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Gordon Korman is the author of my fifteen-year-old's favorite book. Even discussing POP can bring tears to his eyes. So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read an arc of Korman's new middle grade, UNGIFTED, before passing it along to my boy! |
| Cover art for UNGIFTED was unavailable so I made you this pretty Korman cover montage :) |
Plot without spoilers...UNGIFTED is the story of Donovan Curtis. He's a good kid but much more of a doer than a thinker or planner. This tendency gets him into all sorts of trouble including being accidentally enrolled in his school district's gifted program. But can Donovan, an all-around likeable guy, fit into a community of intellectual amazons and social misfits?
Of literary interest...Korman artfully employs snippets of lore about a family forebear who survived the sinking of the Titanic, to explore issues surrounding genetic and social inheritances of many kinds into his tale. Other strong elements include the well-drawn relationship between Donovan and his married, pregnant older sister. Oh, and look out for the phrase "Atlas shivered" to enjoy!
Finally just gotta say...From previous novels including SCHOOLED and NO DEAD DOGS, it is clear that Korman is fascinated by the concept of intelligence, the tensions between institutional education and intellectual curiosity, and the many different types of knowledge needed to help society function. He pursues this interest on the pages of this funny, quirky little novel that starts as a seemingly straightforward story of a middle school prankster and becomes something you don't put down. A story that touches your heart and lingers in your mind.
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