Schooled

Capricorn is truly a hippie child. He grows up on a hippie commune being homeschooled by his grandmother. One day, Cap’s grandmother breaks her hip, and is hospitalized. With no one to care for him, or teach him, he is forced to live with the nearby public school’s counselor, and attend Claverage High. On day one, the school bully, Zach, targets Cap. He is taunted and voted in as class president, in order to be further ridiculed. However, the bully’s friends, and many others, start admiring Cap and his peaceful nature. Zach, angered by the fact that everyone one loves Cap, convinces Cap to wear the opposing team’s colors during a pep rally, causing the football players to attack him. When Daryl finds out that Zach was behind it, he tries to hit Zach, but Cap stands in the way. Cap gets punched in the face and soon after an ambulance arrives. Coincidence, because in the ambulance is Cap’s grandmother, here to take him home. Everyone at the school believes Cap to be dead, and they hold a memorial service for him. Cap returns to life at the commune only to find that it has been sold.

If you are a fan of Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, then you will love Schooled. Many teens and tweens feel out of place, and unable to fit in at school. Schooled gives readers hope, that even the oddball or misfit, with a good heart, can fit in, make friends, and make a difference.

Chapter 5: What makes a book “Good”?

Theme

Fitting in and being popular is a theme that all tweens and teens deal with, even if they won’t admit it. Capricorn is not popular, and never strives to become popular, however, through his kind heart and peaceful demeanor, he naturally attracts friends. Hopefully this theme, and Capricorn’s methods in attaining popularity, will change reader’s minds as to how to go about making friends.

Korman, G. (2007). Schooled. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.