Schooled x 2

While catching up on some of the popular children's lit, I came across two books with the same title. Both are fun, breezy reads, fine for a day at the beach...The first is for middle schoolers, the second's for adults.

Schooled by Gordon Korman
Capricorn Anderson and his grandmother, Rain, are the last residents of Garland Community, a commune begun in the '60s. When Rain winds up in the hospital and Cap must attend public middle school for the first time, his ignorance of pop culture makes him an easy target. I particularly like the shifting point of view as various characters take turns telling the story.
Gordon Korman wrote his first book at age twelve, and many of the dozens he's produced since then are well-liked middle school reads.

Schooled can be found at Sherwood...Look for it in our fall display of stories dealing with bullying, along with The Revealers, Bystander, The Girls, Secret Identity, The Truth About Truman School, and others.

Schooled by Anisha Lakhani
Columbia grad Anna Taggert can barely make ends meet in her new job, teaching at a prestigious private middle school in Manhattan. Before long, she learns the secret of her colleagues' affluence...tutoring. Sporting Chanel bags ("Coach is so public school.") and moving to a Madison Avenue apartment gain Anna the respect of her students and their families. Her dilemma? Anna's uncomfortable doing her private students' work for them, but she's come to enjoy and rely upon the $250/hour income.

Like her main character, Anisha Lakhani is a Columbia alumna. She taught English at the Dalton School in Manhattan. Schooled is available in print through the SPL's interlibrary loan service.