Ungifted - by Gordon Korman (Paperback)

About the Book

Due to an administrative mix-up, troublemaker Donovan Curtis is sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a special program for gifted and talented students, after pulling a major prank at middle school.

Book Synopsis

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Gordon Korman comes a hilarious and heartfelt novel in which one middle-school troublemaker accidentally moves into the gifted and talented program--and changes everything.

For fans of Louis Sachar and Jack Gantos, this funny and touching underdog story is a lovable and goofy adventure with robot fights, middle-school dances, live experiments, and statue-toppling pranks!

When Donovan Curtis 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, a special program for gifted and talented students.

Although it wasn't exactly what Donovan had intended, the ASD couldn't be a more perfectly unexpected hideout for someone like him. But as the students and teachers of ASD grow to realize that Donovan may not be good at math or science (or just about anything), he shows that his gifts may be exactly what the ASD students never knew they needed.

Don't miss the sequel to this word-of-mouth hit: Supergifted! This funny and heartwarming sequel to Ungifted cleverly sends up our preconceived ideas about intelligence, heroism, and popularity.

From the Back Cover

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, 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. That is, if he can manage to fool people whose IQs are above genius level. 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.

Review Quotes

"Donovan has a goofy kindness that charms characters and readers alike ... The message is tolerance, and Korman expertly and humorously delivers it in an unpretentious and universally appealing tale." - School Library Journal
Praise for POP: "Thought-provoking." - Publishers Weekly
Praise for POP: "A brisk, heartfelt and timely novel." - New York Times Book Review
Praise for POP: "Korman goes straight to the heart." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"From its lovable-robot jacket art to its satisfying conclusion, this will please Korman's fans and win him new ones." - ALA Booklist
"Touching, without being overly sentimental, Ungifted is a gem for readers looking for a story where the underdog comes out on top." - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
"Funny and insightful." - Publishers Weekly