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.

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.

"Winerip (9 Highland Road, for adults) delivers a terrific crash course in Journalism 101 within this acerbic satire featuring a junior Woodward and Bernstein. Adam, 'the most overprogrammed middle school student in America,' and Jennifer, who keeps her many balls in the air with more ease, have been named co-editors of the Slash. This award-winning Harris Elementary/Middle newspaper was named either for the diagonal line in the school's name or, according to a former editor, for villainous Principal Marris's tendency to '[slash] anything interesting out of every article.' The team's tenure begins with a pesky but smart third-grade reporter's glowing profile of the unsung hero of a school janitor — which inadvertently reveals some shady dealings afoot, linked to the principal's gold-plated bathroom fixtures. Adam and Jennifer work to get the goods on Marris, and create enough outrage to overturn a law with fine print banning basketball hoops from front yards. Through his characters, Pulitzer prize — winning journalist Winerip makes a statement about standardized tests, onerous zoning regulations and mergers that land all local media in the hands of one 'telecommunications magnate.' Fans of Carl Hiaasen's Hoot will find the same cynical humor at work here, as well as villains just as baldly caricatured. Between laughs, readers will also be prompted to think — about what constitutes truth, how the media massages it, and the importance of ethics, fairness and getting the facts right. Ages 8-12. (Apr.) " Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"This is a deceptively fun read that somehow manages to present kids with some of the most subtle social and ethical questions currently shaping their futures." Jeffrey Hastings, Highlander Way Middle School, Howell, MI, School Library Journal

"The comedy scores and the writing zips along with real suspense, making this a fun, fast read. It's an excellent effort for Winerip's debut that should delight middle-school readers." Kirkus Review

"The characters' conviction that 'truth is a mighty precious commodity' may inspire readers, as they ensnare them in the thrilling quest for a big scoop." Booklist

"Readers young and old need all the positive journalistic role models they can get." New York Times Book Review

"Principles and the principal clash at Harris Elementary/Middle School, when the reporters at the paper dig up an administrative scandal." U.S. News & World Report

"Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Michael Winerip's debut novel is a sheer joy to read, from beginning to end. Middle-school students haven't had such a journalistic hero since Harriet The Spy, and readers can only hope that Winerip does us all a favor and grants Adam serial status." Time Out New York Kids

In this terrific debut, the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist introduces a charming cast of middle-school newspaper reporters that stands up to authority to expose a school scandal.

Michael Winerip is a Pulitzer-Prize-winning reporter for the New York Times and is also the author of an award-winning nonfiction book for adults, 9 Highland Road. Adam Canfield of the Slash is his first book for young readers.