THE LANDRY NEWS

Mr. Larson is a burned-out veteran teacher who gives his class a learning atmosphere but does no teaching. Cara Landry's "editorial" about this precipitates a chain of events that ends up in a town debate with national news coverage. Andrew McCarthy sets the mood, starting slow and easy, and quickening his pace as the action builds, adding to the emotion of the story as he sets up each confrontation between the relaxed Mr. Larson and his traditional principal. McCarthy develops individual voices for each of the characters, and creates a realistic picture of a fifth-grade class and a teacher called up short. As Cara and Mr. Larson grow through the story, we are left with the question--what is a good teacher? Listening and discussing this in the classroom, or in the family, could provide some interesting answers. W.L.S. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 01]