Help! Somebody Get me out of Fourth Grade! facts for kids

Help! Somebody Get me out of Fourth Grade! is the seventh exciting book in the popular Hank Zipzer series. This fun story was written by famous actor Henry Winkler and talented author Lin Oliver. It first came out in December 2004, published by Grosset & Dunlap. The book follows Hank Zipzer, a fourth-grader who often finds himself in funny and tricky situations.

What Happens in the Story?

This book tells the story of Hank Zipzer, a fourth-grader who is worried about school. His parents are called for a meeting with his teacher, Mrs. Adolf. Hank is sure she will tell them he has to repeat fourth grade.

To avoid the meeting, Hank and his best friends, Ashley Wong and Frankie Townsend, come up with a clever plan. They arrange for Hank's parents to go to a rock concert in Philadelphia on the same day as the conference. His parents agree to go! Hank is super excited, thinking he's all set for fifth grade.

But things don't go as planned. His parents come home early from the concert! Hank remembers it's family game night. So, he decides to go to the pizza parlor to play arcade games. Everything seems fine for a little while.

Then, Hank’s teacher, Mrs. Adolf, calls his parents. She reminds them about the parent-teacher conference. Hank's parents decide to postpone their trip and go to the meeting instead. After the conference, Hank finds out the news: he will have to attend summer school to pass fourth grade.

Meet the Main Characters

The Hank Zipzer series features a fun group of characters. Here are some of the main ones you'll meet in this book:

• Hank Zipzer – Hank is the main character. He is a fourth-grader at P.S. 87. Hank has dyslexia, which means he learns differently. His best friends are Frankie Townsend and Ashley Wong. His full name is Henry Daniel.
• Frankie Townsend – Frankie is one of Hank's best friends. He is known for being very smart and always ready with a good idea.
• Ashley Wong – Ashley is Hank's other best friend. Hank and Frankie sometimes call her "Ashweena." She really loves anything sparkly, especially rhinestones.
• Nick McKelty – Nick is a rival to Hank and his friends. They call him "Nick the Tick." He often teases Hank about his dyslexia. Nick is known for being annoying and a braggart, meaning he likes to show off a lot.
• Randi Zipzer – Randi is Hank's mother. She runs a deli called the Crunchy Pickle. She always tries to make sure her family eats healthy food.
• Mrs. Adolf – Mrs. Adolf is Hank's teacher. She is described as being very strict and sometimes a bit boring.

Why This Book Is Great

Many readers and critics have enjoyed Help! Somebody Get me out of Fourth Grade!. Steven McEvoy, a book reviewer for Imprint, thought this was the best book in the Hank Zipzer series so far.

McEvoy also pointed out that while the book is written for younger readers, anyone who has faced learning difficulties as a child, like dyslexia, might really enjoy this story. It shows how Hank deals with his challenges in a funny and relatable way. The book helps readers understand that everyone learns differently.