Summary:

Ivan's already busy with a newspaper internship, school, and a job as a busboy. But things are going to get more stressful after a robbery at the restaurant, and a brutal assault lands a Bayview High student in hospital. Ivan has the chance to break a major story for the paper but it might mean getting a friend in trouble.

Before You Read — Pre-Reading

Before You Read — Pre-Reading

Chapter One—Back Alley Business
Summary:
Ivan is a busboy at the Tailgate Grill. Carl, his boss, likes to joke around with his staff; Len, his son, treats Ivan like an adult. When Ivan takes out the garbage he hears and sees two guys threatening and roughing up Len. Len tells Ivan to keep it quiet.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Descriptive Language

Chapter Two—Getting Back on Track
Summary:
Ivan gets called to the vice-principal’s office. He has failed science and history and has skipped 12 classes of each subject. Ivan is removed from both classes and will have to re-take them. Mrs. MacDougall tells Ivan he should consider the co-op program at the newspaper. Ivan agrees to sign up to be considered for the internship at the Daily Tribune.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Hyphenated Compound Words

Chapter Three—Greasing the Wheel
Summary:
Ivan tells his parents about having to drop history and science. They are disappointed. He tells them about the opportunity for an internship at the newspaper. Mr. Belov tells Ivan that if he wants the job he should go to see the editor-in-chief of the paper. Ivan does. She is impressed with his style. Ivan gets the internship at the Daily Tribune.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Describing a Scene

Chapter Four—First Day Jitters
Summary:
Ivan goes to the Daily Tribune. Olivia, the receptionist shows him around and introduces him to reporters. She shows him his desk and leaves him with a reporter named Lou Massey because the editor is away. Lou shows him what to do and gives him his first assignment. Although Ivan is scared, he makes the calls to a new business and to the mayor’s office. Ivan then realizes that Lou has set him up. That was Ivan’s initiation to the paper.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Understanding Characters

Chapter Five—Break and Enter
Summary:
When Ivan gets to the Tailgate Grill to work, he finds out that the restaurant has been robbed. The flat screen TV is missing! Ivan thinks of the two guys who had threatened Len. He helps clear tables while the police talk to Carl. Rivka, one of the reporters from the newspaper, shows up to get the story. Len refuses to answer any questions.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Asking Questions

Chapter Six—Shifty Behaviour
Summary:
Ivan confronts Len. Len tells him to mind his own business. Ivan stays away from Len and Carl and works with Cassie in the dining room. After his shift, he goes home and does his math homework.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Notes

Chapter Seven—Looking to Impress
Summary:
The next morning, Ivan reads the article in the newspaper written by Rivka about the robbery at the Tailgate Grill. At school, Justin asks Ivan why he is not in history class any more. Ivan tells him about the internship at the paper; not the school newspaper, but the Daily Tribune. He finds out that Liz Gordon who works on the school newspaper wanted the internship. Ivan feels bad.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Getting the Facts from Newspaper Articles

Chapter Eight—Talking Shop
Summary:
Ivan stops in front of the Bayview Post newsroom and looks at the latest issue of the paper. Liz sees him. She knows he got the internship. Ivan thinks she may be mad; she is not. She will apply the following year again and build up her portfolio with more writing samples. Ivan tells her that he doesn’t know what he is doing. She tells him to be himself.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Body Language

Chapter Nine—Getting Help
Summary:
When Ivan gets to the Tribune he meets with the editor. She gives him some stories to work on. She then introduces him to Marcus Pinto, the intern from the college journalism program. She thinks they can work together and help each other out. Ivan is not sure what to do with his assignments. Marcus tells him where to begin to collect information for his articles. They find out that they both have a dog show to cover.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Newspaper Talk

Chapter Ten—A Deal Goes Down
Summary:
Ivan works on the library article for the newspaper first. He calls the library, asks questions and adds a picture that has been e-mailed. The next day, the article is in the paper but it has been changed by the editor. At school, Ivan notices the black sports car he saw behind the restaurant. Len gets out of the car. He goes to a bunch of kids and opens his backpack. Some kids give him money. Ivan wonders what Len is up to.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—"-ly" Adverbs

Chapter Eleven—Making a Pitch
Summary:
Ivan has trouble concentrating in school. He thinks about Len and the black sports car. He thinks about ideas for stories at the newspaper. When he gets to the Tribune he meets with the editor and tells her all of his story ideas. She is impressed with his initiative. Marcus and Ivan go to the dog show, gather information and rush back to the office to write the article.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Feature Articles

Chapter Twelve—Following a Lead
Summary:
Ivan gets home and knows he needs to get some math and English homework done. Because it is payday, he goes to the Tailgate Grill to get his paycheque first. He notices the black sports car. Len goes out the back door of the restaurant. He gets a bulky bag from the guys in the car and gives them an envelope. The car speeds away and Ivan follows it until it stops. The men go into a house and come out again carrying sacks, which they put in the trunk. Then they drive off again.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Author's Technique

Chapter Thirteen—A Close Call
Summary:
There is no one around. Ivan decides to peek in a few windows. He sneaks into the back yard. As he is about to look in the basement windows the guys come back. Ivan hides behind the air conditioning unit. The men are suspicious because the light is on. They go downstairs. Ivan sees the door open and sneaks into a closet. He hides until the guys leave the house.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Sensory Language

Chapter Fourteen—House of Fakes
Summary:
Ivan is shaking. Slowly he parts the coats and steps out of the closet. He looks around in the kitchen and dining room. Boxes are stacked everywhere. Ivan then goes downstairs. He finds a big, open room full of computers and DVD players. He knows he has uncovered a big story. What should he do? He calls Liz to get some advice.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Commas in a Series

Chapter Fifteen—Not So Fast
Summary:
Ivan goes to the Tailgate Grill. He plans to go to the police station after work. Ivan hears someone come in the back door of the restaurant asking who is snooping around the house. Len doesn’t know. The guys threaten Len if he tells anyone about their location. Ivan grabs his MP3 player and pretends he hasn’t heard anything. Carl tells Ivan he can go home early. Ivan does not go to the police.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Designing a Menu

Chapter Sixteen—Dangerous Secrets
Summary:
Ivan has trouble concentrating doing homework or listening in class. He is worried about getting Len in trouble. When he gets to the newspaper office Marcus shows him that their dog show article has been cut. Then Lou asks Ivan about a boy from Bayview High who has been badly beaten up. Witnesses saw a black sports car speeding away. Ivan knows that Rick and Jim are more dangerous than he thought.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Story Problem or Conflict

Chapter Seventeen—The Scoop
Summary:
Ivan stops as Lou’s desk the next day and tells him everything. Lou takes him to Lynn’s office. She listens but is concerned about Ivan’s breaking and entering. They come up with a plan to break the story. She calls the police and gets everyone in place. Ivan is shocked and worried about Carl and Len.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Process Analysis

Chapter Eighteen—The Bust
Summary:
Ivan gives directions to get to the house. The police are already there with a search warrant. The suspects are in the house. The police want a statement from Ivan. Lou wants Ivan to help with the story and has him interview the neighbours. Photos are taken of the suspects and the police come out of the house with boxes of evidence. Then Ivan is taken downtown to the police station to tell his story.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Interviewing

Chapter Nineteen—Story of the Day
Summary:
Ivan’s parents let him sleep in after the long night at the police station. Ivan tells the police everything he knows. The he tells his parents too. They are not happy that he has taken such risks. The story appears in the newspaper in the morning. Ivan gets a by-line with Lou. At school, Mrs. MacDougall and Liz congratulate him. Liz wants to interview him for the school paper.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—News Article

Chapter Twenty—Coming Clean
Summary:
When Ivan goes to work at the restaurant, he notices that the flat screen TV is back. Carl is mad that Ivan did not tell him what was going on. Len is furious with Ivan and blames him for being charged. Ivan stands up for himself. Carl pulls Len off Ivan and they start yelling at one another. Carl tells Ivan to go home and come back tomorrow. Ivan goes home and asks his parents what their hopes are for him for the future.

Understanding the Text—Comprehension

Working with Words—Chapter Titles

After Reading — Post-Reading Reflection

After Reading — Post-Reading Reflection