Ungifted

Ungifted
Gordon Korman
Balzer + Bray, 2012 288 pages
Grades 4-7
Realistic Fiction/Humor

Impulse control has never been Donovan's strong suit and he has a penchant for trouble. Multiple points of view relate what happens when Donovan "accidentally" knocks a statue off its pedestal, down a hill and into the school gym during the championship basketball game, leaving behind major damage. Intending to note Donovan’s name for future punishment, the superintendent puts him accidentally on a list to be sent to the gifted and talented magnet school. The new school is the perfect place to hide out until the heat is off. Reluctantly, Donovan becomes involved with his geeky classmates and makes some connections, even going so far as to join the robotics club, where his video-game expertise makes him a natural at controlling the robot's movements with a joystick. He brings a certain impulsiveness and charisma that the super-smart kids lack and he exposes them to previously undiscovered pleasures, such as YouTube. The only problem is: Donovan is not particularly smart and he is struggling academically. The teachers are catching on and demand that he retest. If Donovan fails this test he will go back to his old middle school, where he is sure to be nabbed for the statue crime, also letting down his new friends from the robotics club right before the big competition.

Korman lends his characteristic humor and effortless storytelling to give readers a new school story, this time exploring what it means to be "gifted". The multiple points of view give the book an added dimension and interest, allowing the reader to see the action from all sides. The plot never flags and Korman even offers some nail-biting moments, that although hilarious, will have the reader holding their breath. Yes, the kids in Donovan's new school are super smart, but Donovan is gifted in his own ways and he fills a void in the lives of these students and makes them better-rounded individuals. Part of the story-line involves the smart kids missing a human growth and development credit (aka sex ed), which Donovan helps out with by bringing his pregnant older sister to school, allowing the students to follow her pregnancy, thus fulfilling the requirement. Sex is mentioned, though the author does not go into details, making this book better suited for older elementary. Smart kids will love the robotics, not-so-smart kids will appreciate the regular guy getting the better of the school administrators, and all readers will enjoy the humor and wacky situations, including a robot smack-down. Both boys and girls are the target audience for the story and since it takes place in a school setting, it would be a perfect classroom read aloud. A sequel Supergifted was released last year and features Noah, the smartest of the nerds, who must now attend Donovan's public middle school.