Donovan Curtis has always had difficulty with impulse
control, and if there is some kind of trouble at Hardcastle Middle School, you
can be sure that he is in the middle of it. His classmates voted him Most Likely to Wind Up in Jail two
years in a row. When he breaks a
school statue that causes massive damage to the school gym, he expects that he
will be in major trouble with the school superintendent; however, just the
opposite happens. Instead of being
suspended or expelled, an administrative mix-up results in Donovan being sent
to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a school for gifted students. Donovan Curtis, IQ 112, definitely does
not belong at the Academy.
Donovan tries to fly under the radar at the Academy. He hopes that if no one notices the
error, he will never be punished or have to pay for the damage he caused. He also does not want to disappoint his
proud parents with the truth that he is not gifted. However, it does not take long for his classmates and
teachers at the Academy to know that something is not right with Donovan’s
placement. He works as hard as he
can, but he is completely lost in his classes. As his teachers try to find what, if any, talents Donovan
has, his classmates see the benefit of having an ordinary student at their
school for extraordinary children.
Donovan introduces his new friends to YouTube and class pranks. He also comes up with a solution when a
few of his peers are faced with going to summer school because they are lacking
a credit in a human development course.
It doesn’t take long for the students at the Academy to become very
attached to Donovan, and they will do anything, including cheating, to keep him
at their school.
Gordan Korman has a gift for writing humorous novels for
middle school boys, and Ungifted does
not disappoint. This charming
page-turner is perfect for reluctant readers in grades 5-8. Boys who have
trouble with always being on their best behavior will relate to Donovan’s
inability to resist mischief. His
transformation from a troublemaker to thoughtful brother, son and friend is
both believable and inspiring.
4 out of 5 stars
Grades 5 and up
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