Unplugged

by Gordon Korman

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Unteachables, Gordon Korman, comes a hilarious middle grade novel about a group of kids forced to “unplug” at a wellness camp—where they instead find intrigue, adventure, and a whole lot of chaos. Perfect for fans of Korman’s Ungifted and the Masterminds series, as well as Carl Hiaasen’s eco mysteries.

As the son of the world’s most famous tech billionaire, spoiled Jett Baranov has always gotten what he wanted. So when his father’s private jet drops him in the middle of the Arkansas wilderness, at a place called the Oasis, Jett can’t believe it. He’s forced to hand over his cell phone, eat grainy veggie patties, and participate in wholesome activities with the other kids, who he has absolutely no interest in hanging out with.

As the weeks go on, Jett starts to get used to the unplugged life and even bonds with the other kids over their discovery of a baby-lizard-turned-pet, Needles. But he can’t help noticing that the adults at the Oasis are acting really strange.

Jett is determined to get to the bottom of things, but can he convince everybody that he is no longer just a spoiled brat who is making trouble?

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mystery, Humor, Young Adult, Audiobook

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 5, 2021

About the author

Gordon 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.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jett Baranov is a mega richs spoiled brat and he has been exiled to a wellness camp in the Arkansas boonies for six weeks. The Oasis is low frills, no tech, and vegetarian. Jett is bored to tears and resisting the good life. Will the camp change him before he can change the camp? Korman gives us a rich cast of characters and some mysteries to solve. Why does Brooklynne participate so little yet know so much? What would happen if someone started selling black market candy bar around camp? What is going on at the big fancy house just down the road? Books like this are so appealing to rule-followers like me. I love seeing how the other half lives.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.
As I come closer to 50 I seem to get more nostalgic about my youth. As an early teen I read all the Gordon Korman books i could and loved Bruno and Boots. One factor that made me such a fan, and the reason I requested this title was the subversive humor Korman used throughout his writing.

Although there are clever scenes and dialogue in this title it did not quite give my heart a glow and my tummy a chuckle that his other books did. I would recommend this title as a good jumping on point to discover some of his other works.

[Spens (Sphynx Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5

Read this in a day. Fun story but way too slow moving. The mystery was also really predictable and didn't unfold as intriguingly as I wanted it to.

[Kaytlin Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another outstanding and hilarious book by Korman! Man, this one was good!

Characters:
Jett is hilarious, bratty, and a royal turd, as my siblings and I would word it back in the day...lol...but mostly he doesn't care what people think and is hilariously spoiled. He won me over by the end of the book and he was so fun!
Grace is her own thing...lol...she's funny in her hatred of Jett, that's for sure!
Tyrrell poor guy, I loved him and he was so fun!
Brooklynne, you weren't fooling me girl...lol...her character honestly reminded me of Judy from the Dolly Parton Christmas movies and I was getting cracked up.

Themes:
Having friends changes things.

Language:
N/A

Romance:
N/A

Content Warning:
Few mentions of drops of blood, dead animals, and meditation and hypnosis, though none of its detailed or weird...hypnosis is just a pen light and speaking in a calm voice which our MCs find concerning.

Overall:
This was a super fun story! Needles was adorable! The cast is hilarious! The mystery is intriguing! And I quite enjoyed myself!

Recommended Ages: 9+

[Prince William Public Libraries · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was surprisingly very good. A younger sibling of mine got this and enjoyed it, and I had read through all the books I brought already, so I tried this book. I was under the impression this book was for very young children, however this book had some great twists, and character development. The main character is a boy named Jett who is son of the richest man in the world, and always creates mischief, so his father sent him to a "camp" for wellness. He stays there and slowly gets used to the place and makes friends. There isn't much action or thrill, but it still has a decent story line. The development for his character is very nice, as he learns to care for others around him. This book is an 8/10, for the comedy and development. Gordon Korman has written many other books with similar genres, so check those out if you liked this book.

-Reinaldo, PWPL Summer Reading Volunteer

https://librarycatalog.pwcgov.org/pol...

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Do you ever get so excited to read a book that is coming out next year? Yes, next year! I don't know about you but I really do get excited. It honestly doesn't even matter what kind of genre it is, I'm in. That being said, Unplugged was a pretty good book to dive into.

First off, that cover is just all kinds of adorable. Second, a retreat where people unplug and connect with other people - Gasp! I mean it sounds kind of fake since we are currently living through this pandemic. Yet, in this world there's no such thing as COVID-19. So, in a way, I was all for it because that just means more times for me and my books.. and less time for distractions and people.

Long story short, sign me up for some peace and quiet.

Besides that, the characters were okay. A bit predictable and cliché at times but I still enjoyed everything that was happening. I would've enjoyed a bit more personal growth but I can be satisfied with what was done.

[BooksNCrannies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spending the entire summer at a no-tech, vegetarian-food-only, wellness camp? Seems to me like this could be the place for some humorous, adventurous, and a different sort of fun....

✏️ Review ✏️

Well, Gordon Korman succeeded in providing another enjoyable humorous story. Unplugged features a balanced mix of adventure, humor, and mystery. It wasn't as enjoyable as some of Korman's other books, but I still nonetheless had a fun time reading Unplugged. Three stars is still pretty good in my book.

(You: "Hey, BNC, that's really your review!?"
Me: "Of course! I'm attempting to experience the unplugged life as much as possible. 😁 See ya in the next review!" ✌🏼)

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📊 A Quick Overview 📊

👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The characters — loved their distinct quirks and personalities.
• The multi-POV — provides a interesting and dynamic read.
• The writing style — sounds very conversational and has quite a bit of humor sprinkled into it (I feel like I say this for every Gordon Korman book! 🙃).

👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• Some parts of the story didn't seem as intriguing like some of Korman's other stories.

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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓

— Would I recommend this book? Yes, of course.*

— To whom? To those who enjoy contemporary middle grade fiction that features a good dose of humor, adventure, and mystery.

*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)

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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 3.5/5 [rounded down to 3 on Goodreads])
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3.5/5
— 📝 Writing: 4/5
— 👥 Characters: 3.5/5

~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)

— 🤬 Language: 1/5

• One vain use of God's name, one use of "g**z," and three uses of "heck."

— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5

— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5

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📣 Random Comments 📣

• Content note: Hypnotism is portrayed in this story. It is not endorsed as good but is rather presented in a negative manner.

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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬

• [D]oing the right thing can be more important than doing what makes you happy — even when it hurts. (p. 324)

[Jaiden Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this days ago, but I had a cold and didn't feel like writing a review...lol... still not a hundred percent and am kinda stressed at the moment, so hope this review makes sense😂😂

Language: A few uses of h*ck, but that's it.

Violence: N/A

Magic: N/A

(Parent Warning: There is some hypnotizing, but it is viewed as weird and wrong to our MCs.)

What a fun read! Another fun, quick, and hilarious Korman read! I'm sad at how long it actually it took me to read this one because of the holidays but despite not having much time for it, I really enjoyed this quirky story! Jett was a spoiled brat and...hilarious!!😂 I really enjoyed his inner dialogue and his arc at the end was just perfect!💖
Tyrell was great! I really liked him, he was fun, and sweet! Really liked the growth of his and Jett's friendship! It was really well done.
Grace was alright, her and Jett's arguments made me laugh and there at the end she was really entertaining...lol... And Brooklyne was nice too, I really liked her, and her secrets gave the adventure a little more mystery!💖
Overall this was a super fun book about friendship, identity, and learning to think of others. Filled with laughs, friendship, a cute lizard, and a super fun mystery Unplugged made for a quick and enjoyable page-turner!
Wait....NEEDLES! I can't forget Needles! He was soooooooo cute!! I loved him! The best!💖🦎
Okay, that's it! Hope this short review made sense, I really did love this book!💖💖

9+

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute read. I liked the friendships, the mystery, and it had a good pace. Jett starts out as a bratty twelve year old who's forced to attend a technology and meat free retreat. He pushes back and tries to make life miserable for the other attendees until he finds a lizard that he names Needles. The secret pet brings Jett together with Tyrell, Grace, and Brooklyn. The group become friends and start to enjoy their time.

The mystery was a bit silly, but I liked seeing Jett investigate and the climax of it all was exciting. It also lent some drama to the story and I was happy with the changes Jett went through. He's at an age where he starts deciding what kind of person he's going to be and I think he made some good steps in the right direction.

The automated voice that read the audiobook was okay, but it was a bit difficult telling the different characters apart. I'm sure once there's a human narrator that problem will go away.

I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

impulse grab from the newly opened local city library new books display ... a new MG Korman, yes!
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Didn't disappoint. For a while it seemed like it was going to get heavy into the issues, but then it picked up with a mystery and crazy adventures. Not that characters didn't experience growth, but primarily the story was *fun.*

Tyrell's parents are guilty of child abuse, though. By putting him on the same restrictive one-food-group diets that they are stupid enough to go on, they're not only harming his health in general, but causing his vulnerability to allergies. That part is not funny.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you are vegan and live in Arkansas you will probably like this. you will probably like this even if you do not live in Arkansans .

[Willow Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book! It was a mystery/coming of age story, and I'm glad I read it! The only reason I picked it up, or really even heard of it in the first place, was because of the Goodreads choice awards for 2021, as I wanted to see if I liked this or Alone better. I haven't read Alone yet, so I couldn't say as of right now which is better, but this one turned out better than I thought. It was just a really entertaining read.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit predictable but a quick and sometimes fun, read

[Rizwan Khalil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid four star read. Just not the usual (for me) five out of five Gordon Korman-Mindblowing-Awesomeness. This was the twelfth GK-novel I've finished in the last one month, and most of them were that mentioned deeply thoughtful brilliance, some of the greatest middle-grade fictions I've ever read, and couple of others were blissful fun but not that one-of-a-kind five-star read... Unplugged unfortunately, falls under the later category. Without much depth or thoughtfulness in the story, still a thoroughly enjoyable, at a times laugh-out-loud funny, feel-good middle-grade fiction though, and as compulsively readable as any Gordon Korman book ever. 4 out of 5.

[Kerith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was gripping, and I could not get enough of it. I enjoyed how it had a general conflict between characters, but a mystery involved, too. I had to only give it four stars though, because I figured out some of the mysteries, but overall it was a great book. I definitely recommend it.

[BiblioBrandie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not care for this one at all. None of the characters are likeable. Not one. There are so many characters, too many, and each gets their own points of view and it is confusing and does not move the story along. One of the main characters, Jett, is insufferable. He's spoiled (his dad is the richest man in the world *eye roll*) and so one dimensional. Actually, all the characters are one dimensional. It's like the author made a list of characters: a spoiled kid, a super hippy, a kid who is allergic to everything, and then didn't develop them any further. And when the alligators are introduced I was like good grief, this is too much. Not recommending it to anyone.

[Myra Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally guessed to plot but ti was still enjoyable

[Adelaide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iv’e forgotten how good Gordon Korman’s books are, this was so gooood. It was a little predictable because my guesses to who Brooklyn’s father was and who snapper was were both correct but it made me happy knowing I was right. Anyway that’s why it’s not a five star. I still highly recommend though!

[Abby Irwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very nice short read. I thought it might be cheesy but it wasn't and the character relationships as well as development was very good. Not my favorite book ever but a good quick read if you just want to read something light and happy.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great middle school book by Gordon Korman told in multiple perspectives of tweens who are sent to Wholeness Oasis summer camp. All attendees must turn in their electronic devices and be ready to eat as a vegetarian and meditate regularly. One unlikely camper is Jett, a billionaire’s son who was sent to the Oasis as punishment. Loved this one almost as much a Restart.

[Etienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5. Good audibook, the narrator was great and the story itself was fun. Not the most original middle grade «plot», but I like the setting of an unplugged retreat for children and the morale it try to pass on, with subtility to not overtake the story, but still present. The characters were a bit strong on stereotypes, but it didn't bother me much. Overall an entertaining and enjoyable middle grade book with a some depth to it, that compensate for the low originality. I like it!

[Westveil Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for granting me access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

Unplugged in the story of Jett, a 12-year-old spoiled rich kid whose father is a billionaire tech mogul. After getting in trouble one too many times, Jett is sent to spend his summer at the Oasis, under the watchful eye of one of his father's employees, Matt, and to Jett's utter dismay the Oasis is a hippy-like commune of mindfulness, lots of yoga, a vegan diet, and absolutely no personal electronics. It's also in the middle of swampland, Arkansas. While at Oasis, Jett butts heads with the other kids in attendance, who've all acclimated to the atmosphere of the place and find his rebellious attitude disruptive. Until they rescue a small lizard in need of non-vegan sustenance, that is. For most of the book, this is the story of unlikely friends bonding over shared responsibility for a contraband pet.

In a vacuum, I like this concept of this novel. Spoiled tech brat thrown into a tech-free situation and forced to socialize in person. The idea has a lot of potential, and while I haven't personally read other titles by this author, I recognize many of his titles from seeing them in the homes of friends with younger siblings in my teenage years. That, combined with the very attractive cover art and curiosity over the experimental pre-production synethetic voice audio ARCs now being offered are what made me request this title to review.

In execution, this book fell short of my expectations. It has far too many POV characters who have such similar voices that I was rarely sure which character I was reading. We've got a whiny spoiled brat, a kid who's way too into the Oasis mentality, a kid who's allergic to everything but not too bothered by it, somebody's sister, some bully, Matt the programmer-turned-baby sister, and I think the surprise reveal girl is yet a different character and not one of the previously mentioned kids? My opinions on the POV characters ranged from neutral detatchment to annoyance to hatred. (Jett is insufferable.) None of the characters made me care, and some made no meaningful impact on the story. This book could have been written with half the POVs (and likely half the pages) and still tell the story it set out to tell. Since I was listening to an audio ARC, I increased the playback speed and powered through, but had I been reading the text for myself this would have been a DNF for me.

I would like to give my compliments to the cover artist, as the cover caught my eye and made me want to read the book no matter what it was about. Featuring the "lizard" Needles (why did none of the kids call it a baby gator for 99% of the book? It's clearly a baby gator...) was a great choice, as he ended up being my favourite character.

This book is 2 stars for me because I could not get past my dislike of all the POV characters. Perhaps someone younger would connect better with the characters. I'm 32, a mother, and the daughter and sister of teachers. These kids are our nightmares. Perhaps teenage readers who haven't had experience working with spoiled brats would be more forgiving.

[Phil J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another year, another Gordon Korman novel. This one did not break any new ground, but I don't think that was the point. It was the usual multiple perspectives of a group of misfit kids united against a larger organization by a common quest. The most interesting kid was the main one, Jett, the son of a tech zillionaire. Jett had a lot of privilege but also a lot of critical thinking skills.

Korman focused on kid POVs instead of mixing in adult POVs. The result is that the book is sillier and less grounded than usual. These Korman stand-alone books come in a spectrum from "semi-serious" to "complete nonsense," and this one is more on the nonsense end of the spectrum. That's probably what the author was aiming for.

Because the setting is a cultish summer camp, it immediately made me think of the classic I Want to Go Home! that Korman wrote when he was 18. It is interesting that this book is underpinned by an understanding of cults and health fads, whereas the book he wrote as a teenager is underpinned by surreal nihilism and a refusal to accept adulthood.

This book is as good as most any Korman book. Recommended for people who enjoy goofing off for a few hours.

Newbery Comment Well, the only other book I've read all the way through this year is Amari and the Night Brothers. I think I would prefer that one over this one, but neither is high-brow. I think that's kind of a problem. I think the Newbery conversation should feature more mid-brow books like these that teach children the joy of reading.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was classic Gordon Korman and so much fun. I loved how the kids were all so different from each other and would never have become friends out in the real world, but at Oasis they found common ground and something they could band together on and work for, even if they did argue a lot in the beginning. And of course, there's a big mystery that they all get to solve. I wouldn't mind, and would probably benefit from a place like Oasis. No technology, good healthy food, yoga, meditation, a natural hot spring and a lake. Yeah, it all sounds great. But I'd probably want to sneak out like Jett and head into town for some fried chicken and french fries with him once in a while too.

[PatchTheCat12]

This was a pretty cool book! At first I was a little put off by the weird spiritual-like stuff with Ivory, but it ended up being fine. I liked seeing how Jett changed over time, and the crazy ending with Ivory actually hating the Oasis! I would definitely read again.

It's about a kid named Jett Baranov, the spoiled son of billionaire Vladimir Baranov. After flying a drone over an airport and making the air force get fighter planes to shoot it down, his dad sends him to the Oasis, a little summer camp in Arkansas, where tech is banned and everyone has to be vegetarian.

He, of course, immediately hates it and tries to get himself kicked out. But Magnus, the founder, is so chill that he forgives him for everything he does. Eventually, Jett and a few other kids adopt a lizard (secretly an alligator) named Needles and uncover that Ivory, the meditation coach, is actually a gangster who is running an illegal alligator farm.

Also ignore the date started, I don't know when I started and I can't set it to nothing.

[Lynne Perednia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jett Baranov, the only son of a Silicon Valley genius whose companies are like Google, Apple and Microsoft combined, is en route to Oasis, a wellness resort in the middle of nowhere, Arkansas. He's not going willingly. He's going because he's caused one uproar too many. Accompanied by an employee of his father, Jett is determined to get back home or cause even more trouble. Or both.

Giving up all his devices and deprived of tech upon his arrival only makes him more determined, especially when faced when an all-veggie diet.

Gordon Korman's latest middle grade adventure, Unplugged, is not only Jett's story. There are other young teens at the resort, their families, his companion and those who run the resort. Magnus created Oasis. His number two is Ivory, a tall, tough-looking woman who specializes in hypnosis counseling sessions.

Magnus can do no wrong in Grace Atwater's book. She and her mother have been coming to Oasis for years, leaving her dad and dog at home while they meditate, zip line and paddle in the lake. Everything about Jett is wrong to Grace, and she wants him to leave as much as he does. Tyrell Karrigan is allergic to everything and hapless about just about everything. Brooklynne Feldman comes and goes to camp activities as she pleases. Grace and Tyrell aren't even sure who her parents are, but Brooklynne has been coming to Oasis longer than they have.

When Jett finds a baby reptile in the hot springs pool, the kids band together to take care of little Needles. They end up bonding together in a story that doesn't force them into becoming friends. Their bond serves them well when Jett's trips to town to get meat for Needles lead to a surprising discovery.

The discovery leads to a wild action adventure-style climax, but one that middle grade readers will enjoy. Korman, an accomplished author of dozens of novels, does a great job providing adventure and characters to care about. Unplugged is a fun and engaging novel.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book! Just like every one of gordan korman's books. He is one of my favorite authors and I really like the mix of mystery and use of the multiple perspectives in his books. This was another masterpiece of his and I would totally recommend it.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little story, definitely about different kids, though still a little white bread with some Ritchie Rich mixed in. How do you not recognize an alligator?

[Ashtyn Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook- great Middle Level novel

[Harlyn Rengel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished it!! It is a good book!