Pick of the Day: Mr. Hynde Is Out of His Mind: My Weird School, Book 6 (CD)

Mr. Hynde Is Out of His Mind: My Weird School, Book 6. By Dan Gutman. cassette or CD. 45 min. Recorded Books. 2012. cassette: ISBN 978-1-4498-6426-2, CD: ISBN 978-1-4498-6427-9. $15.75.
Gr 1-3–In the funniest book (HarperCollins, 2005) yet in Dan Gutman’s series, second grade king of hyperbole, A. J., complains that he hates school, dislikes reading, and particularly despises Andrea Young, a geeky brown-noser, and her crybaby sidekick, Emily. Good news arrives when their music teacher, “boring, snoring Mr. Loring,” is replaced by an unlikely successor: rapper and jam master, Mr. Hynde. The “one- man funky groove machine” appears in a purple cloud of smoke with a sequined cloak, movie-star shades, baseball cap, and a penchant for break dancing. No more old school, as Mr. Hynde promises “I’m here to rock your world, so get down and get your swerve on!” Jared Goldsmith gets A. J.’s voice just right and kicks into high gear with his hilarious hip-hop/ghetto slang take on Mr. Hynde. It’s non-stop laughter as he exhorts the class to get out of their seats and bust a move. During TV Turn-Off Month, or “the end of the world as we know it,” Mr. Hynde teaches an unorthodox percussion lesson and writes a hip-hop Beauty and the Beast musical play to engage his charges. There’s even a surprise ending, so reluctant readers and their jaded teachers will equally enjoy this delightful audiobook.–Lonna Pierce, MacArthur Elementary School, Binghamton, NY