Korman, Gordon.
SCHOOLED
New York : Hyperion Books for Children, 2007
IL 5-8
ISBN 0786856920

(5 booktalks)

Cap has never been in the town before.  Sure he's been there with his grandmother when they had to pick up supplies, but for the most part, Cap has spent his entire life alone with his grandmother.  Back in the 60s, Rain had founded the commune and it had been a lively place.  But as the people got older and times changed, everyone had left to resume their lives in the real world.  But not Rain.  When Cap's parents were killed, Rain raised him in the ways of the commune.  But now Rain is in the hospital and Cap is in foster care and forced to go to the public school.  With his long hair and homemade sandals, Cap really sticks out.  But his naiveté is what really sets him apart from the others. 

Booktalk #2

This book is the story of Capricorn Anderson, who goes by the name of “Cap”. It is the story of a 14 year old boy raised on a farm commune by his hippie grandmother named Rain.  He is home schooled by Rain and the two of them are the only ones left on the Garland Farm Commune.  Cap has never watched TV, tasted pizza, been around kids his age, and has absolutely no idea what a “wedgie” is.   When his grandmother falls while picking a plum, she is hospitalized and her broken hip requires her to spend weeks in rehab.  Cap is then temporarily placed in the home of a social worker with a teenage daughter who thinks he is very weird.  While living with the Donnelly family, Cap attends Claverage Middle School (dubbed “C Average” by the students).  Find out what is in store for Cap in the new and foreign land of the place called “middle school”.  Read SCHOOLED by Gordon Korman.   (New Hampshire Great Stone Face nominee, 2008-2009)

Booktalk #3

Capricorn Anderson lived on a defunct commune and was home-schooled by his grandmother, Rain. He had never seen television or used a computer. When his grandmother breaks her leg, Cap has to go live with a social worker and her daughter, as well as attend the local middle school. Cap, dressed in his hemp clothing and practicing Tai Chi at noon, draws the attention of the Big Man in School, Zach. Suddenly, Cap finds himself elected school president. Will Cap survive the maneuvering by Zach and his crowd? Will he succeed as school president? Read Schooled to find out.  (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Awards Program, 2009-2010)

Booktalk #4

Capricorn Anderson only knows life on a hippie commune with his grandmother, Rain. Through years of homeschooling, Cap knows how to grow the food and how to practice the art of Tai-Chi. But he has never watched TV nor had a friend his own age. When Rain is injured, Cap is required to attend the local middle school. When he is mysteriously elected class president, Cap assumes that the students like and trust him. What he doesn’t know is that it is tradition to choose the biggest nerd student to act as class president and wait for him/her to fail. Will he fail as most expect or will he be the best 8th grade class president that Claverage (C-average) Middle School has ever known?   (Rhode Island Teen Book Award nominee, 2010)

Booktalk #5

 Have you ever wondered what it would be like without technology?  Well if you have you should ask Cap, a twelve year old boy who live in Garland with his Grandmother Rain. Cap is home schooled by his grandmother Rain who teaches him a lot. Garland has no electricity or technology. Cap and Rain are okay with that.  One day Rain gets hurt and Cap has to come to the real world. He has to go to go to Claverage Middle school, and no one knows him. Cap dresses very different than everyone else; kids may make fun of him. Will Cap survive or will he be the dork of Claverage Middle school?   I do not recommend this book because its boring and weird. The book has very little action and is weird because they pick the weirdest kid to be the class president. If you like book with not very much of action this is for you, but if you like action I would stay away from this book. I give this book two stars out of five I do not recommend this book schooled. (Matt Y, student)