The Unteachables

By: Gordon Korman

Narrated by: Sarah Beth Goer, Oliver Wyman, Josh Hurley, Tristan Morris, Chris Gebauer, Sean Welsh Brown, Pete Larkin, Fred Berman, Jennifer Nittoso

Length: 6 hrs

Publisher's Summary

A hilarious new middle grade novel from beloved and best-selling 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. A good choice for summer listening or anytime!

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.

This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween listeners in grades four to six, in the classroom or for homeschooling.

©2019 Gordon Korman (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers

Awesome story, thoroughly enjoyable!

Good characters, good story line, not boring, nice and clean, and good narration! Love this author and his stories! Will definitely listen to more!

Great read

Loved this story. About second chances and looking past the surface. Humorous and heartwarming at the same time. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

4.5 Stars

I picked up The Unteachables on a whim and I ended up really enjoying it. This audiobook is narrated by a full cast of 9 narrators. It is more or less a middle grade children's book, but I believe adults will enjoy it just the same. I am a 30 something woman with no children and I was entertained the whole time.

This book is about a class of misfits. The school has all but written these kids off so for their 8th grade year, they are all placed into a single class. They don't get to change rooms or switch teachers for different subjects or go to PE or school activities. They just go to room 117 to do whatever they want. This year, Mr. Kermit is assigned the "Unteachables" and his goal is to just make it through the year so he can take his retirement pension and move on. Mr. Kermit used to be a wonderful and engaged teacher but that all came to an end years ago when he was unknowingly involved in a scandal. That horrible event has followed Mr. Kermit like a black cloud ever since.

Most of these kids have slipped through the cracks and are a result of careless and unobservant teachers. One of the kids hasn't actually been registered at that school due to her step mother's negligence and the office staff member's laziness and error. Slowly, we start to learn more about each of the students and their teacher and they start to see how they can help each other.

I think this was a great story of loyalty, friendship, perseverance and hard work. It has humor and excitement. It even has a bit of a moral and message that is delivered. I recommend this book. I think it would be especially perfect for adults who are looking for something to listen to with kids.

The narrators all did a fantastic job. I didn't have any complaints about their reading or acting.

Great read

I love this book it was amazing to listen to it show that anything is possible you can achieve

Predictable but fun

The ending was very predictable but the story had a decent amount of fun and funny parts. Not a must read in my opinion but still a very good book.

Loved it! It speaks to all teachers !

Everyone who has ever been in a school w I ll appreciate this story, from veteran teachers, eager new teachers, students who struggle or not. I haven't enjoyed a book this much in a long time! And, the multiple narrators made it a true joy to listen to!

Awesome entertaining book

Wow this book is amazing! I'm 30 years old and I loved every single chapter in this book..

Great Story

This was a great story! I'm a teacher, so I can relate to a lot of things that happened. I loved listening!

I don’t like it

Why I don’t like it

Well the book was not good that is why I don’t like it

Excellent

This was an outstanding book. Witty, touching and so true. It was refreshing to hear a book free of bad language and inappropriate behavior. The readers were outstanding, and the author excellent

Perfect 'Mr Chips'-like uplifting fare for KS2/KS3

A good teacher gone to seed. A class of misfits the system has given up on. While you might guess how the story is generally going to unfold, it was an absolute pleasure listening to the multiple narrators tell their story of a year in the Unteachables.

The protagonist arguably is Kiana, only registering at the school for a few weeks while her mum is away working, and due to her stepmother's preoccupation with a baby, finds herself in a 'special class' with only six other students.

And trying to survive his last year before early retirement is teacher Mr Kermit, still jaded from a decades-old scandal he was unfairly implicated in. Doing the time, set the Unteachables class by a superintendent keen to force him to resign, his teaching methods include completing the puzzles in the newspaper every day and setting worksheets he never marks. He's just waiting for June and he's out of there...

But the seven students in his class - with anger issues, bad attitudes, the inability to read - they may still have something to teach themselves.

Multiple actors voice the roles of the children and adults who share the story, making it very clear who is speaking. I loved the structure, hearing everyone's own take on the class and how gradually they all start to affect each other. It's an ideal novel to listen to, first person with lots of voices that are easily identifiable and an easy-to-follow story.

The oft-utilised 'problem child' scenario is very nicely developed with several different issues experienced by the Unteachables cast, each humanised and shown to be someone who needs the right help, the right guidance... and just maybe so does their teacher.

Mr Kermit is made very sympathetic, and the story manages to fit in without issue an arc for each major character, bringing in business from years past. Readers will be cheering by the end (I was smiling broadly) and warmed.

No issues with language or violence, no mature themes, this is perfect material for ages 9-14.

With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.