Frank Morelli: Hi, my name is Frank Morelli, and I'm the author of a new middle grade mystery novel titled Breaking News. This book is quite unique in that the reader is presented with the news articles, journal entries, audio logs, and field notes of three different narrators. And it becomes the reader's job to separate fact from fiction as these characters attempt to uncover the culprit behind a school-wide fundraising scandal. It's no secret that today's media landscape can sometimes sound like an orchestra of conflicting voices, and, as a middle school teacher myself, I wanted to write a novel that is fun and entertaining but that also gives student readers an opportunity to practice the kinds of reading skills that will contribute to a generation of readers who can successfully drown out the noise to find the truth. Plus, it was super fun as a writer to inhabit the voices of three distinct middle school students.

Now I'd like to read a quick sampling of one of the news articles written in the book, this one faithfully submitted by one of my narrators, school newspaper editor Anthony Ravello. It's set up like a newspaper article:

The headline, "MISSING FUNDS CREATE A STIR AT RIDGEWOOD," By Anthony Ravello, April 2nd.

RIDGEWOOD CITY -- Classes came to a screeching halt at Ridgewood Arts & Technology School yesterday when Headmistress Sally Hardaway called for an emergency assembly of the student body. All students were summoned to Kaufmann Auditorium, where Ms. Hardaway briefed them on a large sum of money that has allegedly gone missing.

Just over a thousand dollars in fundraising proceeds had been stored inside the ticket booth at the student gallery on Friday night after members of the Visual Arts and Photography Clubs hosted an event for their Arts 4 Africa initiative. The drive would have provided children in impoverished regions of the continent with clean drinking water for up to six weeks. Now the coffers are empty and the initiative will have to start from scratch.

"It is not clear if this was a theft or the money was simply misplaced," Miss Hardaway told the crowd, although some students in attendance didn't seem to be so patient.

"Those gadget freaks in the tech school have it in for us," said seventh-grader Tyler Ames, a junior photographer. "I guarantee they stole the money," Ames added.

Ninth grader Henry Stodds, the president of the Visual Arts Club advised this reporter to "follow the order forms," adding, "there's no doubt those eggheads will have some idiotic contraption delivered in the next two weeks."

Ms. Hardaway could provide no clarity on any of the students' concerns. What was clear at the assembly, however, was the general unrest of the student population upon hearing the news. Accusations flew back and forth throwing the assembly itself, and heated exchanges in front of half-opened lockers were a common visual throughout the day.

One point this reporter has found to be abundantly clear is that the ticket booth office and the entirety of the fundraising money were at all times under the lock and key of the Visual Arts Committee and its members. Any theft, misplacement of funds or negligence associated with the missing proceeds would have to be tied to them. Any speculation of a team of robotic students having planned a siege of the student gallery ticket booth seems farfetched at best. The Ridge Road Brewer will follow the story closely throughout the week. Look for our coverage on the front page of tomorrow's issue.