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Emma Is on the Air #1
Big News!
WNBC reporter Ida Siegal makes her debut as a chapter book author with a hilarious look at one girl's journey into journalism, mystery-solving, and fame -- or at least two out of those three!
This is Emma Perez, and I'm ON THE AIR!
"Today at lunch, my friend Javier found a slimy worm in his hamburger. It was extra gross! Now everyone wants to know how the worm got in there. Someone might even get in trouble! The school needs my famous reporter skills to solve the case!"
Emma Perez has been looking for some big news to help her become a famous reporter. Javier's wormburger is perfect-people need to know what happened! Emma is ready to find witnesses, gather clues, and file her report.
Tune in for the first edition of
EMMA IS ON THE AIR!
This is Emma Perez, and I'm ON THE AIR!
"Today at lunch, my friend Javier found a slimy worm in his hamburger. It was extra gross! Now everyone wants to know how the worm got in there. Someone might even get in trouble! The school needs my famous reporter skills to solve the case!"
Emma Perez has been looking for some big news to help her become a famous reporter. Javier's wormburger is perfect-people need to know what happened! Emma is ready to find witnesses, gather clues, and file her report.
Tune in for the first edition of
EMMA IS ON THE AIR!
128 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 15, 2015
Emma Perez has big dreams - she wants to be FAMOUS! And she knows that she's got what it takes to make it happen. When she sees an investigative reporter on the TV news, Emma knows that this is her ticket to fame. After all, that woman's famous and how hard can it be? But first Emma needs to break a story. It needs to be something that people are interested in and something important for people to know. Emma's big break comes on Pizza Day. When one of her schoolmates, Javier, finds a WORM in his LUNCH, Emma knows she's got the perfect story. Where did the worm come from? Did someone put it there on purpose? Who would do such a thing? And can Emma find out what's going on before the health inspector demands that one of the cafeteria ladies or Emma's nice teacher be fired?
This is a sweet and funny story that pretty organically details the process of reporting news. Emma's a likable character and I feel like she's very realistic - I could see some of our school kids saying some of the things she says. It's also awesome to add a diverse voice to our early chapter book shelves.
This is a sweet and funny story that pretty organically details the process of reporting news. Emma's a likable character and I feel like she's very realistic - I could see some of our school kids saying some of the things she says. It's also awesome to add a diverse voice to our early chapter book shelves.
July 20, 2015
Emma, a Dominican American second-grader, is determined to be famous. When she sees a beautiful news reporter on TV, she knows just how to achieve her goal. Conveniently enough, she soon has an opportunity to begin her first investigation when another student finds a worm in his hamburger at lunch. Where did the worm come from? How did it end up in his burger? And whose fault is all this, anyway?
While this story has some unrealistic parts, it's still a whole lot of fun. The mystery should keep kids involved and guessing at the outcome, and Emma's rise to (very localized) fame is enjoyable and inspirational. It's especially nice to see Emma pick a goal, then work hard to achieve it over time. Many students will likely identify with her diverse background as well.
While this story has some unrealistic parts, it's still a whole lot of fun. The mystery should keep kids involved and guessing at the outcome, and Emma's rise to (very localized) fame is enjoyable and inspirational. It's especially nice to see Emma pick a goal, then work hard to achieve it over time. Many students will likely identify with her diverse background as well.
May 31, 2015
Besides the fact that Emma's school is unlike any I'd ever heard of, it wasn't that bad. Emma wants to be a newscaster, and so she looks for a story at school. She finds one, when one of her classmates gets a "wormburger" for lunch. Emma knows it's up to her to find the truth.
The story is totally unrealistic. There were so many things that would never ever happen, that it would be impossible to detail them all. If you toss reality aside and look at it, as a silly story about a second grader, it's alright.
I think K-1 would bet he most appropriate audience.
The story is totally unrealistic. There were so many things that would never ever happen, that it would be impossible to detail them all. If you toss reality aside and look at it, as a silly story about a second grader, it's alright.
I think K-1 would bet he most appropriate audience.
January 8, 2017
My 6 year old and I really enjoyed this book. Get the full review at Books My Kids Read. We did get a free review copy from Scholastic, but all opinions are completely our own.
In the first installment, Emma is on the Air: Big News!, young Emma is trying to find a way to become famous. When watching the news with her father one evening, she sees a journalist who completely catches her eye and she decides that that’s the key to her fame. From there her father, a journalist himself, gives her lessons in what kind of stories need to be told and how to go about collecting information. When a boy in her school find a worm in his hamburger the next day, the stage is set for her big break.
The story allows Emma to give a nice lesson in basic journalism by having her interview key witnesses, gather clues and write up her reports while getting tips from her father. When she manages to solve the mystery of the wormburger, she even thinks that “maybe the helping part felt better than the famous part…Nah that is silly.”
E and I read this story together and really enjoyed it. Young readers are grabbed by Emma’s excitement for life and for the gross factor in finding a worm in your hamburger. Emma is also all about style, something my 6 year old can’t get enough of. Even when she is writing her story, she uses a microphone with a big purple E on it, “a shiny purple feather pencil with extra-special sparkles and a special purple reporter’s pad to take notes.”
In the first installment, Emma is on the Air: Big News!, young Emma is trying to find a way to become famous. When watching the news with her father one evening, she sees a journalist who completely catches her eye and she decides that that’s the key to her fame. From there her father, a journalist himself, gives her lessons in what kind of stories need to be told and how to go about collecting information. When a boy in her school find a worm in his hamburger the next day, the stage is set for her big break.
The story allows Emma to give a nice lesson in basic journalism by having her interview key witnesses, gather clues and write up her reports while getting tips from her father. When she manages to solve the mystery of the wormburger, she even thinks that “maybe the helping part felt better than the famous part…Nah that is silly.”
E and I read this story together and really enjoyed it. Young readers are grabbed by Emma’s excitement for life and for the gross factor in finding a worm in your hamburger. Emma is also all about style, something my 6 year old can’t get enough of. Even when she is writing her story, she uses a microphone with a big purple E on it, “a shiny purple feather pencil with extra-special sparkles and a special purple reporter’s pad to take notes.”
June 8, 2018
I read this book in Spanish because it is a part of my class library for HS Spanish levels 1 and 2. I found the book the be funny and entertaining. Not too MS for my oh so grown up high schoolers. The language is complex and the Spanish version is not for learners, but Scholastic used enough Spanglish and cognates that the more driven students can still read it on their own if they really put forth some effort.
All in all, a cute story that I am happy to have taken the time to read. It is a fun little chatterbox turned detective story that will definitely give anyone used to working with elementary school kids a good chuckle.
All in all, a cute story that I am happy to have taken the time to read. It is a fun little chatterbox turned detective story that will definitely give anyone used to working with elementary school kids a good chuckle.
September 5, 2023
Cute story that would be fun for a child who is branching out into chapter books. I enjoyed how it included Spanish words but also explained what they mean in English. As an adult reader whose Spanish only goes as far as Dora took me, I understood what was said, but it was perfect for children who may not have that exposure yet.
November 10, 2017
Well written story. The author is able to talk bilingual and explain it to the reader. As an adult, I wondered about the worm burger. This little chapter book had a really well done mystery.
December 31, 2022
Very nice it os about a girl who wants to be famous so she finds a case at shool and interveiws people and is like a news reporter and puts up blogs
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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September 8, 2015I was of two minds with this one. I found Emma really engaging and fun. She’s pretty girly and likes to think about clothes and being famous, but she also learns how to be an investigative reporter/detective. Of course she’s in second grade so it’s not hard hitting news. But the process is there and she’s willing to stick with it. Was she kind of silly? Yes, but I know a number of kids exactly like her.
The story itself, again not hard hitting news, but was a funny story kids will absolutely love. A worm has found its way into Javier’s burger one day at lunch and now Emma wants to investigate. She ends up solving the mystery, interviewing a bunch of people involved and making videos to post on a school online bulletin board. Her dad, a newspaper reporter, helps her write her scripts, make the videos, and walks her through the whole process. He also encourages and cajoles her when her enthusiasm wanes when she finds becoming a famous reporter isn’t just about putting on makeup (a character trait I think was completely fitting for an eight year old).
The cover treatment, form factor, etc. of this book would certainly mean even my low third grade readers would pick this up and enjoy it. Win, win, win!
But Ida Siegal, as far as I can tell, is white. Emma is half white, half Dominican. I think that’s fantastic. Diversity, blah blah blah. But with the exception of a few descriptions of how she looks (dark brown hair, no mention of skin color) and a few Spanish phrases and words sprinkled throughout, being Dominican doesn’t feel integral to the story or the character. I know it’s important to have books where being something other than white isn’t a big deal, but I think those stories need to be coming from authors that share those cultures. It just gets at that debate of who can write what characters. And in this book it feels more like tapping into the trend of diverse characters instead of being authentic.
Will I buy this? Maybe. I have a couple other series coming from the library that feature characters of color and I want to read those first and see if they are comparable in reading level and appeal. If they are and their authors are also share the characters cultures then I would buy those first. If they don’t meet that criteria then I would buy the Emma books. I have a gaggle of second grade girls who would probably love these.
The story itself, again not hard hitting news, but was a funny story kids will absolutely love. A worm has found its way into Javier’s burger one day at lunch and now Emma wants to investigate. She ends up solving the mystery, interviewing a bunch of people involved and making videos to post on a school online bulletin board. Her dad, a newspaper reporter, helps her write her scripts, make the videos, and walks her through the whole process. He also encourages and cajoles her when her enthusiasm wanes when she finds becoming a famous reporter isn’t just about putting on makeup (a character trait I think was completely fitting for an eight year old).
The cover treatment, form factor, etc. of this book would certainly mean even my low third grade readers would pick this up and enjoy it. Win, win, win!
But Ida Siegal, as far as I can tell, is white. Emma is half white, half Dominican. I think that’s fantastic. Diversity, blah blah blah. But with the exception of a few descriptions of how she looks (dark brown hair, no mention of skin color) and a few Spanish phrases and words sprinkled throughout, being Dominican doesn’t feel integral to the story or the character. I know it’s important to have books where being something other than white isn’t a big deal, but I think those stories need to be coming from authors that share those cultures. It just gets at that debate of who can write what characters. And in this book it feels more like tapping into the trend of diverse characters instead of being authentic.
Will I buy this? Maybe. I have a couple other series coming from the library that feature characters of color and I want to read those first and see if they are comparable in reading level and appeal. If they are and their authors are also share the characters cultures then I would buy those first. If they don’t meet that criteria then I would buy the Emma books. I have a gaggle of second grade girls who would probably love these.
October 25, 2014
This is a review of books 1 and 2 in the Emma is on the Air series.
Emma wants nothing more than to be famous, so when her father offers to teach her how to be a news reporter, she readily accepts the challenge. Emma quickly realizes how similar news reporting is to detective work, and soon she finds herself investigating how a worm found its way into a classmate's lunch (Big News!) and what happened to her friend's homemade Halloween costume (Party Drama!).
This new chapter book series is written by NBC news reporter Ida Siegal, but unlike other titles by "celebrity" authors, these books are actually well done and well suited to the beginning chapter book audience. Siegal's presentation of each of Emma's news stories as a mystery is a great strategy for helping kids understand how investigative reporting works and to engage them in the process. Also wonderful is the inclusion of Spanish phrases with simple phonetic explanations on how to pronounce them given in Emma's own voice. With these guides, native and non-native speakers alike can quickly decode the unfamiliar phrases and move on through the story without being tripped up by the language.
Some elements of these two stories are a bit far-fetched. It is unlikely that a public school would allow Emma to take up class time interviewing witnesses, or that the school would post the news stories to its website. Kids wishing to emulate Emma will be likely to run into major roadblocks.The writing is also not as strong in the second book as in the first. Party Drama! seems to lose its momentum well before the conclusion, leaving the ending to feel flat and tacked on.
Emma is on the Air provides something different, which is always welcome in the sometimes tiresome realm of beginning chapter books. The technology Emma uses to make her news reports gives the series a decent STEM connection, and the mystery elements make it a nice read-alike for series like Cam Jansen and A to Z mysteries. Recommended for grades 2 to 4.
Emma wants nothing more than to be famous, so when her father offers to teach her how to be a news reporter, she readily accepts the challenge. Emma quickly realizes how similar news reporting is to detective work, and soon she finds herself investigating how a worm found its way into a classmate's lunch (Big News!) and what happened to her friend's homemade Halloween costume (Party Drama!).
This new chapter book series is written by NBC news reporter Ida Siegal, but unlike other titles by "celebrity" authors, these books are actually well done and well suited to the beginning chapter book audience. Siegal's presentation of each of Emma's news stories as a mystery is a great strategy for helping kids understand how investigative reporting works and to engage them in the process. Also wonderful is the inclusion of Spanish phrases with simple phonetic explanations on how to pronounce them given in Emma's own voice. With these guides, native and non-native speakers alike can quickly decode the unfamiliar phrases and move on through the story without being tripped up by the language.
Some elements of these two stories are a bit far-fetched. It is unlikely that a public school would allow Emma to take up class time interviewing witnesses, or that the school would post the news stories to its website. Kids wishing to emulate Emma will be likely to run into major roadblocks.The writing is also not as strong in the second book as in the first. Party Drama! seems to lose its momentum well before the conclusion, leaving the ending to feel flat and tacked on.
Emma is on the Air provides something different, which is always welcome in the sometimes tiresome realm of beginning chapter books. The technology Emma uses to make her news reports gives the series a decent STEM connection, and the mystery elements make it a nice read-alike for series like Cam Jansen and A to Z mysteries. Recommended for grades 2 to 4.
April 16, 2015
Emma has always known that she wants to be famous, but she hasn't decided what she wants to be famous FOR. That is, until she sees a glamorous news reporter on TV, and a light blub goes off in her head. That's it! She'll be famous for reporting the news on TV! With the help of her papi, who is newspaper reporter, Emma goes in search of a true AND interesting story that she can report on. At first, Emma is stumped. But then Javier, a boy in her class, finds a worm in his hamburger at lunch! Ewww! If Emma can find out how the worm got there, could this be her big break? Next she'll have to interview witnesses, write a script, and record the first episode of Emma Is on the Air!
This book is pretty cute and definitely has a realistic child voice to it. It's also nice to see a Latina protagonist whose race has nothing to do with the story she's in. Emma's use of technology to research and create something original could also be pretty inspiring. The mystery of the story wasn't incredibly exciting or surprising, but that's pretty on par with these early chapter book mysteries.
I would recommend this book to grades 2-4, especially fans of mysteries, realistic fiction, and stories about girly girls. This would be great for anyone interested in becoming a reporter. A lot of early chapter books starring girls could be a readalike for this one, particuarly Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth by Jane O'Connor, Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream by Jenny Han, or A Crazy, Mixed-Up Spanish Day by Marisa Montes.
This book is pretty cute and definitely has a realistic child voice to it. It's also nice to see a Latina protagonist whose race has nothing to do with the story she's in. Emma's use of technology to research and create something original could also be pretty inspiring. The mystery of the story wasn't incredibly exciting or surprising, but that's pretty on par with these early chapter book mysteries.
I would recommend this book to grades 2-4, especially fans of mysteries, realistic fiction, and stories about girly girls. This would be great for anyone interested in becoming a reporter. A lot of early chapter books starring girls could be a readalike for this one, particuarly Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth by Jane O'Connor, Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream by Jenny Han, or A Crazy, Mixed-Up Spanish Day by Marisa Montes.
May 6, 2015
Emma is on the Air by Ida Siegal
This book made more sense when I discovered that Ida Siegal is an on the air reporters for a New York TV station. Emma is a precocious eight year old girl going on fifteen. Her immediate passion is to become "Someone". Emma wants to be famous!
Emma decides that being a investigative reporter is her path to success. Her first problem is to find something on which to report. Once she discovers a wormburger, her journalistic instincts go into overdrive.
Emma is a likeable character that is aptly portrayed by the author. Her level of enthusiasm may seem over the top but only to people who have rare contact with this age group. Having just arrived home from volunteering in my grandson's kindergarten class, I am awestruck by the energy level and excitement demonstrated by elementary age kids.
Emma follows a convoluted path to the solution of her mystery and her hoped for fame. This book is the first in a series. As a Scholastic published book, success is almost guaranteed. This is a cute story. It is suggested for up to fifth grade but I suspect the most fertile market will be third grade.
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Web sites: https://www.facebook.com/ida.siegal
This book made more sense when I discovered that Ida Siegal is an on the air reporters for a New York TV station. Emma is a precocious eight year old girl going on fifteen. Her immediate passion is to become "Someone". Emma wants to be famous!
Emma decides that being a investigative reporter is her path to success. Her first problem is to find something on which to report. Once she discovers a wormburger, her journalistic instincts go into overdrive.
Emma is a likeable character that is aptly portrayed by the author. Her level of enthusiasm may seem over the top but only to people who have rare contact with this age group. Having just arrived home from volunteering in my grandson's kindergarten class, I am awestruck by the energy level and excitement demonstrated by elementary age kids.
Emma follows a convoluted path to the solution of her mystery and her hoped for fame. This book is the first in a series. As a Scholastic published book, success is almost guaranteed. This is a cute story. It is suggested for up to fifth grade but I suspect the most fertile market will be third grade.
.
Web sites: https://www.facebook.com/ida.siegal
October 30, 2015
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. http://julianaleewriter.com/the-cybil...
April 19, 2016
I really liked Emma's determination to be "on the air," but I didn't find this story to be overly realistic. Kids reading this would be in their teachers' faces asking to videotape things going on at school, wanting to report everything happening... and the school just seemed to offer quite a few things that the average school doesn't. I enjoyed the Spanish phrases thrown in, and the illustrations are totally adorable, but Emma's "bubbly personality" seemed a little more like her being a demanding brat at times... one who wanted to hog the spotlight and get as much attention as possible.
Cute concept, but I won't be purchasing it for my school library.
Cute concept, but I won't be purchasing it for my school library.
February 17, 2016
This is a sweet chapter book for 2nd-3rd grade about a girl who decides she wants to be a reporter. She gets some great practice solving the mystery of a worm's appearance in her friend's burger at lunchtime - she does interviews with people and posts the video online, investigative-reporter-style. Good for young mystery fans who also yearn for a taste of fame. The smattering of (always defined) Spanish words was nice to see as well.
April 20, 2015
Emma Perez dreams big and bold. She wants to be FAMOUS! When she sees an investigative reporter on the TV news, she knows that this is just the career for her. When Javier, finds a worm in his lunch at school the next day, Emma knows this is a story she’s got to investigate. Emma is definitely a likable character, with an upbeat attitude. This is a great series opener!
February 20, 2015
This easy chapter book with illustrations is a good introduction to investigating and reporting. Emma takes the reader through all the steps of discovering, investigating, and reporting a major news story.
Note: I received an ARC from the publisher.
Note: I received an ARC from the publisher.
June 18, 2015
Set in Washington Heights, NY (aka the BEST neighborhood), Emma is a bilingual 3rd grader with a flair for the dramatic. Join her on her newest hobby, news reporting, where she helps solve a cafeteria mystery.
July 21, 2015
Actually 3 and a half stars. I am happy to see another series for beginning chapter book readers. Emma is a great character who many of our students will connect with.
September 9, 2015
Emma wants to be famous . . . but how? By becoming a news reporter! This is her first scoop.
October 25, 2015
Bit annoying, but could be good for a beginning mystery.
January 1, 2016
What a cute and original story!
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August 21, 2016TERRIBLE!!!!!!!! U can only read 1 page
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews