• Is it age appropriate?

  About our ratings

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  Not age appropriate for kids under 9, age appropriate for kids over 11; suggested age 11.

• Is it any good?

  4.0

• Common Sense says

  Daily Show producer delivers pranks and yuks.

Why We Rated This for Ages 11 and Up

The good stuff

• Educational value:

  Not an issue.
• Messages:

  Though the book is mostly negative with regard to how other students, teachers, and Oliver's parents are characterized, it is clear that Oliver is just looking for approval from his father and his good heart wins out in the end.

What to watch out for

• Role models:

  Oliver is truly an evil genius. He uses money and intimidation to pull strings behind the scenes, but pretends to be slow in public. When he describes other people, it is always in a derisive way. Tatiana is a bully with a sweet side, befriending and dominating Oliver. Oliver's mother is portrayed as dumb and it's hard for Oliver to even admit that he loves her. His father is self-involved and unimpressed with the family. Teachers are either desperate to be popular and easily controlled, or ignorant and shrill. Sheldrake, the hired face of Oliver's empire, is a recovering alcoholic and the lone voice of reason and fatherly advice in Oliver's ear, though Oliver completely intimidates and humiliates him.
• Violence:

  Lots of pranks directed at students and teachers and meant to be funny: darts that give gas, chemicals that give colds and rashes, a threatening dog, the air let out of tires, and violent dodgeball. Plus a kidnapping where a kid is strung up to play a Guitar Hero-like video game and a bomb dentonates but no one is hurt.
• Sex:

  Liz has "developed early" and the book mentions that this is one reason she is the Most Popular Girl in School.
• Language:

  A lot of mostly mild language is used ("fatso," "jumbo," "stupid," "dork," "turd," "crap," "butthead," and "boobs"), as well as a couple of instances of stronger words like "damn," "ass," and "slut." "Slut" is used in passing when the book talks about the fact that Liz has developed early, but she has escaped the negative label that is sometimes applied to girls like her.
• Consumerism:

  Some brands are briefly mentioned: ChapStick, Fruit Roll-Ups, Fluffernutter,7-Eleven, Big Gulp, Rolls Royce, Elmer's glue, and No Frills market.  Captain Beefheart figures prominently as Oliver's favorite musician. Oliver plays a video game similar to Guitar Hero, but it is not called by any name. Other bands, such as the Jonas Brothers, Cream, and Lynyrd Skynyrd are mentioned.
• Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

  One teacher smokes cigarettes, but it is clear that smoking is supremely uncool. Sheldrake is a recovering alcoholic and attends AA.

What Parents Need to Know

About I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President

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