Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Wacky mayhem fills tale of troublemaker in genius academy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Based on 15 kid reviews
Kids say that this book offers a mix of humor and important life lessons, making it appealing for younger readers, although it contains themes such as sex education that may require parental guidance. Many appreciate the relatable characters and the comedic portrayal of a non-gifted student navigating a gifted program, emphasizing messages about self-worth, uniqueness, and facing life's challenges.
- humor
- relatable characters
- life lessons
- parental guidance
- unique perspectives
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
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?
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
- Author :
- Genre : Friendship
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , Robots , School ( Middle School ) , STEM
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Balzer + Bray
- Publication date : August 21, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 17
- Number of pages : 288
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : February 3, 2026
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