Gordon Korman fans should love his latest book about Mr. Aidact, a new teacher at a middle school that students are skeptical of at first. Told through multiple perspectives - mostly students at the school - and occasional memos, readers will feel like they are part of the story. The book started slow but had me hooked half way through.

Mr. Aidact is the new teacher in 7th grade and he is not like any teacher the students are used to. He catches spitball mid-air, he takes over detention & makes it a popular place to be & he becomes the field hockey coach. Before long he wins the most popular teacher. Two of the 7th graders-Oliver & Nathan finds out that Mr. Aidact is a part of a project by the Department of Education and is a robot. Soon all the parents find out and it’s decided Mr. Aidact needs to be deactivated. Read to find out what happens!

All though it was a bit farfetched, I enjoyed this story. I loved to see how the story unfolds by reading it through different characters. This is a must read!

If half ratings were allowed, I’d give this 3.5. Any Korman fan will find his typical fare here and be satisfied. Plucky middle schoolers of varying personalities and motives, a couple of adults who interfere but tend to come through in the end, and a curve ball that the reader is made well aware of long before our narrators are clued in. I do love the discussion this can bring forward about the treatment of AI and their humanity and what those implications might mean for the future in both education and society in general. This one just felt a bit too formulaic for me.

Oliver, Zahn, self-proclaimed “school rule-wrecker”, shoots a spitball at new teacher Mr. Aidact on the first day of seventh grade. When Aidact snags the speeding projectile between his thumb and forefinger, it’s clear this newbie is no ordinary teacher. Aidact’s popularity quickly grows to hero status: teachers dump unwanted assignments on him and students are enthralled by his knowledge and enthusiasm. What is the secret to Aidact’s success? Why does he never eat or drink and why is his student teacher much older than him? Korman plants clues readers will find early so only Oliver and the students are shocked when Aidact is revealed to be a robot and his student teacher is a Department of Education engineer assigned to monitor this experimental project. The reveal creates an uproar that spurs Oliver and Aidact’s students to consider what makes a teacher great – and what it means to be truly human. The controversy also gives Korman opportunity to comment on artificial intelligence, government programs, and the power of enthusiastic kids. Gordon Korman writes what kids love to read and "The Superteacher Project" has all the elements readers have come to expect from his books: humor, fast pace, changing points of view, a raucous climax. All help convey his message with understated ease: the best teachers don’t allow themselves to become robotic. They know that students respond to teachers who are willing to show they’re a little bit like them – or simply just LIKE them. Order for this title for all middle grade collections.

This was such a fun book! I love how Korman meshes science fiction adventure with everyday school life so well. It’s funny, entertaining, pulls on your heart strings just enough, and overall a great read!
What’s the deal with Mr. Aidact? The new homeroom teacher is old fashioned with zero sense of humor. He catches spitballs in mid air and always refers to his students as “pupils”. Plus, it seems like every fact in the world is stored in his head. So Nathan and Oliver are determined to find out who or what is Mr. Aidact?
This book has multiple POVS, and I love that it follows all sorts of different students at the school. It’s fun to watch the different ways they relate to Mr. Aidact. I think most readers will be able to connect with at least one of the characters which is one of the great things about books with multiple POVs.
The humor in this was really funny! I think I wasn’t really its target audience, but middle schoolers will definitely love it. Nathan and Oliver pull all sorts of pranks, and it’s fun to watch them try and squirm their way out of trouble. And rule followers will relate to Rosalie who is so over Nathan and Oliver’s antics.
This was a quick, non stressful read. The plot flowed nicely, and I loved watching the kids come together for Mr. Aidact. I would have liked more positive adult involvement though. Most of this book was focused on the students’ efforts to save Mr. Aidact. But I do like to see all sorts of different kids work together for a common goal :)
I would definitely recommend this book to any middle schooler! I think Korman did a great job of making a book that will interest every kid.

Highlights:
Funny humor
No inappropriate content

Focus on friendship - no romance
Power of working together
Looking past differences


I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review