Written by Rich Rogers
“SCHOOLED.” Gordon Korman. 2007. Disney/Hyperion Books. Paperback. 208 pages. $6.99.Cap Anderson’s grandma, Rain, fell out of the plum tree and landed hard, breaking her hip and putting her in the hospital. Then, Cap fell out of the Garfield Commune and landed at Claverage Middle School, a whole new world from the commune, where he and his grandma were the only two left, with Rain trying to carry on the ideals of the 1960’s. (Incidentally, Cap is short for “Capricorn.”)
His life is turned upside down. Living with a social worker and her cranky teen daughter, without his grandma to help, Cap is forced to navigate life on his own. Being raised as a flower child, by a queen of the flower children, Cap has never watched TV, seen a computer, iPod, iPhone, iPad, gone to a movie, had his hair cut, handled money, or been to school. He’s used to doing Tai Chi every morning, meditating when things get tough, wearing homemade hemp clothes, and tie-dying his own clothing, hardly what he needs to survive in the bare-knuckles world of middle school.
Tradition at the school, dubbed “C-Average Middle School” by the students, is to pick the biggest nerd to be the 8th grade class president, and then watch the meltdown. And Zach Powers, captain of both the soccer team and football team, has Cap in his crosshairs. Before he even knows where he’s landed, Cap is the class president.
The only question is, how will it turn out? Who’s going to get schooled?
Korman has been writing for the teen audience since he was a teenager himself — his first book, “This Can’t Be Happening at MacDonald Hall,” was published when he was a high school freshman — and he knows his stuff. He always writes with a lot of humor, making him an enjoyable read for teens. Parents can rest assured that Korman’s books are kid- and family-friendly, with no profanity or sexual situations. He’s got the politics of junior high and high school down pat. He’s able to get it all — kindness in unexpected places, the snideness of teens, unexpected turns, and most of all, heart.
I always look forward to a new offering from Korman. And as I’ve always said, the best of the young adult literature field is great, substantial reading for their parents as well.
