Schooled (novel) facts for kids
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| Author | Gordon Korman |
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| Cover artist | Ellice M.Lee |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English (America) |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Scholastic |
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Publication date
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2007 |
| Media type | NotPrint |
| Pages | 208 |
| ISBN | 978-1-4231-0516-9 |
Schooled is a fun and thoughtful children's novel written by Gordon Korman in 2007. It tells the story of Capricorn Anderson, a unique boy who has grown up on a peaceful hippie farm. When an unexpected event sends him to a regular middle school, Cap must learn to navigate a world completely different from anything he has ever known. This book explores themes of friendship, fitting in, and staying true to yourself.
Contents
Cap's New Beginning: Life Beyond Garland Farm
The story begins with Capricorn Anderson, who everyone calls "Cap." He gets into a bit of trouble while driving his grandmother, Rain, to the hospital. Rain had an accident while climbing a tree on their home, Garland Farm. Cap explains to the police that he and Rain live on this quiet, far-off hippie commune. They don't even have a telephone there.
Rain's injury means she needs two months to recover. This leaves Cap without his usual caregiver and teacher, as he has always been homeschooled. With no other choice, Cap goes to a social worker named Flora Donnelly. Flora used to live on Garland Farm herself. She decides that she is the best person to look after Cap for a while.
Flora takes Cap into her home. Her teenage daughter, Sophie, is not happy about this at all. Sophie thinks Cap is very strange and worries he will ruin her social life. She even calls him "Freakazoid." While Rain recovers, Flora enrolls Cap as an eighth grader at Claverage Middle School.
First Days at Claverage Middle School
Claverage Middle School is a big change for Cap. The students call it "C Average" because of its name. Cap is completely confused by modern school life. He doesn't understand most social situations or everyday things.
On his very first day, Cap meets Zach Powers. Zach is an eighth-grade bully and a jock. Zach quickly picks Cap as the target for the school's biggest prank. The plan is to elect the most unpopular student as Eighth Grade President. Then, they will give that person impossible tasks, hoping they will fail and get upset.
Cap also meets Hugh Winkleman, who is a social outcast at school. They become friends. When Zach nominates Cap for president without Cap knowing, Hugh decides to let it happen. Hugh knows he would have been nominated instead. So, Cap becomes the eighth-grade president at C Average.
Flora learns about this from the vice principal, Frank Kasigi. Sophie tells her that Cap is being pranked because he looks and acts so different. Flora realizes that Cap's lack of understanding about social life and bullying actually protects him. He doesn't get upset by the pranks. So, she reluctantly keeps quiet.
Meanwhile, Zach continues his plan to prank Cap and make him break down. Most of the students join in. One of them is Naomi, a girl who likes Zach. She writes fake love letters to Cap to impress Zach. But as time goes on, Naomi starts to feel drawn to Cap herself.
Cap, with his peaceful beliefs and calm mindset, isn't affected by the pranks. He just thinks the strange things happening around him are normal. He believes any problems are just random. Cap carries on as usual. He practices Tai Chi on the school's front lawn and plays old songs on his guitar in the music room.
Cap's Unexpected Popularity
One day, on the bus ride home, the bus driver has a medical emergency. Cap bravely steps up and drives the bus to the hospital. He saves the driver's life and truly impresses the students on board. Cap gets into a bit of trouble for driving without a license, but Flora helps him get released.
Even though adults and authorities are not happy, Cap becomes very popular at C Average. Zach's prank completely backfires. The students, even the popular ones, start to genuinely admire Cap. They begin to practice Tai Chi with him and listen to his music. They also offer to help him plan school events, like the big Halloween Dance.
Mr. Kasigi gives Cap signed checks to pay for the dance planning. Cap doesn't realize that money can run out. He starts signing checks freely, even donating to charities. This makes him even more popular. He also uses school money to buy a late birthday gift for Sophie. He pretends it's from her dad, Bill, who often lets Sophie down. Cap also gives Sophie driving lessons when Bill doesn't show up again.
Hugh, however, starts to feel jealous of Cap's popularity. Being Cap's best friend doesn't seem to improve Hugh's own outcast status. Hugh gets very angry with Cap after Cap accidentally makes him feel bad about not being liked at school. Then, Cap and Naomi start dating.
Zach is also upset that Cap has stolen his popularity. He uses Hugh's anger to his advantage. Zach and Hugh team up in an unlikely plan to get revenge.
A Prank Gone Wrong and a Farewell
During a school pep rally, Hugh and Zach dress Cap in the uniform of C Average's rival football team. They send him out onto the field. The entire football team tackles him. Zach's best friend, Darryl, realizes Zach was involved and that he was used. Darryl angrily confronts Zach and tries to hit him. But Cap throws himself in front of the punch to stop the fight.
An ambulance arrives, and Rain is inside! She has recovered and takes Cap out of school and back to Garland Farm.
Mr. Kasigi and Flora discover that Cap spent the school's money without realizing it would run out. Mr. Kasigi cancels the Halloween Dance. Because Cap left school suddenly and there's no more information, rumors spread that Cap died from his injuries.
Zach and Hugh are now seen as villains by the students because of their plan to hurt Cap. They come up with a new plan to save their reputation. They decide to hold a "memorial service" for Cap instead of the canceled Halloween Dance.
Back on Garland Farm, Cap starts to miss modern school life. Rain isn't happy about this. Cap decides to go back to see the Halloween Dance, still not realizing what has happened. Sophie picks him up. She has passed her driving test and feels bad about how mean she was to him. She also realized that her late birthday gift came from Cap.
Cap and Sophie discover the memorial service for him. Cap reveals himself to the students, who are overjoyed to see him alive! He tells them his time at C Average is over. He then does something amazing: he says goodbye to each student individually, having memorized all their names. This even impresses Zach, who also starts to appreciate Hugh for sticking by him.
Before Cap leaves, Flora talks to Rain about the challenges of the hippie lifestyle. She points out how Cap spent the school's money without understanding it. She also says Rain can't take care of him forever. After saying his goodbyes, Cap goes back to Garland with Rain.
Cap's Future: A New Path
Later, Cap gets into a bit of trouble again for driving on Garland Farm without a license. He is told he no longer has permission to drive there because Rain no longer owns Garland Farm. She sold it!
Rain tells Cap that Flora was right. Rain's accident was a wake-up call. She realized she needed to make sure Cap would be taken care of, knowing she wouldn't live forever. She reassures Cap that she hasn't completely given up on her old ideals.
Rain tells him she sold Garland Farm for seventeen million dollars! She bought a condo for them to live in. She also took inspiration from how Cap used the school's money. She created a charitable foundation. While she handles the business, she tells Cap he'll be staying with the Donnellys again. This means he can return to C Average! Cap is overjoyed, noting that he already knows everyone's names.
Images for kids
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The cover of Schooled by Gordon Korman.
