[LM_NET] REVIEW: Schooled by Gordon Korman

[Pamela Thompson <pthomp@SISD.NET>]

Schooled
by Gordon Korman
Scholastic, 2007.
208 pages

Gordon Korman has done it again--written an unforgettable novel that kids will 
love. They will laugh out loud at Cap's (Capricorn's) problems to fit in to a 
"normal" middle school environment. Cap has never been to a school before--he has 
been raised by his hippie grandma, Rain, on a 60's style commune called Garland 
Farm. The trouble is that there are only two inhabitants left on the commune, Cap 
and Rain--other "hippie commune" types moved away years ago before Cap can 
remember. When Rain falls out of a tree and breaks her leg, Cap is forced into the 
state's foster care system. Lucky for him, the social worker assigned to his case 
grew up on Garland Farm, was once raised by hippies and home schooled like Cap. She 
takes him into her own home to her daughter Sophie's chagrin. Imagine a 13-year old 
boy who has never watched television, never played a video game, and never been to 
the mall or Walmart! Cap is like an alien who drops out of the sky into this 
hideous place called middle school. Poor Cap, he's heard of pizza and crime, but 
never seen either one. At one point, he asks Rain, "What is a Starbuck?"

The story is told in chapters by all the players: Cap's grandma Rain, Cap's social 
worker--Floramundi Donnally, Cap himself, Zach Powers--the most popular boy, Hugh 
Winkleman--the nerd, even the principal tells a tale of woe. Cap becomes president 
of the 8th grade class as a prank on him, but the other middle school kids are 
drawn to his easy smile, happy outlook, and "love everyone" attitude. The 
pranksters fail at humiliating the new kid and learn lessons in the end.

You gotta love Capricorn Anderson; he's the real deal--a product of a hippie 
commune, a gentle soul who believes in sharing and love, a boy untouched by media 
hype and whose mind is open to all that is around him, a kid whose nose is not 
buried in his Iphone or text mail.

Highly recommended for all middle school collections. Suitable for grades 5 and up. 
Suitable for high school readers who like Korman's earlier novels.

Just posted on my blog at http://booksbypamelathompson.blogspot.com/


Pamela Thompson, MLS
Library Media Specialist
Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
13600 Ryderwood
El Paso, TX
915-937-6018
pthomp@sisd.net<mailto:pthomp@sisd.net>

visit my YA novel blog at http://booksbypamelathompson.blogspot.com/


"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog is too dark to 
read." --Groucho Marx

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