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Ungifted #3
Hypergifted
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Gordon Korman comes the funny and heartwarming sequel to the word-of-mouth hits UNGIFTED and SUPERGIFTED.
School has never been a problem for twelve-year-old super-genius Noah Youkilis—at least not until he gets an admission letter to the prestigious Wilderton University. The last thing Noah wants is to go straight from eighth grade into college. Will his life ever just be normal?!
Meanwhile, Noah’s best friend, Donovan, has been looking forward all year to a summer of doing nothing. But when Wilderton allows Noah to bring a friend for the summer term, Donovan’s parents jump at the chance. Suddenly, Donovan’s summer of slack has turned into hanging with Noah and working as a summer camp counselor for professors’ kids.
Once they arrive on campus, Noah’s determined to fit in—and to him, that means joining the top-secret Society of the Gavel. But becoming a Gaveler is harder than it seems, and it’s made all the harder when Noah and Donovon smuggle Wilderton’s mascot, a two-hundred-pound pig named Porquette, into their dorm. Now Noah and Donovan must combine all their middle-school smarts to keep their pig-sized secret, fix a haywire AI program before it pretty much ends the world, and keep track of Donovan’s campers.
It’s going to be a summer to remember in the newest book from #1 New York Times bestselling author Gordon Korman.
School has never been a problem for twelve-year-old super-genius Noah Youkilis—at least not until he gets an admission letter to the prestigious Wilderton University. The last thing Noah wants is to go straight from eighth grade into college. Will his life ever just be normal?!
Meanwhile, Noah’s best friend, Donovan, has been looking forward all year to a summer of doing nothing. But when Wilderton allows Noah to bring a friend for the summer term, Donovan’s parents jump at the chance. Suddenly, Donovan’s summer of slack has turned into hanging with Noah and working as a summer camp counselor for professors’ kids.
Once they arrive on campus, Noah’s determined to fit in—and to him, that means joining the top-secret Society of the Gavel. But becoming a Gaveler is harder than it seems, and it’s made all the harder when Noah and Donovon smuggle Wilderton’s mascot, a two-hundred-pound pig named Porquette, into their dorm. Now Noah and Donovan must combine all their middle-school smarts to keep their pig-sized secret, fix a haywire AI program before it pretty much ends the world, and keep track of Donovan’s campers.
It’s going to be a summer to remember in the newest book from #1 New York Times bestselling author Gordon Korman.
Audible Audio
Published February 3, 2026
17 people are currently reading
2835 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Korman
253 books4,471 followersGordon Korman is a Canadian author of children's and young adult fiction books. Korman's books have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide over a career spanning four decades and have appeared at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
February 8, 2026
Loved this so much, I plan to listen to more by this author. Noah just finished 8th grade and has been admitted to college. His best friend, Donovan is going with him as a companion. Special human interest story. The young men have quite the adventures, including the school mascot, Porkette. This book was pure joy for me. Outstanding narrator. Highly recommend.
I was blessed with an ALC. Thank you, NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
I was blessed with an ALC. Thank you, NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
October 22, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Donovan has had a wild ride ever since his adventures in Ungifted and Super gifted, and after the robot his group has made, Heavy Metal, hands out middle school diplomas at the Academy for Scholastic Distinction, he gets a big surprise. His friend Noah (whose IQ is 206) has not only graduated from middle school, but high school as well. He's been awarded a scholarship to study at Wilderton College, and has been offered placement in a summer computer studies program to get him used to campus life. The college even invites him to bring a friend, which doesn't make Donovan happy. He's planned a summer of video gaming and sitting around, but since his parents want to take a trip to celebrate their 25th anniversary, he is sent packing. Noah's experience is being chronicled by C.T. Beldner as a journalism thesis, and Donovan has been offered a job as a counselor in training for the Explorers program at the college, which serves primarily the children of professors. Chapters highlight different perspectives, so we hear how Noah struggles to grow his elderberry bushes and crushes on 19 year old classmate Arlene, how Donovan rather enjoys living in a dorm but has to deal with escape artist Jalen during camp, as well as occasional input from head counselor Raina, frat members Darius and Edward, and others. After the school mascot, Porquette, eats Noah's elderberries, the boys panic that these will make the large pig sick, and hide her in their bathtub. This causes a sense of gloom to be cast over the campus. Noah is working on an artificial intelligence model called AIDAN, and is obsessed with the campus secret society, to which he thinks Darius and Edward belong. Noah completes a lot of household cleaning tasks for them as "initiation", but when he finds they are not really members, starts his own secret society, the Fibonacci Society. Through a series of mishaps, this becomes the Society of the Curly Tail, celebrating the missing Porquette. As the summer winds down, how will Noah and Donovan be able to tie up all of their loose ends? There could be another book after this one, following Donovan at high school and Noah at college.
Strengths: This was another goofy romp from Korman, reminiscent of his McDonald Hall (Bruno & Boots) series. The college setting allows him to give his characters a lot of freedom without killing off any of the parents. I loved the observation that the campers in the Explorers program were about five years younger than Donovan and Noah, who were about five years younger than the college students. That's a great perspective! Middle grade readers will absolutely believe that the two kept a pig in their dorm for three weeks, and didn't bathe the whole time because Porquette was in the tub! Noah having a crush on an older woman was interesting, and Raina's perspective as interesting. Jalen's disappearances were a mystery, and the solution was fun. I was glad to see that Noah was majoring in computer science, even if he was creating an artificial intelligence model. Even though Ungifted came out in 2012, it still gets read, so there is an audience for this new adventure.
Weaknesses: This strained my credulity as an older person. Where did the boys put all of Porquette's poop? What did they feed her? Their room didn't smell? How did Jalen's disappearance go unnoticed by the adult counselors? And most of all, why was Noah being sent to college even though he wanted to go to high school? We have college credit options in my district, so Noah should have been able to attend high school at least part time, and still work on college classes. Young readers won't notice this, but I wasn't bothered by a lot of things.
What I really think: I'll definitely purchase this one, since Korman is wildly popular in my library. I normally love humorous romps, but I must have been in a bad mood when I read this. This did seem more realistic than Sumner's Schooled, also set on a college campus.
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
Donovan has had a wild ride ever since his adventures in Ungifted and Super gifted, and after the robot his group has made, Heavy Metal, hands out middle school diplomas at the Academy for Scholastic Distinction, he gets a big surprise. His friend Noah (whose IQ is 206) has not only graduated from middle school, but high school as well. He's been awarded a scholarship to study at Wilderton College, and has been offered placement in a summer computer studies program to get him used to campus life. The college even invites him to bring a friend, which doesn't make Donovan happy. He's planned a summer of video gaming and sitting around, but since his parents want to take a trip to celebrate their 25th anniversary, he is sent packing. Noah's experience is being chronicled by C.T. Beldner as a journalism thesis, and Donovan has been offered a job as a counselor in training for the Explorers program at the college, which serves primarily the children of professors. Chapters highlight different perspectives, so we hear how Noah struggles to grow his elderberry bushes and crushes on 19 year old classmate Arlene, how Donovan rather enjoys living in a dorm but has to deal with escape artist Jalen during camp, as well as occasional input from head counselor Raina, frat members Darius and Edward, and others. After the school mascot, Porquette, eats Noah's elderberries, the boys panic that these will make the large pig sick, and hide her in their bathtub. This causes a sense of gloom to be cast over the campus. Noah is working on an artificial intelligence model called AIDAN, and is obsessed with the campus secret society, to which he thinks Darius and Edward belong. Noah completes a lot of household cleaning tasks for them as "initiation", but when he finds they are not really members, starts his own secret society, the Fibonacci Society. Through a series of mishaps, this becomes the Society of the Curly Tail, celebrating the missing Porquette. As the summer winds down, how will Noah and Donovan be able to tie up all of their loose ends? There could be another book after this one, following Donovan at high school and Noah at college.
Strengths: This was another goofy romp from Korman, reminiscent of his McDonald Hall (Bruno & Boots) series. The college setting allows him to give his characters a lot of freedom without killing off any of the parents. I loved the observation that the campers in the Explorers program were about five years younger than Donovan and Noah, who were about five years younger than the college students. That's a great perspective! Middle grade readers will absolutely believe that the two kept a pig in their dorm for three weeks, and didn't bathe the whole time because Porquette was in the tub! Noah having a crush on an older woman was interesting, and Raina's perspective as interesting. Jalen's disappearances were a mystery, and the solution was fun. I was glad to see that Noah was majoring in computer science, even if he was creating an artificial intelligence model. Even though Ungifted came out in 2012, it still gets read, so there is an audience for this new adventure.
Weaknesses: This strained my credulity as an older person. Where did the boys put all of Porquette's poop? What did they feed her? Their room didn't smell? How did Jalen's disappearance go unnoticed by the adult counselors? And most of all, why was Noah being sent to college even though he wanted to go to high school? We have college credit options in my district, so Noah should have been able to attend high school at least part time, and still work on college classes. Young readers won't notice this, but I wasn't bothered by a lot of things.
What I really think: I'll definitely purchase this one, since Korman is wildly popular in my library. I normally love humorous romps, but I must have been in a bad mood when I read this. This did seem more realistic than Sumner's Schooled, also set on a college campus.
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
June 22, 2025
What a fun story! Hypergifted is part of Gordon Korman's Ungifted series, and it did not disappoint. Written from several characters points of view, Hypergifted continues the story of the friendship between HIGHLY gifted super-genius, Noah, who just wants to be like everyone else his age, and his friend, Donovan, who IS just like everyone else his age. Their friendship is delightful and cracks me up.
As a teacher, I'm excited to recommend this book and the rest of the series to my students!
Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy of this book. :)
As a teacher, I'm excited to recommend this book and the rest of the series to my students!
Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy of this book. :)
July 9, 2025
The third Ungifted MG book out in 2026!
🏫
Noah and Donovan are back! It’s the summer after 8th grade graduation and Noah has just graduated HIGH SCHOOL as an 8th grader and is being sent off to college for the summer due to his high intelligence. Donovan is not happy at all when Noah chooses for him to attend the university as well, with Donovan being a camp counselor. But the summer turns out to be more wild than either of them imagine with a first crush, missing potbelly pig, a camp kid who disappears for hours at a time, a new AI program that goes rogue and a secret society Noah is desperate to be a part of.
🎓
If you’re familiar with the first two books in this series then you will love the return of these two boys and the shenanigans they get into. At its core this novel series is about friendship, seeing things from others’ point of view and not growing up too fast. This title releases February 3!
🏫
Noah and Donovan are back! It’s the summer after 8th grade graduation and Noah has just graduated HIGH SCHOOL as an 8th grader and is being sent off to college for the summer due to his high intelligence. Donovan is not happy at all when Noah chooses for him to attend the university as well, with Donovan being a camp counselor. But the summer turns out to be more wild than either of them imagine with a first crush, missing potbelly pig, a camp kid who disappears for hours at a time, a new AI program that goes rogue and a secret society Noah is desperate to be a part of.
🎓
If you’re familiar with the first two books in this series then you will love the return of these two boys and the shenanigans they get into. At its core this novel series is about friendship, seeing things from others’ point of view and not growing up too fast. This title releases February 3!
January 21, 2026
I've read several books by this author and every time I find myself immersed in whatever story he is sharing. And I find myself laughing out loud over the antics of the characters. Definitely another win by this author for me. When my kids were younger they would gravitate to books by this author. Which of course led me to them as well. I'm an adult and still pick them up when I see them and have the time!
I haven't read the previous books in this series but felt like the author did a great job writing this one in a way that readers won't feel like they've missed something. I loved the dynamics between the two main characters, Noah-the hypergifted super genius, and Donovan-a smart but normal kid. They were a lot of fun to read about and follow their adventures.
Noah finds himself at the beginning of the book being a high school graduate at his 8th grade graduation ceremony. And if that's not shocking enough to find out, he's also enrolled at a University starting that summer. Hahaha! But luckily he gets to bring along his best friend Donovan. Who unluckily enough was just wanting to sit on the couch and eat waffles all summer. Hahaha! But these two are in for quite the adventure as they navigate a college campus, become a camp counselor and have a campus mascot residing in their room with them. It's delightfully funny, witty and full of great lessons.
This will be a fun one to recommend to middle grade students, or honestly most any age!
Content: Clean.
I received a copy from the publisher, HarperCollins Children's Books, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
I haven't read the previous books in this series but felt like the author did a great job writing this one in a way that readers won't feel like they've missed something. I loved the dynamics between the two main characters, Noah-the hypergifted super genius, and Donovan-a smart but normal kid. They were a lot of fun to read about and follow their adventures.
Noah finds himself at the beginning of the book being a high school graduate at his 8th grade graduation ceremony. And if that's not shocking enough to find out, he's also enrolled at a University starting that summer. Hahaha! But luckily he gets to bring along his best friend Donovan. Who unluckily enough was just wanting to sit on the couch and eat waffles all summer. Hahaha! But these two are in for quite the adventure as they navigate a college campus, become a camp counselor and have a campus mascot residing in their room with them. It's delightfully funny, witty and full of great lessons.
This will be a fun one to recommend to middle grade students, or honestly most any age!
Content: Clean.
I received a copy from the publisher, HarperCollins Children's Books, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
Want to read
December 22, 2025From my 11-year-old son, a huge Gordon Korman fan: it was a good ending to the trilogy. He thought the college dynamic was really interesting and the Society of the Gavel was a good part of the story.
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2025
Hypergifted is a great addition to the Ungifted series!
Noah has been invited to spend his summer at a college where he'll go to school in the fall. He's allowed to bring a friend with him as he acclimates to college and dorm life. Of course he asks Donovan to join him. Donovan is not too please to have his "butt on the couch" kind of summer canceled. Donovan will have a job to keep him busy while Noah goes to classes.
Plenty of hijinks is had by all! even the school pig mascot, Porquette, is part of the action.
A fun read aloud and must-have to add to your Gordon Korman collections!
#GordonKorman #Hypergifted #Ungifted #SchoolLibrary #SchoolLibrarians #PublicLibraries #PublicLibrarians #ReadABook #ReadThisBook #Books #Read #MGReads #MGBooks #MGLit #KidLit #ElementaryBooks #ElemReads #Edelweiss #Goodreads
Noah has been invited to spend his summer at a college where he'll go to school in the fall. He's allowed to bring a friend with him as he acclimates to college and dorm life. Of course he asks Donovan to join him. Donovan is not too please to have his "butt on the couch" kind of summer canceled. Donovan will have a job to keep him busy while Noah goes to classes.
Plenty of hijinks is had by all! even the school pig mascot, Porquette, is part of the action.
A fun read aloud and must-have to add to your Gordon Korman collections!
#GordonKorman #Hypergifted #Ungifted #SchoolLibrary #SchoolLibrarians #PublicLibraries #PublicLibrarians #ReadABook #ReadThisBook #Books #Read #MGReads #MGBooks #MGLit #KidLit #ElementaryBooks #ElemReads #Edelweiss #Goodreads
July 17, 2025
Noah and Donovan are paired together again for a summer that is unexpected for both of them. At 8th grade graduation Noah gets advanced straight to college against his will and he's allowed to bring a friend along. Who does he pick, but his idol, super ordinary and super unpredictable Donovan. While Noah works on his high level AI project, Donovan works as a counselor-in-training at the school's summer camp for kids.
This book is pure silliness and fun. There are plenty of shenanigans to go around. Some things readers will encounter are a pig in a bathtub, a poker playing grandma, a secret society, a made up secret society, a honey badger, a disappearing-reappearing camper, and so much more.
I enjoyed the first book of this series, Ungifted. I have not read the second book, Supergifted yet. I was glad to know the characters before reading this story, but I think it could easily be picked up as a stand alone without reading the first two books. I will happily recommend this book in my classroom and to readers I know. It's just fun with no baggage. I think some students are really looking for that.
This book is pure silliness and fun. There are plenty of shenanigans to go around. Some things readers will encounter are a pig in a bathtub, a poker playing grandma, a secret society, a made up secret society, a honey badger, a disappearing-reappearing camper, and so much more.
I enjoyed the first book of this series, Ungifted. I have not read the second book, Supergifted yet. I was glad to know the characters before reading this story, but I think it could easily be picked up as a stand alone without reading the first two books. I will happily recommend this book in my classroom and to readers I know. It's just fun with no baggage. I think some students are really looking for that.
May 26, 2025
I enjoyed this book. Hypergifted is about a kid with 206 IQ (Noah), his best friend (Donovan), and their adventures at college summer camp.
There were several aspects I enjoyed about this book:
1. I really liked reading from Donovan's point of view. He often seems to see things more clearly than his super-smart friend Noah. Where Noah is socially awkward, Donovan knows how to smooth things over.
2. This book is inspirational. It's not the type of book that showers you with cool mantras like "believe in yourself!" or "you are special!", but it's more subtle. For example, I used to want to be really, really smart, like genius-level smart, and I lamented the fact that I was just average. But after reading this book and seeing events from both the perspectives of a genius and a non-genius, I suddenly feel like being a normal person is also okay. Like I mentioned before, Donovan sees things much clearer than Noah does, and I think that's one of the gifts that we "normal" people have.
3. I loved how loyal the university was to their mascot, and through her, to their school family.
4. I liked how the adults were mostly supportive. There wasn't any evil guy trying to take down all the kids or anything like that.
5. I really liked how Donovan treated the kids. He was supportive of them, not looking down on them, but treating them almost as equals.
6. The ending was spectacularly satisfying. It wrapped up the whole story fairly well, though I do wish that Donovan had gotten more love from his parents.
There were also several things I didn't enjoy about the story.
1. Noah's POV was too cliche, like extreme geniuses-don't-social. I found that somewhat irritating at first, but in the end it turned out to be a little bit endearing. I still think that it was a bit overdone, though.
2. Donovan... his character was conflicting for me. On one hand, I really liked how chill he was about everything. On the other hand, however, I felt like he was too chill about everything, like to the point where he's almost invincible. But there are also parts where the readers can see how disturbed he gets when some things get under his skin, like the fake super star videos of him that were circulating around. It seemed almost dangerous to me, like maybe he's hiding himself away because he feels like there's no one that will listen -- especially considering his neglecting parents.
3. The whole plot revolves heavily on Noah's 206 IQ, but I didn't see enough evidence of that IQ. Noah did build an AI that was apparently very powerful, but I would have enjoyed seeing more of his alleged IQ.
Content: Clean. Perfectly suitable for middle-graders. There's mentions of playing pokers, and gambling with toothpicks, bottle caps, and beans, but I don't think that's a bit deal since it's more portrayed as having fun (and there are no real stakes involved; other than the beans, of course).
I received an ARC copy of this from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
There were several aspects I enjoyed about this book:
1. I really liked reading from Donovan's point of view. He often seems to see things more clearly than his super-smart friend Noah. Where Noah is socially awkward, Donovan knows how to smooth things over.
2. This book is inspirational. It's not the type of book that showers you with cool mantras like "believe in yourself!" or "you are special!", but it's more subtle. For example, I used to want to be really, really smart, like genius-level smart, and I lamented the fact that I was just average. But after reading this book and seeing events from both the perspectives of a genius and a non-genius, I suddenly feel like being a normal person is also okay. Like I mentioned before, Donovan sees things much clearer than Noah does, and I think that's one of the gifts that we "normal" people have.
3. I loved how loyal the university was to their mascot, and through her, to their school family.
4. I liked how the adults were mostly supportive. There wasn't any evil guy trying to take down all the kids or anything like that.
5. I really liked how Donovan treated the kids. He was supportive of them, not looking down on them, but treating them almost as equals.
6. The ending was spectacularly satisfying. It wrapped up the whole story fairly well, though I do wish that Donovan had gotten more love from his parents.
There were also several things I didn't enjoy about the story.
1. Noah's POV was too cliche, like extreme geniuses-don't-social. I found that somewhat irritating at first, but in the end it turned out to be a little bit endearing. I still think that it was a bit overdone, though.
2. Donovan... his character was conflicting for me. On one hand, I really liked how chill he was about everything. On the other hand, however, I felt like he was too chill about everything, like to the point where he's almost invincible. But there are also parts where the readers can see how disturbed he gets when some things get under his skin, like the fake super star videos of him that were circulating around. It seemed almost dangerous to me, like maybe he's hiding himself away because he feels like there's no one that will listen -- especially considering his neglecting parents.
3. The whole plot revolves heavily on Noah's 206 IQ, but I didn't see enough evidence of that IQ. Noah did build an AI that was apparently very powerful, but I would have enjoyed seeing more of his alleged IQ.
Content: Clean. Perfectly suitable for middle-graders. There's mentions of playing pokers, and gambling with toothpicks, bottle caps, and beans, but I don't think that's a bit deal since it's more portrayed as having fun (and there are no real stakes involved; other than the beans, of course).
I received an ARC copy of this from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 7, 2025
Fun to be back with Donavon and Noah, except at University instead! At first I was put off by POV of college students, but I think Korman nailed the strange pride that college kids have for their campus and the quirky things they may do. So many moving pieces to the story, never a slow moment.
I got to read an ARC from NetGalley.
I got to read an ARC from NetGalley.
November 14, 2025
Gordon Korman's beloved characters Donovan and Noah return in this third installment of the popular "Ungifted" series!
Noah Youkilis has the highest IQ at his middle school for gifted individuals. At least, he did. Now, he's graduating not just middle school, but also high school on the same day. Against his will, Noah is given a full ride to Wilderton University, so it looks as though Noah is off to college at age thirteen. At least he isn't going alone as his best friend, Donovan Curtis, gets to go with him. College is nothing like either of them could have imagined. Between the school's missing pig mascot, a rogue AI algorithm, and disappearing summer campers, Donovan and Noah are getting way more than they signed up for.
I must say, I was very hesitant going into this one. I grew up reading and loving Korman's work and the "Ungifted" books were among my favorites. It'll be eight years since "Supergifted" came out by the time that "Hypergifted" hits shelves, and I personally find this to be a crazy fact. After looking up the books though, I guess the same thing happened between "Ungifted" and "Supergifted" too, so maybe this truly doesn't mean anything. Luckily, I found the third installment in this book to hold the same charm as the first two, and Donovan and Noah felt like they hadn't aged a day.
Something I definitely wasn't expecting was the majority of this book's conflict to revolve around misplaced pigs and secret societies. Honestly, these things are very on brand for a Korman book, but they caught me off guard regardless. Porquette, the school's mascot, ends up getting out of her pen and of course being the two idiots they are, Donovan and Noah pretty much kidnap her. Their hearts were in the right place; I just swear their brains don't work. Noah also gets addicted to this Society of the Gavel, which as far as I know is a creepy cult. These two things, pigs and cults, somehow merge before the book is through and the boys have a giant mess on their hands.
The concept of this book is certainly quirky, but it is pretty fun. Imagining literal thirteen-year-olds on a college campus seems so wrong, but Korman pulls off the unrealistic with his iconic flair of his. His stories are always so goofy but always deliver such heartfelt messages.
The discussion that this book brings up about the usage of AI is also a very relevant theme in today's world, which I'm pretty sure is the whole reason Korman decided to return to this series. Noah is tasked in one of his classes to design an AI algorithm of his choice, and he decides to craft one that will analyze the best way for him to be initiated into the Society of the Gavel. Unsurprisingly, this totally blows up in his face, and Noah's tech ends up producing fake YouTube videos of Donovan doing things he has never done. This is a great introduction into the ethical implications of using AI and it brushes only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the consequences of using this technology. Donovan gets really hurt throughout the course of this novel, because everyone thinks he's a liar. The inclusion of artificial intelligence definitely gives the youths something to chew on.
As an adult reader, there are so many things that are obvious about this one. Such as what's wrong with Porquette, where Noah's AI technology went, and just where in the world Jalen was running off to (though my brain didn't quite piece together what he was doing there). I'm a grown adult though, so I would be disappointed in myself if I didn't constantly see things coming in children's books.
Overall, "Hypergifted" was a solid addition to Donovan and Noah's story. It may have been penned to introduce children to be wary of how one uses AI, but there are so many great things about it. The arc involving Porquette is pretty funny, and seeing Donovan and Noah up to their usual schemes was truly a joy. This one may not have been as strong as the first two, but the nostalgia I felt reading this one was quite strong. I hope to read many more of Korman's books before my time on this planet is up.
Noah Youkilis has the highest IQ at his middle school for gifted individuals. At least, he did. Now, he's graduating not just middle school, but also high school on the same day. Against his will, Noah is given a full ride to Wilderton University, so it looks as though Noah is off to college at age thirteen. At least he isn't going alone as his best friend, Donovan Curtis, gets to go with him. College is nothing like either of them could have imagined. Between the school's missing pig mascot, a rogue AI algorithm, and disappearing summer campers, Donovan and Noah are getting way more than they signed up for.
I must say, I was very hesitant going into this one. I grew up reading and loving Korman's work and the "Ungifted" books were among my favorites. It'll be eight years since "Supergifted" came out by the time that "Hypergifted" hits shelves, and I personally find this to be a crazy fact. After looking up the books though, I guess the same thing happened between "Ungifted" and "Supergifted" too, so maybe this truly doesn't mean anything. Luckily, I found the third installment in this book to hold the same charm as the first two, and Donovan and Noah felt like they hadn't aged a day.
Something I definitely wasn't expecting was the majority of this book's conflict to revolve around misplaced pigs and secret societies. Honestly, these things are very on brand for a Korman book, but they caught me off guard regardless. Porquette, the school's mascot, ends up getting out of her pen and of course being the two idiots they are, Donovan and Noah pretty much kidnap her. Their hearts were in the right place; I just swear their brains don't work. Noah also gets addicted to this Society of the Gavel, which as far as I know is a creepy cult. These two things, pigs and cults, somehow merge before the book is through and the boys have a giant mess on their hands.
The concept of this book is certainly quirky, but it is pretty fun. Imagining literal thirteen-year-olds on a college campus seems so wrong, but Korman pulls off the unrealistic with his iconic flair of his. His stories are always so goofy but always deliver such heartfelt messages.
The discussion that this book brings up about the usage of AI is also a very relevant theme in today's world, which I'm pretty sure is the whole reason Korman decided to return to this series. Noah is tasked in one of his classes to design an AI algorithm of his choice, and he decides to craft one that will analyze the best way for him to be initiated into the Society of the Gavel. Unsurprisingly, this totally blows up in his face, and Noah's tech ends up producing fake YouTube videos of Donovan doing things he has never done. This is a great introduction into the ethical implications of using AI and it brushes only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the consequences of using this technology. Donovan gets really hurt throughout the course of this novel, because everyone thinks he's a liar. The inclusion of artificial intelligence definitely gives the youths something to chew on.
As an adult reader, there are so many things that are obvious about this one. Such as what's wrong with Porquette, where Noah's AI technology went, and just where in the world Jalen was running off to (though my brain didn't quite piece together what he was doing there). I'm a grown adult though, so I would be disappointed in myself if I didn't constantly see things coming in children's books.
Overall, "Hypergifted" was a solid addition to Donovan and Noah's story. It may have been penned to introduce children to be wary of how one uses AI, but there are so many great things about it. The arc involving Porquette is pretty funny, and seeing Donovan and Noah up to their usual schemes was truly a joy. This one may not have been as strong as the first two, but the nostalgia I felt reading this one was quite strong. I hope to read many more of Korman's books before my time on this planet is up.
June 2, 2025
What worked:
The story is told from multiple points of view, allowing readers inside several characters’ minds. This strategy is important because these characters have different motivations for attending an elite college during the summer. Noah has an IQ of 206, and he’s just graduated from middle school and high school, too! He’s starting college as a freshman, but he’s asked his best friend Donovan to spend the summer in the dorms to help him get acclimated. These two characters are the focus of the plot. Readers also read chapters about Raina, a new summer camp counselor, a fraternity member, and other characters from the college.
Noah and Donovan can be described as an odd couple, since they’re starkly different people. Noah is super smart and has difficulty thinking like “normal” kids. He wishes he weren’t judged by his high IQ and all of the expectations that come with it. Others might be surprised that his favorite activity is watching YouTube videos. He comes up with an idea for an AI program that will impress his co-ed crush and his computer science professor. Donovan plans to lie on the couch all summer watching endless television shows until his parents say he’ll be rooming with Noah instead. Donovan is given a job as a CIT (counselor in training), and his style is much different from Raina’s. The major conflict in the plot arises from Noah’s Elderberry plant and the college’s pig mascot, Porquette.
The author adds a bit of mystery with a secret group on the college campus called the Society of the Gavel. No one knows the identity of the members (until they’ve died), and no one knows what the group does. Members are secretly notified of their selection into the society, so no one knows what it takes to become a member. Noah thinks secrets are meant to be discovered, so he makes it his mission to become invited into the Society of the Gavel. This motivates him to create the AI program, but it also leads to some ill-advised decisions. He eventually decides to create the Fibonacci Society, but no one understands, and his plans go awry.
What didn’t work as well:
I have a pet peeve against using too many points of view, and there are a couple of characters who didn’t need to be included. The strategy breaks the plot into many smaller pieces, which can be a distraction. On the other hand, the use of multiple points of view in this book causes readers to become more mentally engaged, as they piece the events into one cohesive story.
The final verdict:
This book is classic Gordon Korman with its blend of humor, a wayward plot, and featuring multiple voices. Much of the plot is predictable, but the author saves a few surprises for the end. Korman’s style is always appealing to middle-grade readers, and I recommend you give it a shot.
The story is told from multiple points of view, allowing readers inside several characters’ minds. This strategy is important because these characters have different motivations for attending an elite college during the summer. Noah has an IQ of 206, and he’s just graduated from middle school and high school, too! He’s starting college as a freshman, but he’s asked his best friend Donovan to spend the summer in the dorms to help him get acclimated. These two characters are the focus of the plot. Readers also read chapters about Raina, a new summer camp counselor, a fraternity member, and other characters from the college.
Noah and Donovan can be described as an odd couple, since they’re starkly different people. Noah is super smart and has difficulty thinking like “normal” kids. He wishes he weren’t judged by his high IQ and all of the expectations that come with it. Others might be surprised that his favorite activity is watching YouTube videos. He comes up with an idea for an AI program that will impress his co-ed crush and his computer science professor. Donovan plans to lie on the couch all summer watching endless television shows until his parents say he’ll be rooming with Noah instead. Donovan is given a job as a CIT (counselor in training), and his style is much different from Raina’s. The major conflict in the plot arises from Noah’s Elderberry plant and the college’s pig mascot, Porquette.
The author adds a bit of mystery with a secret group on the college campus called the Society of the Gavel. No one knows the identity of the members (until they’ve died), and no one knows what the group does. Members are secretly notified of their selection into the society, so no one knows what it takes to become a member. Noah thinks secrets are meant to be discovered, so he makes it his mission to become invited into the Society of the Gavel. This motivates him to create the AI program, but it also leads to some ill-advised decisions. He eventually decides to create the Fibonacci Society, but no one understands, and his plans go awry.
What didn’t work as well:
I have a pet peeve against using too many points of view, and there are a couple of characters who didn’t need to be included. The strategy breaks the plot into many smaller pieces, which can be a distraction. On the other hand, the use of multiple points of view in this book causes readers to become more mentally engaged, as they piece the events into one cohesive story.
The final verdict:
This book is classic Gordon Korman with its blend of humor, a wayward plot, and featuring multiple voices. Much of the plot is predictable, but the author saves a few surprises for the end. Korman’s style is always appealing to middle-grade readers, and I recommend you give it a shot.
August 3, 2025
Gordon Korman executes character building at it’s finest and in Hypergifted, there are a bunch. This allows readers vivid views inside several characters' minds. Each character had their own motivation for attending an elite college during the summer. Noah has an IQ of 206, has been recruited right out of middle school completely skipping high school. Nervous about being a college freshman, he’s asked his best friend Donovan to spend the summer in the dorms to help him get acclimated to college life as a kid. We meet Raina, a new summer camp counselor, also a fraternity member, and other characters associated with the college.
Noah and Donovan are a quirky pair of friends. Noah is super smart and has difficulty thinking like other kids his age and mind set, but dissent fit the mind set of college kids either. He pretty tired of always being labeled the kid with the incredibly high IQ. Oddly, Noah’s favorite activity is watching YouTube videos. You thought it’d be working calculus problems right? Donovan’s summer break, plans involves keeping his butt on the middle couch cushion all summer watching mindless television. That is until his parents say he’ll be rooming with Noah in college!
When the boys arrive at Wilderton University, in order to keep Donovan occupied, he is given a job as a CIT (counselor in training), and very soon clashes with Raina. Also, and almost like characters themselves are Noah’s Elderberry plant and the college's pig mascot, Porquette.
Noah becomes obsessed with a highly secret group on the college campus called the Society of the Gavel. No one knows the identity of the members, that is, until they’ve died and no one knows what the group does. Members are secretly notified of their selection into the society, so no one knows what it even takes to become a member. Noah sees a challenge and plans to get himself into this secret group. He designs an AI program, leading to some poor decisions which leads to creating the Fibonacci Society, which no one but Noah understands. That didn’t work so well either!
This wonderfully, Gordon Korman, engaging and quirky.
The many points of view, confused me at times although this strategy does break up the plot challenging readers to become more engaged. I like how the author saved us a nice surprise in the end.
Korman’s style as always is fun and appealing to middle-grade readers, and I recommend Hypergifted.
Noah and Donovan are a quirky pair of friends. Noah is super smart and has difficulty thinking like other kids his age and mind set, but dissent fit the mind set of college kids either. He pretty tired of always being labeled the kid with the incredibly high IQ. Oddly, Noah’s favorite activity is watching YouTube videos. You thought it’d be working calculus problems right? Donovan’s summer break, plans involves keeping his butt on the middle couch cushion all summer watching mindless television. That is until his parents say he’ll be rooming with Noah in college!
When the boys arrive at Wilderton University, in order to keep Donovan occupied, he is given a job as a CIT (counselor in training), and very soon clashes with Raina. Also, and almost like characters themselves are Noah’s Elderberry plant and the college's pig mascot, Porquette.
Noah becomes obsessed with a highly secret group on the college campus called the Society of the Gavel. No one knows the identity of the members, that is, until they’ve died and no one knows what the group does. Members are secretly notified of their selection into the society, so no one knows what it even takes to become a member. Noah sees a challenge and plans to get himself into this secret group. He designs an AI program, leading to some poor decisions which leads to creating the Fibonacci Society, which no one but Noah understands. That didn’t work so well either!
This wonderfully, Gordon Korman, engaging and quirky.
The many points of view, confused me at times although this strategy does break up the plot challenging readers to become more engaged. I like how the author saved us a nice surprise in the end.
Korman’s style as always is fun and appealing to middle-grade readers, and I recommend Hypergifted.
July 6, 2025
I recieved a free eARC of this book via NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.
I have rarely been as excited to read a book as I was to read this one, I teach a class for gifted middle school age students on Giftedness in media and we use the first two books in this series (Ungifted and Supergifted) as reading selections. They are favorites among my students and give a lot of room for discussion about IQ testing, gifted programs, gifted traits, inclusion, etc, and whether Donovan is really “Ungifted”-or is it possible that he’s gifted, just in a way that doesn’t show on IQ tests? it is clearly obvious that Korman not only knows gifted kids, but that he IS one himself-and that he recognizes that Giftedness isn’t always a gift.
I was even more excited to see that this one takes on Noah going to college, because it’s not uncommon for my students to start college classes when others their age are starting middle or high school. And I think this book will be similarly great for discussion. While this is a very exaggerated example (most schools do not allow early college students to live on campus before 16-17, and those that accept younger students have specific dorms and far more supervision than Noah and Donovan have), much of what they face in this book, such as Noah’s social struggles with other students, being easily taken advantage of. and having your first crush on an adult who only sees you as a little kid is far too familiar to many of my students. While most of my students don’t try to smuggle a mascot into the dorms (although “no animals in the dorm” is a pretty common rule for gifted summer programs for a reason), getting in over their head and not wanting to ask for help is a common refrain, and Noah and Donovan will provide ample fuel to discuss this without having to get into individual student experiences or having students feel that they’re being called out. Korman’s exaggeration will work well.
Overall, I think this is an excellent book, a fun book, and one that will greatly appeal to many kids who will see themselves in Noah, Donovan, or both.
I have rarely been as excited to read a book as I was to read this one, I teach a class for gifted middle school age students on Giftedness in media and we use the first two books in this series (Ungifted and Supergifted) as reading selections. They are favorites among my students and give a lot of room for discussion about IQ testing, gifted programs, gifted traits, inclusion, etc, and whether Donovan is really “Ungifted”-or is it possible that he’s gifted, just in a way that doesn’t show on IQ tests? it is clearly obvious that Korman not only knows gifted kids, but that he IS one himself-and that he recognizes that Giftedness isn’t always a gift.
I was even more excited to see that this one takes on Noah going to college, because it’s not uncommon for my students to start college classes when others their age are starting middle or high school. And I think this book will be similarly great for discussion. While this is a very exaggerated example (most schools do not allow early college students to live on campus before 16-17, and those that accept younger students have specific dorms and far more supervision than Noah and Donovan have), much of what they face in this book, such as Noah’s social struggles with other students, being easily taken advantage of. and having your first crush on an adult who only sees you as a little kid is far too familiar to many of my students. While most of my students don’t try to smuggle a mascot into the dorms (although “no animals in the dorm” is a pretty common rule for gifted summer programs for a reason), getting in over their head and not wanting to ask for help is a common refrain, and Noah and Donovan will provide ample fuel to discuss this without having to get into individual student experiences or having students feel that they’re being called out. Korman’s exaggeration will work well.
Overall, I think this is an excellent book, a fun book, and one that will greatly appeal to many kids who will see themselves in Noah, Donovan, or both.
July 11, 2025
This is not the summer vacation Donovan Curtis had in mind. Instead of settling in on the couch, Donovan is accompanying Noah—his friend with a 206 IQ—to his first semester at Wilderton College. Noah begins taking college classes while Donovan is a Counselor in Training for a group of eight-year-olds, and each boy is faced with unexpected challenges. With secrecy at the heart of everything, the two companions find themselves immersed in a comical and unlikely series of events from which it is difficult to emerge. But life has a way of remedying even the strangest of wrongs, and with enough patience and wisdom, the summer becomes one the two boys will never forget. This humorous middle grade novel is told from multiple points of view, utilizing unique and memorable voices to recount each character’s story. Each chapter is brief and adds forward momentum to the plot, giving readers more information than any one character has on their own. Not only are there secrets in the college landscape itself, but more enigmas are built upon one another as the story progresses, and the characters must become devious in order to achieve their goals. Though Noah is the only protagonist with a genius IQ, the narrative demonstrates that intelligence comes in many forms, and a high IQ score does not necessarily equate to overall intelligence. Showcasing the increasing independence middle grade students are developing, this book effectively features a selection of youth who are learning to shoulder increasing amounts of responsibility. Funny and mysterious, this clever novel is an enjoyable addition to library collections for upper middle grade readers.
May 23, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for the e-arc!
Hypergifted is the third book of the Ungifted Series by Gordon Korman. aka the third book to what used to be my one of my favorite series ever.
This was such a nostalgic read! I think Gordon Korman still has that same classic way of writing middle grade books that feels realistic and humourous. This is just a silly goofy little book for silly goofy little people. aka me.
We see the same two main characters from the previous book, and I love their friendship. I think at certain times they have an uneven relationship where one character is more relying on the other while not being a great friend. But there's also other times where I just enjoyed their bromance. and bromance is >>>>
Despite not being the target audience for this book, I still had fun with it. The writing, at some points, made me giggle. I will say that at certain points, it could also pull me out of the story. During some of the POV shifts, it felt like a lot telling and not showing. I wasn't there; I was just listening to a version of a story. This lessened the emotional connection I had to it.
This is definitely a book meant for more of a fun, quick, light-hearted read. While not super memorable, it is a nice read. I think a middle schooler who is meant for this book would enjoy it more, but older audiences could also have a good time with it.
Hypergifted is the third book of the Ungifted Series by Gordon Korman. aka the third book to what used to be my one of my favorite series ever.
This was such a nostalgic read! I think Gordon Korman still has that same classic way of writing middle grade books that feels realistic and humourous. This is just a silly goofy little book for silly goofy little people. aka me.
We see the same two main characters from the previous book, and I love their friendship. I think at certain times they have an uneven relationship where one character is more relying on the other while not being a great friend. But there's also other times where I just enjoyed their bromance. and bromance is >>>>
Despite not being the target audience for this book, I still had fun with it. The writing, at some points, made me giggle. I will say that at certain points, it could also pull me out of the story. During some of the POV shifts, it felt like a lot telling and not showing. I wasn't there; I was just listening to a version of a story. This lessened the emotional connection I had to it.
This is definitely a book meant for more of a fun, quick, light-hearted read. While not super memorable, it is a nice read. I think a middle schooler who is meant for this book would enjoy it more, but older audiences could also have a good time with it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I "discovered" Gordon Korman nearly a year ago when I started my new career as a middle/high school librarian, and he quickly became the go-to author for my son and me. Now, as a 6th grader, my son has read at least twenty of Korman's novels. I haven't hit twenty yet, but after reading Hypergifted, I'll be adding the first two books in the series to my TBR list! Like his other middle-grade novels, Hypergifted draws the reader in with great characters and hilarious misadventures.
In Hypergifted, supergenius Noah Youkilis is told that he will be spending his summer taking courses at the respected Wilderton University. To help Noah adjust (they did just finish 8th grade), his friend Donovan, who harbors grand plans to sleep in and relax all summer, is voluntold by his parents that he will attend with Noah.
What could go wrong when two twelve-year-olds go off to college for the summer? Plenty! Noah's obsession with gaining entry into the school's super-secret society, problems with pigs, disappearing campers, and rogue AI programs lead to hilarious shenanigans and the creation of new friendships.
When it comes to writing fiction for a middle school audience, Korman is "Hypergifted," and this novel is no exception. It is already in my cart for my spring order!
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins, for a free eARC of Hypergifted in exchange for my honest review.
In Hypergifted, supergenius Noah Youkilis is told that he will be spending his summer taking courses at the respected Wilderton University. To help Noah adjust (they did just finish 8th grade), his friend Donovan, who harbors grand plans to sleep in and relax all summer, is voluntold by his parents that he will attend with Noah.
What could go wrong when two twelve-year-olds go off to college for the summer? Plenty! Noah's obsession with gaining entry into the school's super-secret society, problems with pigs, disappearing campers, and rogue AI programs lead to hilarious shenanigans and the creation of new friendships.
When it comes to writing fiction for a middle school audience, Korman is "Hypergifted," and this novel is no exception. It is already in my cart for my spring order!
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins, for a free eARC of Hypergifted in exchange for my honest review.
February 8, 2026
Noah has an IQ of 206, and when he graduates from middle school, he finds out that he also graduated from high school and is going to college in the summer. He can bring a friend, so he brings Donovan, who will be a CIT for a camp for 8 year old children of college staff. I t turns out that there is a secret society in hat Noah really wants to join, and his big project of AI figures out that two students are the most likely to be members. In reality, they are bored this summer and have Noah complete household chores as his ‘initiation’. Donovan and full counselor Raina have their hands full with 5 8 year olds, one who keeps wandering off. The mascot of the college is a pig who eats Noah’s elderberries, which are poisonous if not cooked, so Donovan and Noah bring the pug into their dorm room bathtub. Porquette keeps looking worse, and the whole campus mourns her disappearance. Noah creates a new secret society, and the Fibonacci graph he tags the campus with is thought to resemble a curly pig tail. People on campus think this new secret society kidnapped Porquette, when in reality Noah and Donovan are keeping her in hopes she gets better.
All of this is hard for me to believe, but our middle schoolers love Gordon Kidman and have never been to college so will undoubtedly love this title as well. I will have to see if we have the first two in this series.
All of this is hard for me to believe, but our middle schoolers love Gordon Kidman and have never been to college so will undoubtedly love this title as well. I will have to see if we have the first two in this series.
May 18, 2025
My kids love the Ungifted Series by Gordon Korman, so they were so excited to hear that there is a third book coming out! Hypergifted follows the events that arise when 13 year old genius Noah Youkilis is accepted (against his will) as a freshman to Wilderton University a prestigious college in his state. His friend of average intelligence, Donavan Curtis is persuaded by his parents to accompany Noah to college to keep him company for the summer semester. Both boys experience a summer they will not soon forget. Noah is resented by students and praised by teachers, while Donavan is stuck running a day camp with an intense girl named Raina. The boys even have some drama with a pig along the way!
This latest installment is just as entertaining, humorous, and full of lovable characters as the last one! Thanks NetGalley, Gordon Korman, and Harper Collins Children's Books for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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This latest installment is just as entertaining, humorous, and full of lovable characters as the last one! Thanks NetGalley, Gordon Korman, and Harper Collins Children's Books for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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May 23, 2025
Hypergifted by Gordon Korman
As a retired teacher of gifted learners, I was excited to read this book by Gordon Korman, an author my students and I loved, beginning with Swindled, published in 2008. From my experience, Noah was portrayed very well. I loved that he could admit he didn’t know something. He was likeable as well as brilliant. This was a fun and slightly silly book, but I enjoyed it a lot. (Could a pig really exist in a bathtub for a month?)
The last Gordon Korman book I read (with my granddaughter) was “Linked.” The topic went much deeper and the book was very thought provoking. So it took me a little while to get into Hypergifted, because I was expecting a similar vibe. However, both books are great, for different purposes. I can see Hypergifted being great for gifted kids (because gifted) but also for more reluctant readers, because of the crazy things that happen. Overall Hypergifted is 5 stars for me!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins Children’s Books. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
As a retired teacher of gifted learners, I was excited to read this book by Gordon Korman, an author my students and I loved, beginning with Swindled, published in 2008. From my experience, Noah was portrayed very well. I loved that he could admit he didn’t know something. He was likeable as well as brilliant. This was a fun and slightly silly book, but I enjoyed it a lot. (Could a pig really exist in a bathtub for a month?)
The last Gordon Korman book I read (with my granddaughter) was “Linked.” The topic went much deeper and the book was very thought provoking. So it took me a little while to get into Hypergifted, because I was expecting a similar vibe. However, both books are great, for different purposes. I can see Hypergifted being great for gifted kids (because gifted) but also for more reluctant readers, because of the crazy things that happen. Overall Hypergifted is 5 stars for me!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins Children’s Books. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
June 23, 2025
Hypergifted by Gordon Korman is an engaging follow-up that brings back fan-favorites Noah and Donovan, this time taking on the challenge of college life ~ during the summer, no less. The format of the book, with each chapter told from a different character's perspective, adds depth and variety to the storytelling, making it feel fresh and dynamic throughout.
What really stood out to me was how both Noah and Donovan had their own meaningful arcs. Their distinct strengths and personalities came through clearly, and each played an important role in moving the story forward. The book strikes a nice balance between humor and mystery, keeping things light yet intriguing at the same time.
While it might not have the same high-stakes feel as Ungifted, the college setting adds a new twist, and Korman’s trademark wit and clever character dynamics are still very much present. A solid, entertaining read ~ definitely worth picking up if you’re a fan of the series!
I will be adding this book, to finish of the series, in my library for my students to read.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for the ARC.
What really stood out to me was how both Noah and Donovan had their own meaningful arcs. Their distinct strengths and personalities came through clearly, and each played an important role in moving the story forward. The book strikes a nice balance between humor and mystery, keeping things light yet intriguing at the same time.
While it might not have the same high-stakes feel as Ungifted, the college setting adds a new twist, and Korman’s trademark wit and clever character dynamics are still very much present. A solid, entertaining read ~ definitely worth picking up if you’re a fan of the series!
I will be adding this book, to finish of the series, in my library for my students to read.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an electronic ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books through NetGalley.
What a joy to revisit Donovan and Noah and see what is happening as they graduate from middle school. As you would expect, it's anything but a typical event. The academy graduated Noah from both middle school and high school and gave him his acceptance letter to Wilderton University. The story brings readers along as these two end up at the university for the summer so Noah can begin his classes. Middle grade readers will appreciate Korman's humorous style as he weaves that through the main points. I love the over the top way Korman introduces readers to the various types of college students. Readers will feel sympathy for Noah as he navigates a world he is ill equipped to cope with. Donovan, of course, has few expectations for the summer and is upset to go. However, he does find friends and a way to belong as a camp counselor in training.
Korman's style of telling the book with different character POVs works well as we learn from different students and administrators as the summer unfolds. Looking forward to sharing this with our students.
What a joy to revisit Donovan and Noah and see what is happening as they graduate from middle school. As you would expect, it's anything but a typical event. The academy graduated Noah from both middle school and high school and gave him his acceptance letter to Wilderton University. The story brings readers along as these two end up at the university for the summer so Noah can begin his classes. Middle grade readers will appreciate Korman's humorous style as he weaves that through the main points. I love the over the top way Korman introduces readers to the various types of college students. Readers will feel sympathy for Noah as he navigates a world he is ill equipped to cope with. Donovan, of course, has few expectations for the summer and is upset to go. However, he does find friends and a way to belong as a camp counselor in training.
Korman's style of telling the book with different character POVs works well as we learn from different students and administrators as the summer unfolds. Looking forward to sharing this with our students.
August 9, 2025
Enjoyable summer read! Hypergifted is the third book in the series following a group of friends and while I have not read the first two books, it is not hard to jump in the fun world Gordon Korman has created.
Hypergifted follows Noah and Donovan and their adventures on a college campus for the summer after Noah, kid-genious (13), recieves a full ride scholarship and is given the opportunity to bring with him one person of his choosing. Think of it like Young Sheldon but unsupervised. This is such a fun and engaging book, especially for middle readers. While the book does talk about college kids and at some moments their point of views, the writing is tasteful and age appropriate.
My only criticism, in my opinion, is that there was way too many points of views, seven. Some of the POVs were college-age teenagers and authority figure adults, which honestly weren't crucial to the story.
*Thank you to Harper Collins Children's Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Hypergifted follows Noah and Donovan and their adventures on a college campus for the summer after Noah, kid-genious (13), recieves a full ride scholarship and is given the opportunity to bring with him one person of his choosing. Think of it like Young Sheldon but unsupervised. This is such a fun and engaging book, especially for middle readers. While the book does talk about college kids and at some moments their point of views, the writing is tasteful and age appropriate.
My only criticism, in my opinion, is that there was way too many points of views, seven. Some of the POVs were college-age teenagers and authority figure adults, which honestly weren't crucial to the story.
*Thank you to Harper Collins Children's Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 12, 2025
A classic Korman middle grade hit with heart, humor, and high IQs!
Hypergifted delivers exactly what I’ve come to expect from Gordon Korman: a fun, fast-paced read with quirky characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and deeper messages about friendship, identity, and the pressures of being different. The story follows Oliver, who has an off-the-charts IQ and finds himself at a special school for hypergifted kids — but fitting in isn’t as easy as it seems when everyone is brilliant in their own way.
I loved the way Korman balances the challenges of being "too smart" with the everyday struggles of growing up. The supporting cast of characters is diverse and entertaining, and as always, there’s a layer of heart beneath the humor that makes you root for all of them.
Perfect for fans of Ungifted or The Unteachables, and a great pick for middle grade readers who enjoy stories about friendship, belonging, and embracing who you are.
Hypergifted delivers exactly what I’ve come to expect from Gordon Korman: a fun, fast-paced read with quirky characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and deeper messages about friendship, identity, and the pressures of being different. The story follows Oliver, who has an off-the-charts IQ and finds himself at a special school for hypergifted kids — but fitting in isn’t as easy as it seems when everyone is brilliant in their own way.
I loved the way Korman balances the challenges of being "too smart" with the everyday struggles of growing up. The supporting cast of characters is diverse and entertaining, and as always, there’s a layer of heart beneath the humor that makes you root for all of them.
Perfect for fans of Ungifted or The Unteachables, and a great pick for middle grade readers who enjoy stories about friendship, belonging, and embracing who you are.
June 21, 2025
Noah gets a letter right after his 8th grade year inviting him to college, they would like him to come to the summer session to get used to college life and he can bring a friend as there won’t be many 13-year olds at college. But Noah wants nothing more than to just go to 9th grade like everyone else and be normal. Meanwhile Noah chooses Donovan to go to college with him and to give Donovan something to keep him busy while Noah is in class Donovan is going to be a counselor at the summer day camp for the kids in the area. How do they fair through the summer? Read the book you’ll love it.
What can I say but author Gordon Korman has knocked another book out of the park. This is such a wonderful story with some very wonderful characters, and the things that happen can totally happen, well I am not sure about the poker games, but I digress. Don’t forget the baloney for this is the best summer ever.
This review copy was provided by Netgalley
What can I say but author Gordon Korman has knocked another book out of the park. This is such a wonderful story with some very wonderful characters, and the things that happen can totally happen, well I am not sure about the poker games, but I digress. Don’t forget the baloney for this is the best summer ever.
This review copy was provided by Netgalley
August 18, 2025
I am a big fan of Gordon Korman and his books. My children and I will often listen to his stories as an audio book, though I have been known to read his books on my own. I look forward to sharing this book with my kids.
From the beginning, I have always appreciated the friendship that Noah and Donovan have and this book was no different. While I am growing in my affection for books with multiple points of view, there may have been one or two too many in Hypergifted. I really enjoyed that this could be a stand alone book in the series.
I did struggle with some parts of the story- I was really frustrated with Donovan's parents, Noah "attending" college at such a young age with NO adult supervision, and the fact that the boys had a secret for weeks on end, though I suspect that is part of what will make the book so much fun for a younger audience.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
From the beginning, I have always appreciated the friendship that Noah and Donovan have and this book was no different. While I am growing in my affection for books with multiple points of view, there may have been one or two too many in Hypergifted. I really enjoyed that this could be a stand alone book in the series.
I did struggle with some parts of the story- I was really frustrated with Donovan's parents, Noah "attending" college at such a young age with NO adult supervision, and the fact that the boys had a secret for weeks on end, though I suspect that is part of what will make the book so much fun for a younger audience.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you, NetGalley, for the E-ARC.
I have not read the other books in the "Ungifted" series, but I've been enjoying Gordon Korman lately, so I was excited to read this.
This is such a fun MG read, following Donovan and Noah as they take on an elite university. Noah is a certified genius, and is offered the chance to skip high school and start taking summer classes at the prestigious Wilderton University. He agrees, on one condition; that his friend Donovan can also tag along.
Donovan, on the other hand, is not a genius, so instead of taking classes, he is given the role of Counselor in Training for a summer camp that is hosted at the university.
There is non-stop action including:
- a lost pig that also happens to be a beloved mascot
- a secret society
- a boy in Donovan's camp group that keeps mysteriously disappearing
- an AI system that self destructs
Once again, Gordon Korman does not miss.
I have not read the other books in the "Ungifted" series, but I've been enjoying Gordon Korman lately, so I was excited to read this.
This is such a fun MG read, following Donovan and Noah as they take on an elite university. Noah is a certified genius, and is offered the chance to skip high school and start taking summer classes at the prestigious Wilderton University. He agrees, on one condition; that his friend Donovan can also tag along.
Donovan, on the other hand, is not a genius, so instead of taking classes, he is given the role of Counselor in Training for a summer camp that is hosted at the university.
There is non-stop action including:
- a lost pig that also happens to be a beloved mascot
- a secret society
- a boy in Donovan's camp group that keeps mysteriously disappearing
- an AI system that self destructs
Once again, Gordon Korman does not miss.
February 9, 2026
Gordon Korman has a gift for writing books for tweens. My oldest has read all the books in the series and loved each of them. This one was no exception. He said his favorite parts were the humor and characters. In a world that is full of so much garbage, I love having something that will connect with my kids. My middle child hasn't read the first two, but did enjoy this one and didn't find much missing. His maturity and humor are a little above his age, so this was fun for him.
I thought Hypergifted was clever and fun. The entire idea of middle grade students in college provided lots of funny moments. All of us had many laugh out loud moments and I enjoyed the friendship between Noah and Donovan. Korman has a gift for showcasing real kids feelings, lives and relationships. I think my students would get this, but they might be on the lower end of the grade band in 4th grade. I look forward to more in this series!
I thought Hypergifted was clever and fun. The entire idea of middle grade students in college provided lots of funny moments. All of us had many laugh out loud moments and I enjoyed the friendship between Noah and Donovan. Korman has a gift for showcasing real kids feelings, lives and relationships. I think my students would get this, but they might be on the lower end of the grade band in 4th grade. I look forward to more in this series!
August 9, 2025
The first book was the best.
This book wasn't bad but definitely could have been better. However, I am a picky reader. Some of the things the characters did I didn't like. Some characters (actually, most of them) made very minimal progress throughout the narrative but maybe it was supposed to be that way? However, there were some moments to this book I liked. It was humorous and overall lighthearted.
Would I read it again? Probably not.
Content warnings: the story is set on a college campus so there are mentions of frat parties, a boy has a crush on a girl way older than him (adult to minor situation); however, she sees it as a friendship or even being motherly to the kid (and she already has a boyfriend), and some immature humor.
Note: I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book wasn't bad but definitely could have been better. However, I am a picky reader. Some of the things the characters did I didn't like. Some characters (actually, most of them) made very minimal progress throughout the narrative but maybe it was supposed to be that way? However, there were some moments to this book I liked. It was humorous and overall lighthearted.
Would I read it again? Probably not.
Content warnings: the story is set on a college campus so there are mentions of frat parties, a boy has a crush on a girl way older than him (adult to minor situation); however, she sees it as a friendship or even being motherly to the kid (and she already has a boyfriend), and some immature humor.
Note: I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 13, 2025
School has never been a problem for twelve-year-old Noah Youkilis. Not until he gets an admission letter to the prestigious Wilderton University. The last thing Noah wants is to go straight from eighth grade into college. Noah’s friend, Donovan has been looking forward to a summer of doing nothing. But when Wilderton allows Noah to bring a friend for the summer term, Donovan’s parents jump at the chance. Suddenly, Donovan’s summer of slack has turned into hanging with Noah and working as a summer camp counselor for the professors’ kids. All kinds of antics occur from hiding the school’s two-hundred pound pig mascot in their dorm, to fixing a haywire AI program before it ends the world, all while keeping track of Donovan’s campers. This is the third book in the Ungifted series and I can’t wait to share it with my students.
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