Ungifted by Gordan Korman

Donovan Curtis reminds me of many of my students.  He acts first and thinks later, if at all.  His latest trouble starts when he is walking across the school grounds swinging a big stick.  There in front of him is the statue of Atlas holding the world on his shoulders.  What would you do?  Donovan takes a whack with that stick  right at Atlas’s butt.  It is sticking out like an engraved invitation.  What Donovan doesn’t know is that the single bolt holding the globe to Atlas is nearly rusted through.  The impact is enough to send the globe rolling down the hill straight toward the double glass doors of the school gym–where the biggest game of the year is being played.

The resulting comedy of errors leaves Donovan with an invitation to attend the Academy forr gifted students rather than the punishment he expects.  It doesn’t take long for Donovan to realize that is is in way over his head, but he is determined to hide out at the Academy for as long as he can.  Even though he is studying harder than ever, he’s barely passsing.  His only contribution to the robotics team is to print off pictures to decorate it and control the joystick.  His classmates and teachers quickly figure out he doesn’t belong, but they like having him around for some reason.

Like many of Gordan Korman’s novels, Ungifted (Harper Collins 2012) is told from multiple viewpoints.  In addition, we hear from Superintendent Schultz, who accidentally sends Donovan to the Academy; Mr. Osborne, the robotics teacher who questions Donovan’s placement; Chloe, the gifted student who longs for a “normal” middle school experience; Noah, the genius who discovers the wonder of YouTube thanks to Donovan.  Some of the characters may be a little stereotypical (seriously, not all gifted students are socially inept), but I thought this was a fun read.

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