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.

What an amazing story! Every teacher and middle grade student should read this book! I love how Gordon Korman captures the character perspectives so perfectly! Mr. Kermit, a burnt out teacher on the brink of retirement, is just showing up and doing whatever necessary to collect his pension. The superintendent who has plans to foil Mr. Kermit’s Retirement, has set out on a mission. He thinks placing Mr. Kermit in room 117 with the “unteachables” is a sure fire way to sink him! Little do they know…

The additional cast of characters including the new girl, the student from Mr. Kermit’s past, and the coteacher who happens to be the daughter of Mr. Kermit’s ex-fiancé add to the dimension of plot twists that Gordon created in this laugh out loud story!

What Mr. Kermit as well as the superintendent didn’t realize was that the kids in room 117 were the best thing that ever happened to him and each other! This story was fabulously told from alternating perspectives and was hilarious at times and heartwarming at times. It just has everything! I loved it!

Even though I have many Gordon Korman books on the shelves in my classroom, this is the first I actually read. Now, I can’t wait to pick up others and recommend them to my students!

Gordon Korman has written more than fifty middle-grade and teen novels. Favorites include the New York Times #1 bestseller The 39 Clues: One False Note, The Juvie Three, Son of the Mob, Born to Rock, and Schooled. Though he didn’t play football in high school, Gordon’s been a lifelong fan and season ticket holder. He says, “I’ve always been fascinated by the ‘culture of collision’ in football and wanted to explore it-not just from the highlight films but from its darker side as well.” Gordon lives with his family on Long Island, New York. 

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