Schooled by Gordon Korman

Categories: Children's Books

When my book club decided to read Gordon Korman’s newest novel, Schooled, for its September meeting, I wasn’t too excited.  I thought it would be another depressing book about bullying and peer pressure.  But boy was I wrong!  The book turned out to be very funny and has a great message about being true to yourself.  Now I can’t wait to discuss the book at our next meeting.

Schooled is the story of thirteen-year-old Cap Anderson, a boy who is being raised and home schooled by his hippie grandmother, Rain, on an alternative farm commune.  Unfortunately for Cap, Rain falls from a tree branch while picking plums and breaks her hip.  Cap must move into a foster home and attend middle school while Rain recovers from her injury. 

Cap must grapple (and does so hilariously) with the new environment and confusing behavior of his classmates.  He is immediately elected class president, an “honor” traditionally reserved for the biggest nerd in the class.  Despite the evil designs of the popular kids, Cap’s quiet strength and his confidence in himself and his values slowly change his classmates at the middle school.  Soon, there is a crowd of kids on the school's front lawn doing Tai Chi with Cap every morning. 

When Cap finally leaves the school in an ambulance and doesn’t come back, his fond classmates are convinced that something terrible has happened to him.  Is Cap dead?  The truth is finally revealed to the students when they hold a memorial service for their departed classmate.  

Schooled is an excellent book for kids in the fifth grade and older, and for those grown ups who appreciate children’s literature.  I will definitely be reading more books by the talented Gordon Korman.