It is pretty safe to say that most teens who have experienced moving from one place to another found it hard to fit in at first. If that was considered hard, then how would they feel if they had come from an isolated, old-fashioned farm community where they were home-schooled and had to move into a guidance counselor’s home in order to attend the nearest middle school? Capricorn (Cap) Anderson, the main character in Gordon Korman’s novel Schooled, underwent exactly that after his hippie grandmother injured her hip and could not take care of him anymore.

Cap Anderson was not your average thirteen-year-old kid. He had spent his whole life in a farm community, home-schooled and cared for by his grandmother Rain. He had never watched television, and his home did not even have a telephone. As a result, when circumstances placed Cap in a modern society, he experienced a lot of trouble. His waist-long hair, homemade clothes and shoes, and especially his cluelessness made him the biggest target at Claverage Middle School.

As with every school, Claverage had its traditions, one of which was as follows: the geekiest kid was always nominated to be president of the school and automatically won. The point of the tradition was to drive the bewildered president crazy with worry and to make him or her miserable. The year Cap attended Claverage Middle School, the whole thing was organized by Zach Powers – the most popular kid in school. As soon as his clique and he saw Cap, they knew that he was perfect for the job.

Once Cap was elected president, Zach Powers and his friends began harassing him. As with everyone before him, they thought Cap would be confused, depressed, and worried. However his reaction was the exact opposite of what they had expected. Cap remained calm, even though he had no idea of how to conduct himself. But would he be able to conquer all of the obstacles that lay before him?

Gordon Korman offers a realistic account of middle school life that all students can relate to. It is a unique work that features funny, poignant, and unforgettable moments.