Schooled

August 1, 2007
Gr 6-9-Capricorn, 13, lives with his hippie grandmother on a farm commune. He's never been to school, never watched TV, and doesn't even own a phone. When Rain falls out of a tree while picking plums and is sent to rehab for several weeks, Cap stays with a social worker and is sent to the local junior high school. There he is introduced to iPods, cell phones, spit balls, and harassment. Cap, with his long frizzy hair, hemp shoes, and serene ignorance of everything most of the kids care about, is the dweebiest of the dweebs, and it's the custom at this school to elect such a kid to be eighth-grade class president (which offers extra humiliation opportunities). The story is told from multiple points of view, adding depth to even the most unsympathetic characters. Korman's humor is a mix of edgy and silly, the plot moves along at a steady pace, and the accessible and smooth writing style brings all the elements together to make a satisfying whole. The plot is not long on plausibility, but maybe that's not important in this case. Will Cap's ingrained peacefulness and sense of self win out in the end? Will it matter that he's entrusted with writing checks to help pay for the eighth-grade dance, even though he's not clear on the concept of what a check is? Readers will stay tuned to the last page, and Korman's many fans won't be disappointed."Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2007
Homeschooled on an isolated alternate farm commune that has dwindled since the 1960s to 2 members, 13-year-old Cap has always lived with his grandmother, Rain. When she is hospitalized, Cap is taken in by a social worker and sentlike a lamb to slaughterto middle school. Smart and capable, innocent and inexperienced (he learned to drive on the farm, but he has never watched television), long-haired Cap soon becomes the butt of pranks. He reacts in unexpected ways and, in the end, elevates those around him to higher ground. From chapter to chapter, the first-person narrative shifts among certain characters: Cap, a social worker (who takes him into her home), her daughter (who resents his presence there), an A-list bully, a Z-list victim, a popular girl, the school principal, and a football player (who unintentionally decks Cap twice in one day). Korman capably manages the shifting points of view of characters who begin by scorning or resenting Cap and end up on his side. From the eye-catching jacket art to the scene in which Cap says good-bye tohis 1,100 fellow students, individually and by name, this rewarding novel features an engaging main character and some memorable moments of comedy, tenderness, and reflection. Pair this with Jerry Spinellis 2000 Stargirl(the sequel is reviewed in this issue)for a discussion of the stifling effects of conformity within school culture or just read it for the fun of it.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)