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Hanson, Ashley
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Schooled
I know, I know, it doesn't look like much, but the cover reveals more than you would think!
Tie-dye in the windows gives us a clue that this is not your ordinary realistic fiction novel. Although a school bus is pretty standard in a school setting, is a student driving a school bus standard? A student who doesn’t have a driver’s license, but does have a bus full of kids and a dozen police cars chasing him? Schooled takes you on a wild ride through a regular school year with a not so regular student, Capricorn. Growing up in a hippie commune doesn’t really prepare Capricorn for the adventures of a real middle school.
Changing point of views really supports the book by giving us a look into the different way Capricorn is viewed.
My favorite theme in this novel is relationships. The author really invests time into developing relationships, including how they may start and change as people get to know each other.
One of my favorite characters is Hugh Winkleman. A stereotypical nerd who is constantly picked on. Spit-wads, wedgies, and endless teasing are Hugh’s world until someone stranger than his shows up; Capricorn. Hugh becomes Capricorn’s friend and helps Cap navigate middle school, but are his intentions all good or is Hugh really just enjoying not being picked on for a change? If Capricorn is the new target, doesn’t that make Hugh’s life easier? Hugh is a character that goes through many developments and has moments of failure and triumph.
Take an adventure into the reality of middle school. Read Schooled!