Books › Ungifted
Ungifted
288 pages
A hilarious, high-energy collision of chaos and intellect that proves there is more than one way to be smart.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like watching a perfectly executed prank unfold into something surprisingly sweet. The narrative moves at a brisk, highly entertaining clip, propelled by a rotating cast of middle-school voices that offer hilarious, contrasting perspectives on the same chaotic events. It is a deeply upbeat and irreverent experience, wrapping its earnest core in layers of witty banter, robotics mishaps, and school-hallway survival tactics. The prose is snappy and accessible, designed to keep pages turning while subtly dismantling the rigid labels kids are often forced to wear. It will thoroughly delight readers who gravitate toward underdog stories, offering a joyful, laugh-out-loud reminder that sometimes the most disruptive element in a room is exactly what everyone else needs to thrive.
- Mood
- chaotic
- upbeat
- lighthearted
- Tone
- humorous
- wry
- heartwarming
- irreverent
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- defying expectations · multiple types of intelligence · unlikely friendships · embracing chaos · finding where you belong
- The writing
- Snappy, accessible, and highly conversational, utilizing multiple distinct middle-school perspectives to build comedic irony.
- The arc
- Moves from a frantic scramble to avoid consequences to a genuine, heartwarming realization of mutual belonging and hidden strengths.
- Who it's for
- Middle-grade readers who love funny, character-driven school stories where misfits and troublemakers accidentally save the day.
Content notes
- mild bullying
- school-related anxiety
About the book
The word gifted has never been applied to a kid like Donovan Curtis. It's usually more like Don't try this at home. So when the troublemaker pulls a major prank at his middle school, he thinks he's finally gone too far. But thanks to a mix-up by one of the administrators, instead of getting in trouble, Donovan is sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction (ASD), a special program for gifted and talented students.
It wasn't exactly what Donovan had intended, but there couldn't be a more perfect hideout for someone like him. That is, if he can manage to fool people whose IQs are above genius level. And that becomes harder and harder as the students and teachers of ASD grow to realize that Donovan may not be good at math or science (or just about anything). But after an ongoing experiment with a live human (sister), an unforgettably dramatic middle-school dance, and the most astonishing come-from-behind robot victory ever, Donovan shows that his gifts might be exactly what the ASD students never knew they needed. (Book Cover)
Description from Open Library.
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