Emma is On The Air: Big News!

 

 

Title: Emma is On The Air: Big News!

Author: Ida Siegal

Illustrator: Karla Pena

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Year: 2015

ISBN: 978-0-545-68693-8

Summary: Emma Perez wants to be famous. The news her father watches on TV is boring. Then she sees a famous news reporter on TV who look glamorous and decides she will be a famous news reporter too… but not like her dad who is a newspaper reporter. Her dad helps her learn the ropes. He gives her his old phone and microphone to record with and tells her to look for interesting news articles. The very next day, Emma finds a news story, her friend Javier finds a worm in his hamburger at school. Emma writes her first report and her father helps her post it online to the school’s website. The next day, Emma interviews people and learns more. By the third day, she has solved the mystery. But she has to hurry to post the news before the Health Inspector blames the wrong person and someone gets fired.

Literary Merit: Written by a real news reporter, this story has an authentic feel to it. The story is kid-friendly in content and easy to follow for a beginning reader. It also hits on the issue of diversity by having a Latina main character and inter dispersed spanish words and phrases.

Kid Appeal: Worms in hamburgers… gross! Kids will love the problem and enjoy watching Emma uncover the truth.

Disclaimer: This book was nominated for the 2015 CYBILS Award in the Early Chapter Book category. This review is shared as part of the Round One Judging. It is solely my own opinion and not influenced by any other parties.