Girl Reporter Blows Lid Off Town!

Get Real #1

by Linda Ellerbee

Girl Reporter Trapped in Body of Eleven-Year-Old Girl! Meet Casey Smith, girl reporter extraordinaire. Sniffing out news? Casey will Rollerblade through the principal's office to get a scoop. There's just one the perky, popular, people-pleasing Megan O'Connor, whose idea of a good story is something that makes you feel gooey inside. And this is the kid Casey is supposed to team up with to publish a school newspaper? Get Real.  

Genres: Middle Grade, Childrens, Kids

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 11, 2000

About the author

Linda Ellerbee (born Linda Jane Smith) is a journalist who is most known for several jobs at NBC News, including Washington (DC) correspondent, and reporter and co-anchor of NBC News Overnight, which was recognized by the duPont Columbia Awards as "the best written and most intelligent news program ever."

Ms. Ellerbee's production company, Lucky Ducky Productions, has earned a reputation as a supplier of outstanding children's programming for network, syndication, cable, and public television. Originally from Texas, Ms. Ellerbee now divides her time between New York City and western Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good story, with two girls and a teem to try to bring real news back!

[kb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I've ever been this excited to rate a book! I've been waiting for this for half my life (literally!) and it's only this very month that I've gotten my hands on a copy, thanks to an online friend of mine who was so kind to think of sending me it as a gift! (Hi, Kat!) And hallelujah, the long wait was worth it. Finally, I got to find out how Real News started, how Ringo and Casey became BFs, how Casey and Megan's clash-ship started, why Casey and Tyler are awkward with each other, etc. But clearly, my anticipation and enthusiasm has a deeper root. It's just surreal how more than 10 years after, I still can't get over my awe over this story. It just might be because it's like a journal of the first steps of my own "journalism career." See, I might not be exactly like loudmouth, aggressive, ironic Casey Smith but her curiosity and inquisitiveness is something I can relate to. If you ever were a student reporter or had dreams of becoming a journalist, this will surely take you back in time and make you want to relive those moments :)

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lina Ellerbee, host of the kids news show Nick News, debuts in writing with "Girl Reporter Blows Lid Off Town!". Casey loves writing, and she just has to unconver the latest story. So, when she has to be co-editor if the school newspaper, she absolutely freaks! The other editor in chief, Megan, is a girly girl. Casey isn't a girly girl, and she doesn't have any intentions of making the newspaper something like "saying happy birthday to the teachers and asking for volunteers for the school dance". When she finds a story about local mill polluting the river, she has to dig deeper. The only problem is that it might put her crush's dad out of the job. As Tyler McKenzie (her crush) says best, "A voice is a powerful thing to have".

[Stef · Rating 3 out of 5]

haha i read this book when i was younger. Ringo is the funny one...I remember this one part when Casey thinks Ringo is a reporter too (b/c of his notebook) but he was actually doodling....lol

[Zoe Star]

awesome

[Shuwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is nice! And i liked it!

[Amanda Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!! It kept my attention the whole time and it was such an easy read!!!

[aem · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had some trouble getting through this book. Casey is really obnoxious and opinionated!!!