Robin's Impossible, Crazy Idea

by Sylvia Gunnery

Ever since starting grade four, Robin's days at Ernest Lee Elementary School have been dreary. At the center of this unhappiness is her teacher, Ms. Beetroot, whose stern looks and endless lists of rules leave no room for fun. All this changes when Robin and her class are greeted by a wild and wonderful substitute teacher. "Welcome, children! My name is Mr. Cunningham. That's cunning as in sly, and ham as in joking around. I will be your substitute grade 4 teacher for today. Let the show begin!" He turned, opened the large door, and gave a welcoming bow." Mr. Cunningham brings excitement and fun back into the grade 4 classroom, but that night Robin must face the inevitable - Beetroot would be back the next day. That is when an impossible crazy idea begins to take shape in Robin's mind. But how will she convince the grade 4 class that this crazy idea will work and how will she keep this impossible idea a secret from Ms. Beetroot?

46 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2001

About the author

Sylvia Gunnery is the author of many novels for teens and children. Often, the themes and characters in her books have developed from her classroom experiences with junior high and high school students. A recipient of a Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence, Sylvia has written a teachers' resource, Just Write! (Pembroke, 1998) as well as guided reading books for Curriculum Plus. She has presented at conferences, libraries, and schools across Canada and works on curriculum development and assessment initiatives with the Nova Scotia Department of Education. Sylvia lives at Crescent Beach on the South Shore of Nova Scotia.