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kitcaswe's review against another edition
3.0
Cute story about believing in yourself and not changing for others. Also to add that I got this book for free from Goodreads first reads.
emilybriano's review against another edition
4.0
A story of my people. I would have LOVED this in middle school, if only to know I was not alone. Perfect for precocious middle school readers.
jessroars's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Fun to read in grade seven. Read like half of it in the bookstore and bought it. I think finished within a day. lol
pebblesss's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
book_nut's review against another edition
5.0
A great all-around middle grade novel. There's nerds trying to be cool (and succeeding on their own terms), summer camp, friendship, and a very slight romance. Terrific.
tcbueti's review against another edition
4.0
"For ten-year-old Gabe, the Summer Center for Gifted Enrichment is all that he dreamed it could be, but he must work hard to write about the fun in letters to Zack, his cool future stepbrother, without revealing that it is a camp for "nerds".
Gabe is excited to meet his divorced dad's future stepson Zack, but when he finds out that Zack hates reading, he worries that he'll will think Gabe's too much of a nerd, since he and his friends LOVE reading. Zack is jealous of Gabe, since Zack's parents have never let him got to sleepaway camp, but Gabe doesn't tell him it's a camp for gifted kids. So Gabe heads off to camp, and we get really fun descriptions of Gabe and his bunkmates and their interests and summer studies: logic, poetry, rocketry, along with the usual; color wars, bonfires, even lice (but all with a twist--the camp's uber-cool camper has been breeding the lice for research). Gabe writes to Zack, and he makes a chart of the fun he has, but he has a column of the details he must omit if he wants to impress Zack (e.g.: "A celebrity came to camp, and I got a picture with him." Omitted detail: It was Alex Trebek, of Jeopardy! fame.) Of course, Gabe eventually realizes that he can be honest with Zack, and Zack thinks lots of the things are still cool.
BTW: Zack turns out to be a terrible speller, and Gabe is embarrassed about that--hides the postcard--doesn't want his friends to find out. Not sure if that was necessary (making Zack weaker to help Gabe feels stronger?); never really dealt with--do his parents know?
The title will sell itself to all the nerds out there--but they may want to hide the cover! The author has taught at Johns Hopkins' Center for Talented Youth, so she knows whereof she speaks.
Gabe is excited to meet his divorced dad's future stepson Zack, but when he finds out that Zack hates reading, he worries that he'll will think Gabe's too much of a nerd, since he and his friends LOVE reading. Zack is jealous of Gabe, since Zack's parents have never let him got to sleepaway camp, but Gabe doesn't tell him it's a camp for gifted kids. So Gabe heads off to camp, and we get really fun descriptions of Gabe and his bunkmates and their interests and summer studies: logic, poetry, rocketry, along with the usual; color wars, bonfires, even lice (but all with a twist--the camp's uber-cool camper has been breeding the lice for research). Gabe writes to Zack, and he makes a chart of the fun he has, but he has a column of the details he must omit if he wants to impress Zack (e.g.: "A celebrity came to camp, and I got a picture with him." Omitted detail: It was Alex Trebek, of Jeopardy! fame.) Of course, Gabe eventually realizes that he can be honest with Zack, and Zack thinks lots of the things are still cool.
BTW: Zack turns out to be a terrible speller, and Gabe is embarrassed about that--hides the postcard--doesn't want his friends to find out. Not sure if that was necessary (making Zack weaker to help Gabe feels stronger?); never really dealt with--do his parents know?
The title will sell itself to all the nerds out there--but they may want to hide the cover! The author has taught at Johns Hopkins' Center for Talented Youth, so she knows whereof she speaks.
lauralynnwalsh's review against another edition
4.0
I would actually give this 3 1/2 stars, if that were allowed, but I am rounding up, due to this being about nerds. The book is a fairly standard tween type book, with one kid wondering if his nerdiness will keep his new stepbrother from liking him, but at the same time really enjoying his nerdy summer camp. The nerdiness questions get a little old after a while, but I think they have to be there.
As an interesting aside: this is one of the few American books I have read, where relationships to family and other adults are portrayed really positively. I give it a plus for that, even though, at times, the positive feelings border on sugary. In fact, there is a bit of the too-positive throughout the whole book - another reason for the 3 1/2 stars.
As an interesting aside: this is one of the few American books I have read, where relationships to family and other adults are portrayed really positively. I give it a plus for that, even though, at times, the positive feelings border on sugary. In fact, there is a bit of the too-positive throughout the whole book - another reason for the 3 1/2 stars.