাকতে হবে, নাহলে ভবিষ্যৎ কঠিন। আর যদি লার্নিং প্রবলেম থাকে আর বাপের টাকা-ও না থাকে, ভবিষ্যৎ লোডশেডিং। গ্রিনিচ পাবলিক স্কুলের এমনই ৬ জন শিক্ষার্থীকে বিশেষ প্রোগ্রামের আওতায় আলাদাভাবে ক্লাস করানো হয়, অথবা বলা ভাল, ক্লাস করানোই হয় না, কারণ সবার ধারণা, এদের দিয়ে কিছু হবে না। তাদের নাম হয়ে গেছে দ্য আনটিচেবলস। আর তাদের পড়ানোর জন্য পাঠানো হয় এমন একজন শিক্ষককে, যে কোনমতে অবসর গ্রহণের দিন গুনছে। সাথে যোগ দেয় অন্য শহর থেকে এসে ভুল করে এই ক্লাসে বসে যাওয়া আরেক ছাত্রী। কোন একভাবে সবকিছু মিলে পরিস্থিতি বদলে যেতে থাকে। কিভাবে, সেটা জানতে হলে বইটা পড়তে হবে। রেটিং ৪ তারা।
January 15, 2020
As a retired middle school teacher I have to say that parts of this book were very unrealistic and tiptoed close to the absurd. With that being said, I laughed out loud and I cried while reading this funny and warmhearted story about how we judge others and ourselves and how having someone believe in you can change your destiny. Loved it!
October 21, 2020
السن المستهدف: من 11-14 سنة
النوع الأدبي: قصص واقعية
I read many stories that show kid's perspective of his school/class/teachers. But this is my first time to read a story that lets us hear the voice of a teacher who is-from a first glance-you wouldn't see him as a good example. As the story proceeds, That teacher will be given the chance to tell his untold side of the story While his Not-Very-brilliant class will get the same chance.
The story is funny and entertaining. I saw a lot of similar classes who were really devoted to some of their teachers.
As it is the way with its kind of stories, everything goes-sort of unrealistically-fine by the end. Which i don't find it happens a lot in real life.
النوع الأدبي: قصص واقعية
I read many stories that show kid's perspective of his school/class/teachers. But this is my first time to read a story that lets us hear the voice of a teacher who is-from a first glance-you wouldn't see him as a good example. As the story proceeds, That teacher will be given the chance to tell his untold side of the story While his Not-Very-brilliant class will get the same chance.
The story is funny and entertaining. I saw a lot of similar classes who were really devoted to some of their teachers.
As it is the way with its kind of stories, everything goes-sort of unrealistically-fine by the end. Which i don't find it happens a lot in real life.
April 13, 2024
3.5 stars
The Unteachables was a cute middle-grade novel about 7 kids who are, well, unteachable. We get many of their point of view as well as their teacher and a few other adults. I loved the kid’s POV, but the adults not as much. Overall this was a fun book and I enjoyed it.
The Unteachables was a cute middle-grade novel about 7 kids who are, well, unteachable. We get many of their point of view as well as their teacher and a few other adults. I loved the kid’s POV, but the adults not as much. Overall this was a fun book and I enjoyed it.
Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Full Cast
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Middle Grade
Length: 6h
March 11, 2021
Digital audiobook performed by a full cast
From the book jacket: The Unteachables are a notorious class of misfits, delinquents, and academic train wrecks. 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. 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.
My reactions:
This was a fun, enjoyable middle-grade book about kids – and at least one teacher – who need a little extra help and a hefty dose of understanding and empathy. The two central students are Kiana, a temporary transfer from California who’s living with her Dad and Stepmom while her mother (an actress) is on location, and Parker, a local student who still can’t read, though he CAN drive. The rest of this special class of eighth graders is made up of kids with a variety of issues and special gifts: anger-management, dyslexia, an injured former star-athlete with limited academic success, a gifted artist, a student whose large size makes everyone assume aggression, etc.
I loved how the kids came to understand one another, and how they came to understand their teacher and his struggles. I cheered at their efforts to right the wrongs they witnessed. And I was glad that some of the adults stepped up to the plate to admit past mistakes and try to right past injustices that may have resulted.
I think that young teens and middle-grade students will particularly like the focus on what the kids CAN do. Put down and bullied, they are clearly NOT helpless victims. Bravo!
The audio version is performed by a full cast: Sarah Beth Goer, Oliver Wyman, Josh Hurley, Tristan Morris, Chris Gebauer, Sean Welsh Brown, Pete Larkin, Fred Berman, Jennifer Nittoso. Though I’m not certain which actor voices which character, I can say that they all do a marvelous job.
From the book jacket: The Unteachables are a notorious class of misfits, delinquents, and academic train wrecks. 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. 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.
My reactions:
This was a fun, enjoyable middle-grade book about kids – and at least one teacher – who need a little extra help and a hefty dose of understanding and empathy. The two central students are Kiana, a temporary transfer from California who’s living with her Dad and Stepmom while her mother (an actress) is on location, and Parker, a local student who still can’t read, though he CAN drive. The rest of this special class of eighth graders is made up of kids with a variety of issues and special gifts: anger-management, dyslexia, an injured former star-athlete with limited academic success, a gifted artist, a student whose large size makes everyone assume aggression, etc.
I loved how the kids came to understand one another, and how they came to understand their teacher and his struggles. I cheered at their efforts to right the wrongs they witnessed. And I was glad that some of the adults stepped up to the plate to admit past mistakes and try to right past injustices that may have resulted.
I think that young teens and middle-grade students will particularly like the focus on what the kids CAN do. Put down and bullied, they are clearly NOT helpless victims. Bravo!
The audio version is performed by a full cast: Sarah Beth Goer, Oliver Wyman, Josh Hurley, Tristan Morris, Chris Gebauer, Sean Welsh Brown, Pete Larkin, Fred Berman, Jennifer Nittoso. Though I’m not certain which actor voices which character, I can say that they all do a marvelous job.
February 20, 2023
This should have been a 5-star middle grade novel, all the elements were there: interesting story (dysfunctional disillusioned teacher who's given up is turned around by the forgotten "bad" kids in the last class of his career), defined unique characters with their own backstories, emotionally complex subplots... but... unfortunately, it ended up as a boring slog due to the narrative structure.
Korman is obviously a competent writer, but he chose to write each chapter as a first-person narrative by a different character. They're mostly long boring monologues. Too much tell, not enough show. From reading other reviews, apparently this is Korman's favorite gimmick, used in several of his novels. It doesn't work. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
Korman is obviously a competent writer, but he chose to write each chapter as a first-person narrative by a different character. They're mostly long boring monologues. Too much tell, not enough show. From reading other reviews, apparently this is Korman's favorite gimmick, used in several of his novels. It doesn't work. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
December 23, 2022
This is the story of a misfit bunch of students and their teacher, Mr. Kermit . If you like movies like The Bad News Bears or Mighty Ducks, you'll love this Gordon Korman book.
November 17, 2023
Ahhh! This was soooo good! It's one of those books where you turn the last page and immediately want to start over!💖
Language: N/A
Violence: N/A
Magic: N/A
This was such a gem!💖🥰👌 I absolutely adored the story, the easy writing style, and these characters! Ah, they were so fun and cute! I loved every one of them!💖🥰
Mr. Kermit was so so funny, he had me cackling more then once! I really enjoyed his chapters, which is saying something because I usually don't like grownups POVs.
Parker was my absolute favorite, he was hilarious, and I related to his struggles so much! As a dyslexic myself, I can fully say Mr. Korman did a fantastic job representing Parker's struggles and the added humor just made it all the better! Anyway... yeah, Parker was great! And his provisional license...lol!😂 it was so funny! This book is pure gold!😂👌
Kiana was lovable, didn't like her as much as some of the other characters, but I did enjoy her side of the story quite a bit.💖
Aldo was hilarious! I loved him! And his growth through the story was just *chefs kiss*👌💖🥰
Elaine, Rahim, Barnstorm, and Matreo were all great too! Barnstorm had me laughing most of the time, yet his growth in the story was so well done!💖👌 Elaine was a nice addition, didn't talk much so not much to go on, but she was likable. Rahim, was such a cinnamon roll!🥰 I loved him, not only because he was an artist like me, but he was just such a sweetie!💖🥰 and Matteo... he won my heart when he referenced LotR, okay?💖😉 I've always fell for the nerdy characters and Matteo was no exception! I absolutely loved his constant movie/book references and how he gave everyone nicknames!😂 he was great!! I loved ALL of the Unteachables soooooo much!
Overall this was a super fun, easy to read book full of humor, friendship, and a beautiful theme!💖🥰 I loved every minute of this funny, quirky, and fast flowing story!💖🥰
My only complaints are... I need Rahim's POV now!💖
8+
Language: N/A
Violence: N/A
Magic: N/A
This was such a gem!💖🥰👌 I absolutely adored the story, the easy writing style, and these characters! Ah, they were so fun and cute! I loved every one of them!💖🥰
Mr. Kermit was so so funny, he had me cackling more then once! I really enjoyed his chapters, which is saying something because I usually don't like grownups POVs.
Parker was my absolute favorite, he was hilarious, and I related to his struggles so much! As a dyslexic myself, I can fully say Mr. Korman did a fantastic job representing Parker's struggles and the added humor just made it all the better! Anyway... yeah, Parker was great! And his provisional license...lol!😂 it was so funny! This book is pure gold!😂👌
Kiana was lovable, didn't like her as much as some of the other characters, but I did enjoy her side of the story quite a bit.💖
Aldo was hilarious! I loved him! And his growth through the story was just *chefs kiss*👌💖🥰
Elaine, Rahim, Barnstorm, and Matreo were all great too! Barnstorm had me laughing most of the time, yet his growth in the story was so well done!💖👌 Elaine was a nice addition, didn't talk much so not much to go on, but she was likable. Rahim, was such a cinnamon roll!🥰 I loved him, not only because he was an artist like me, but he was just such a sweetie!💖🥰 and Matteo... he won my heart when he referenced LotR, okay?💖😉 I've always fell for the nerdy characters and Matteo was no exception! I absolutely loved his constant movie/book references and how he gave everyone nicknames!😂 he was great!! I loved ALL of the Unteachables soooooo much!
Overall this was a super fun, easy to read book full of humor, friendship, and a beautiful theme!💖🥰 I loved every minute of this funny, quirky, and fast flowing story!💖🥰
My only complaints are... I need Rahim's POV now!💖
8+
August 22, 2022
Absolute delight!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½ rounded up.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½ rounded up.
September 29, 2023
Okay, I'm blowing through audiobooks because I'm listening to them as I work on making graphics and such...lol...so fun! This book had me laughing so much! 😂
I was so enjoying myself the whole time!
Characters:
In what I'm learning in a typical Korman fashion their are a lot of characters whom get a POV and those are sporadic at best...lol...but somehow it works. Making the story super fun and engaging.
(I'll probably misspell names since I listened to this book...lol...)
Keana was such a fun character! Her spunk and how she ended up in SES8 was hilarious! I loved her character through the story!
Parker might have been my favorite with his provisional license and grams...lol...I couldn't stop laughing. And his struggle to read was very cool, but also fun with how he just rolled with it...
Aldo was also super funny and just...lol...
I mean the whole class was great!
And Mr. Kermit was hilarious! I loved this teacher...lol...it was hilarious to be in his thoughts...hahaha...
Sorry, I really enjoyed these characters!
Themes:
Never to write someone off without trying to understand them. Sometimes the reason people do something or act a certain way has a very real reason and we should endeavor to understand them before sticking them in some room by themselves.
Also, everyone learns different and that's not a bad thing. We just have to find where we need help and what we're good at.
Language:
Geez, but that's it...and it's funny! Lol...
Romance:
Implied that some characters like each other. Few mentions of blushing.
Overall:
My goodness! I laughed so hard and loved this book! It was so fun and definitely something anyone could enjoy!
Recommend 10+
Super fun book! Lol...I loved it! And need my own copy stat!
I was so enjoying myself the whole time!
Characters:
In what I'm learning in a typical Korman fashion their are a lot of characters whom get a POV and those are sporadic at best...lol...but somehow it works. Making the story super fun and engaging.
(I'll probably misspell names since I listened to this book...lol...)
Keana was such a fun character! Her spunk and how she ended up in SES8 was hilarious! I loved her character through the story!
Parker might have been my favorite with his provisional license and grams...lol...I couldn't stop laughing. And his struggle to read was very cool, but also fun with how he just rolled with it...
Aldo was also super funny and just...lol...
I mean the whole class was great!
And Mr. Kermit was hilarious! I loved this teacher...lol...it was hilarious to be in his thoughts...hahaha...
Sorry, I really enjoyed these characters!
Themes:
Never to write someone off without trying to understand them. Sometimes the reason people do something or act a certain way has a very real reason and we should endeavor to understand them before sticking them in some room by themselves.
Also, everyone learns different and that's not a bad thing. We just have to find where we need help and what we're good at.
Language:
Geez, but that's it...and it's funny! Lol...
Romance:
Implied that some characters like each other. Few mentions of blushing.
Overall:
My goodness! I laughed so hard and loved this book! It was so fun and definitely something anyone could enjoy!
Recommend 10+
Super fun book! Lol...I loved it! And need my own copy stat!
December 10, 2024
"Seriously, how unteachable can these Unteachables be?
I push open the door and walk into room 117.
A plume of smoke is pouring out the single open window. It's coming from the fire roaring in the wastebasket in the center of the room. A handful of kids are gathered around it, toasting marshmallows skewered on the end of number two pencils....
An annoyed voice barks, 'Hey, shut the door! You want to set off the smoke detector in the hall?'
Oh my..., I'm with the Unteachables."
✏️ Review ✏️
Really funny story (I'll never see the Stop/Start ignition button on vehicles the same ever again! 😆)! The writing is humorous and straightforward — it sounds so natural and flows quite smoothly. The characters are quirky and varied in their qualities. The plot's not as laughable as Korman's other book Restart, but overall The Unteachables is still very funny at times and is a really enjoyable book. Must anything more be said?
(You: "You mean to tell me that's the end of your review??!!" 😯
Me: "Yeppers! Why keep you here longer than necessary?" 😁)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
•The elements of humor.
•The writing style — it sounds very natural and flows smoothly.
•The characters — they are all so varied (and quirky!).
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
•The only possible thing I can think of is perhaps there isn't much depth to the plot. But the characters really move this story along so this isn't a big problem at all.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 4/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3/5
— 📝 Writing: 4/5
— 👥 Characters: 4/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
•Just a few uses of j**z and one use of God's name in vain.
— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5
— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📣 Random Comments 📣
•(None)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
•(None)
I push open the door and walk into room 117.
A plume of smoke is pouring out the single open window. It's coming from the fire roaring in the wastebasket in the center of the room. A handful of kids are gathered around it, toasting marshmallows skewered on the end of number two pencils....
An annoyed voice barks, 'Hey, shut the door! You want to set off the smoke detector in the hall?'
Oh my..., I'm with the Unteachables."
✏️ Review ✏️
Really funny story (I'll never see the Stop/Start ignition button on vehicles the same ever again! 😆)! The writing is humorous and straightforward — it sounds so natural and flows quite smoothly. The characters are quirky and varied in their qualities. The plot's not as laughable as Korman's other book Restart, but overall The Unteachables is still very funny at times and is a really enjoyable book. Must anything more be said?
(You: "You mean to tell me that's the end of your review??!!" 😯
Me: "Yeppers! Why keep you here longer than necessary?" 😁)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
•The elements of humor.
•The writing style — it sounds very natural and flows smoothly.
•The characters — they are all so varied (and quirky!).
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
•The only possible thing I can think of is perhaps there isn't much depth to the plot. But the characters really move this story along so this isn't a big problem at all.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 4/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3/5
— 📝 Writing: 4/5
— 👥 Characters: 4/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
•Just a few uses of j**z and one use of God's name in vain.
— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5
— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📣 Random Comments 📣
•(None)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
•(None)
February 4, 2024
I rarely read children's books anymore. This one was definitely worth the few hours it took me to finish.
The story is of a burnt-out teacher who is assigned the 8th grade special-ed class as he awaits his early retirement at school year's end. It tells of his redemption as an educator and the blossoming of his students. The characters are hilariously and delicately drawn. They are not stereotypes although any 12-year old reading this book will recognize their traits in themselves or others. There are misfits in every school - the child with the unrecognized dyslexia who cannot read, the boy with anger-management issues, the girl who looks like Alice the Goon and won't talk, the bully...
I imagine some overly sensitive people will think this book disrespectful of the children depicted. I didn't. I found it uplifting. It deals with real issues in a fanciful way.
The story is of a burnt-out teacher who is assigned the 8th grade special-ed class as he awaits his early retirement at school year's end. It tells of his redemption as an educator and the blossoming of his students. The characters are hilariously and delicately drawn. They are not stereotypes although any 12-year old reading this book will recognize their traits in themselves or others. There are misfits in every school - the child with the unrecognized dyslexia who cannot read, the boy with anger-management issues, the girl who looks like Alice the Goon and won't talk, the bully...
I imagine some overly sensitive people will think this book disrespectful of the children depicted. I didn't. I found it uplifting. It deals with real issues in a fanciful way.
December 25, 2020
What happens when a "group" of unteachable middle school students are "given" a down in the dumps teacher (the principal would love to find a way to get rid of him)? When an "unenrolled" student joins the class in error, the teacher in the room next door does everything she can to get the 2 classes to interact?
One would expect a "nuclear" explosion in a negative way, but when the "stars" are aligned just right, positive "nuclear" reactions can and do occur.
One would expect a "nuclear" explosion in a negative way, but when the "stars" are aligned just right, positive "nuclear" reactions can and do occur.
December 4, 2024
A heartwarming story about kids labeled 'unteachable' in 8th grade middle school. You can feel the coming comfort per the tone of the writing, but you just don't know how this will work out. I liked having lots of unique characters who all played strong roles.
Each chapter came from a different POV, which really helped develop that particular character, while simultaneously adding more to the story-line and other character development.
A couple sticky points though:
- I didn't like how long the teacher's life had been ruined. Kind of a big point here keeping me from rounding up. It would be hard to re-write this story per the need of a certain character to have the time to gain power to make amends, but
- As someone who has taught/mentored/judged science fair, you really don't want to see any parental/outside help in the project. Some minimal guidance might be allowed to keep things safe/focused.
I was shocked when the Superintendent overstepped his role. (but not surprised - as I've seen this) This might seem like a fictional point to any middle schoolers reading this, but maybe they need to see how 'power-corrupts' is not just in politics.
Very nice job by the multiple readers in this audio-book. Glad the kid-character-readers simply did a great job reading and didn't try to inflect any artificial 'pre-teen' voice ideas.
4.25*
Each chapter came from a different POV, which really helped develop that particular character, while simultaneously adding more to the story-line and other character development.
A couple sticky points though:
- I didn't like how long the teacher's life had been ruined. Kind of a big point here keeping me from rounding up. It would be hard to re-write this story per the need of a certain character to have the time to gain power to make amends, but
- As someone who has taught/mentored/judged science fair, you really don't want to see any parental/outside help in the project. Some minimal guidance might be allowed to keep things safe/focused.
I was shocked when the Superintendent overstepped his role. (but not surprised - as I've seen this) This might seem like a fictional point to any middle schoolers reading this, but maybe they need to see how 'power-corrupts' is not just in politics.
Very nice job by the multiple readers in this audio-book. Glad the kid-character-readers simply did a great job reading and didn't try to inflect any artificial 'pre-teen' voice ideas.
4.25*
Shelved as 'dnf'
July 24, 2022*DNF*
This book follows a old teacher who was involved in the cheating scandal. This teacher is called Mr. Kermit. Mr. Kermit is looking for retirement at the end of the year. But, he was assigned to teach room 117. The unteachables is what people call them, they wouldn't accept to learn at all costs. But Mr. Kermit didn't care at all. He would give them worksheets as he would work on his crossword puzzle. But soon the whole classroom changed as trouble got in the way...
________________________
I thought this book would give me a good vibe in it. Which it did not that it didn't, but only for a short matter of time. After spirit week being mentioned the whole book turned upside down for me. I mean, the beginning itself gave me a "please-finish-already" vibe.
The fact that this book is a DNF book makes it weird. This is because a lot of people loved this book, except for me. I tried to find a audio book of it, but I couldn't find one anywhere online. The library didn't have a copy of The Unteachables in there library. So I had no other choice but to read it on a PDF.
Personally, I don't think I am a Gordon Korman fan. Whenever I opened the book I immediantly would close the PDF after reading a sentence. That's how bad I didn't like it.
The first few chapter's throughout the book was actually pretty good, not going to lie. But like I said, when the sprit week was being announced I didn't enjoy it a lot than I did in the first few chapters.
In my opinion, throughout the middle of the book. The story idea got explained, but the author decided to stretch it out? But I didn't finish the book soooo I might be wrong.
Overall, I didn't finish the book and I marked it as DNF. If I had finished the book, I would give it a 1.6 or a 2.4.
-Bungou_bxddie
The Unteachables
Gordon Korman
This book follows a old teacher who was involved in the cheating scandal. This teacher is called Mr. Kermit. Mr. Kermit is looking for retirement at the end of the year. But, he was assigned to teach room 117. The unteachables is what people call them, they wouldn't accept to learn at all costs. But Mr. Kermit didn't care at all. He would give them worksheets as he would work on his crossword puzzle. But soon the whole classroom changed as trouble got in the way...
________________________
I thought this book would give me a good vibe in it. Which it did not that it didn't, but only for a short matter of time. After spirit week being mentioned the whole book turned upside down for me. I mean, the beginning itself gave me a "please-finish-already" vibe.
The fact that this book is a DNF book makes it weird. This is because a lot of people loved this book, except for me. I tried to find a audio book of it, but I couldn't find one anywhere online. The library didn't have a copy of The Unteachables in there library. So I had no other choice but to read it on a PDF.
Personally, I don't think I am a Gordon Korman fan. Whenever I opened the book I immediantly would close the PDF after reading a sentence. That's how bad I didn't like it.
The first few chapter's throughout the book was actually pretty good, not going to lie. But like I said, when the sprit week was being announced I didn't enjoy it a lot than I did in the first few chapters.
In my opinion, throughout the middle of the book. The story idea got explained, but the author decided to stretch it out? But I didn't finish the book soooo I might be wrong.
Overall, I didn't finish the book and I marked it as DNF. If I had finished the book, I would give it a 1.6 or a 2.4.
-Bungou_bxddie
The Unteachables
Gordon Korman
June 8, 2021
I had a very hard time getting past the slurs and negativity surrounding the students in the “Unteachable” class, and it definitely affected how much I liked the book, but I am so glad that the theme at the end was what it was, redeeming the book.
December 3, 2018
Mr. Kermit (AKA Ribbet) has been burned out from teaching, ever since the cheating scandal incident some 30 years ago. What made the whole episode worse is that it was one of his students who was accused of cheating, and Mr. Kermit knew nothing about it, yet still ended up being blamed for the whole thing. Ever since that day, Mr. Kermit has lost his spark for teaching. Now he just seems to go through his day doing crossword puzzles, drinking monster amounts of coffee and biding his time until he can take his early retirement. But this year the superintendent has plans for Mr. Kermit, plans that might just derail Mr. Kermit being able to get his pension. Mr. Kermit is being assigned to teach the kids in room 117, kids with such horrible behavioral or educational issues that they're called the "Unteachables."
The Unteachable reminded a lot of the movie The Breakfast Club. A group of kids from varied backgrounds holed up in a classroom each day. There's Barnstorm who symbolizes the jock with the busted up knee; Rahim or the artist if only he could stay awake long enough; Mateo the brainiac or the encyclopedia especially when it comes to the Klingon language; Parker, the struggling student, and the wheels, having received a provisional drivers license so he can drive his elderly grandma to the senior center and run errands for his parent's farm; Elaine (rhymes with pain) who's the muscle and has been known to throw a kid around just for looking at her funny; there's Aldo who has the temper of "the hulk;" and last but not least there's Kiana, who is like the invisible women, and is only supposed to be a "short-timer." Or at least that's what she keeps telling herself. She's only here until she can move back in with her mom. She's not even registered for school yet and only ended up in room 117 by accident, but still, she keeps coming back each day.
Or maybe The Unteachables is more like the book Ms. Bixby's Last Day. Ms. Bixby is what you would call one of the good teachers, the kind that is thoughtful, compassionate and cares deeply about her students. Well, Mr. Kermit, he's the exact opposite, he lost his will for teaching a long time ago. When the school bell rings, he goes into autopilot handing out worksheets and inching his way toward his early retirement. That is until the moment that he shows an inkling of interest in one of his students being included in the school pep rally. Does his demanding that his students be treated fairly show that he actually cares?
Like Ms. Bixby's Last Day, the story is told in the alternating perspectives of the students from room 117 and Mr. Kermit. Minus chapters from Elaine or Rahim. I really liked this style, Korman gives each character a distinctive personality and well thought out backstory. Each chapter provides more information about how the kids relate to one another and with their teacher. There's even a chapter from the perspective of the school principal and Jake Terranova (Mr. Kermit's former student involved in the cheating scandal). It's humorous, heartwarming and makes me nostalgic for 80's movies. A truly entertaining story that I can't wait to purchase when it's released in January.
The Unteachable reminded a lot of the movie The Breakfast Club. A group of kids from varied backgrounds holed up in a classroom each day. There's Barnstorm who symbolizes the jock with the busted up knee; Rahim or the artist if only he could stay awake long enough; Mateo the brainiac or the encyclopedia especially when it comes to the Klingon language; Parker, the struggling student, and the wheels, having received a provisional drivers license so he can drive his elderly grandma to the senior center and run errands for his parent's farm; Elaine (rhymes with pain) who's the muscle and has been known to throw a kid around just for looking at her funny; there's Aldo who has the temper of "the hulk;" and last but not least there's Kiana, who is like the invisible women, and is only supposed to be a "short-timer." Or at least that's what she keeps telling herself. She's only here until she can move back in with her mom. She's not even registered for school yet and only ended up in room 117 by accident, but still, she keeps coming back each day.
Or maybe The Unteachables is more like the book Ms. Bixby's Last Day. Ms. Bixby is what you would call one of the good teachers, the kind that is thoughtful, compassionate and cares deeply about her students. Well, Mr. Kermit, he's the exact opposite, he lost his will for teaching a long time ago. When the school bell rings, he goes into autopilot handing out worksheets and inching his way toward his early retirement. That is until the moment that he shows an inkling of interest in one of his students being included in the school pep rally. Does his demanding that his students be treated fairly show that he actually cares?
Like Ms. Bixby's Last Day, the story is told in the alternating perspectives of the students from room 117 and Mr. Kermit. Minus chapters from Elaine or Rahim. I really liked this style, Korman gives each character a distinctive personality and well thought out backstory. Each chapter provides more information about how the kids relate to one another and with their teacher. There's even a chapter from the perspective of the school principal and Jake Terranova (Mr. Kermit's former student involved in the cheating scandal). It's humorous, heartwarming and makes me nostalgic for 80's movies. A truly entertaining story that I can't wait to purchase when it's released in January.
September 22, 2018
Gordon Korman just keeps on bringing heart-warming and humorous fabulousness to my middle grade readers... and to the adults who read along with them. I enjoyed his more action-filled MasterMinds trilogy as well as the Swindle books with problem-solving Griffin and his friends, but Mr. Korman has really found his element with books like Slacker, Ungifted, Supergifted and now The Unteachables. SPS-8 is a class of difficult students, hard to manage and even harder to teach, but when they get a burned out, “has been” teacher who has a target on his back with a bitter superintendent taking aim, everyone seems to find a reason to band together and even comes out the better for it. Readers will cheer and chuckle at students like Elaine Whose Name Rhymes With Pain, Aldo with his extremely short fuse, the former football star who finds that once he can’t score points he is a nobody, and others just as “unteachable.” Highly recommended for grades 5-8 with no warnings for language, violence, or sexual content. Thanks for the dARC, Edelweiss.
January 6, 2019
This book is indeed hilarious. The cover is a clue to what is contained inside. I was also inspired and touched by the relationship Mr. Kermit built with a group of students that the school had given up on. In alternating chapters we see the story from the seven kids in the classroom as well as Mr. Kermit and other supporting characters. The different POV will give plenty of kids a character to relate to personally. Teachers and kids will enjoy this book -- hopefully as a read aloud.
A big thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for a digital ARC of this new middle grade novel.
A big thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for a digital ARC of this new middle grade novel.
January 24, 2020
This one is funny and heartwarming at the same time. It was short and told through many different perspectives. A book that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of readers.
December 8, 2020
Comfort book alert! Very heartwarming story about a teacher with “the unteachables”. With strong characters with simple story line, The Unteachables is a light read to brighten up your day ✨
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