Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Personalized picks at your fingertips

Get the mobile app on iOS and Android

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

Ungifted

By Mary Eisenhart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Wacky mayhem fills tale of troublemaker in genius academy.

Book Gordon Korman Friendship 2012
Ungifted Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 11+

Based on 2 parent reviews

S-M
S-M Adult
March 17, 2021
age 11+

Amazing!

Sexual content only appears in this story when Mr. Osborne is told that his students have to go to summer school for sex ed. I have always been a fan of Gordon Korman ever since I first read Ungifted, and I think that others should experience the same joy I felt when I fell into the mist of this AMAZING story. It’s very uplifting, and it had me biting my nails to the nub at certain times. Plus, it can... kind of help kids who don’t feel that they’re that unique, Donovan’s story can help them see otherwise. I know that since then I’ve been patting myself on the back every day, whenever I do something to help someone without having to go all prodigy. In short, I suggest that you read this book. It is so inspiring and amazing!
LinVA
LinVA Parent
April 23, 2014
age 10+

Great for parents and upper-elementary or higher kids

This book was so much fun that I wanted to keep reading even after my son had gone to bed. It has some humor that he might have missed, but a lot that he understood. It talks about the older sister's pregnancy in a very reasonable way. The title character changes a bit less than I'd like, but he is a better person in the end.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Middle-school troublemaker Donovan Curtis figures he's doomed when one of his pranks goes spectacularly bad. But instead, there's an administrative mix-up, and he's sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, the district's school for the gifted. Donovan knows quite well he's "ungifted," but genius school is a good place to hide from the superintendent's wrath. Told from the perspectives of various characters, a tale emerges of how Donovan, the brainiacs, and Donovan's delinquent pals ensure that things are never the same at the academy again. In a good way.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (14 ):

UNGIFTED once again shows The 39 Clues series author Gordon Korman's light touch and fine sense of the absurd. The varied characters and their perspectives on events in this page-turning wacky tale will resonate with kids and adults; the issues they confront -- from prankster mayhem to cheating on tests to just exactly what constitutes "gifted," anyway -- move the story along and offer interesting things to consider after it's over.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the various kids' feelings about being in a school for gifted students. Why does Noah the genius hate it so much, while other kids are right at home?

  • Why do you think books about middle school are so popular?

  • What does Donovan learn from the kids at the academy? What do they learn from him?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate