Adam Canfield of the Slash

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.

Michael Winerip says that many of the stories in ADAM CANFIELD OF THE SLASH are based on his own experiences working as a newspaper reporter for thirty years. "I wanted to write a book about kids with super powers," he says. "So I gave Adam lots of notebooks and pens and a newspaper that would print his stories. Next, I threw in a few suspicious characters, then stood back and waited for some magic stuff to happen." 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. He lives with his wife and four children, who provide fresh material for his writing daily. ADAM CANFIELD OF THE SLASH is his first book for young readers.