[Raymond Jardine]

Hey, fellow Kormaniacs!

If you've ever thought, A book club sounds fun, but life keeps getting in the way, you're not alone. So, let’s make this easy and just dive in! My copy of OLD SCHOOL landed in my mailbox 24 days ago, and time just keeps ticking, so I’m kicking off a discussion without further delay. I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks about Gordon Korman’s 105th book.

Here’s how we’re rolling:

• Each Friday for four weeks, we’ll tackle about a quarter of the book. With 30 chapters total, today we’ll cover Chapters 1-7, then Chapters 8-15 next Friday 14th, and so on.
• Read at your own pace! One chapter per day? Great. Binge the whole section in one go? Also great. Just keep an eye out for spoilers if you're behind.
• All past chapters are always fair game, so if you want to drop a hot take on Chapter Two in the final week—go for it! (The converse isn’t true, though: Don’t discuss the final chapter in Week Two or you’ll throw the universe into disarray.)
• Share your insights, reactions, and wild theories—we want to hear everything!
• No need to apologize if life gets busy. Jump in whenever you can.
• Most importantly: Be excellent to each other.

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The first 7 chapters

How many #mglit stories open in a retirement home?!? Dexter Foreman’s narration in Chapter One quickly sets the scene: His upbringing might be out of the ordinary, but he’s got a lot of smart people looking out for him. But we meet him right as he’s experiencing a wrench being tossed in the works, and his comfy, offbeat/oddball life is about to shift. (When was the last time we met a truancy officer in a GRK novel? THE JUVIE THREE?)

Gianna Greco’s chapter introduces a bunch of Wolf’s Eye MS students—herself, the aspiring journalist, as well as her older-but-fellow-7^th-grader brother Ronny and resident cool kid Jackson. So Dexter crosses paths with a couple of antagonists and an intrepid reporter on his first day as a public school student. (Not up for debate: The Eyeball is the best possible name for a school newspaper at a place called Wolf’s Eye.)

Reading Ms. Napier’s chapter made me happy for two reasons: No one writes “adult in a middle grade novel” like GRK does (they always steal the show), and guidance counselors all belong to a virtual hall of fame in his stories.

Dexter’s tenuous friendship with Teagan Santoro is mentioned earlier but his letter to her in Chapter Four makes it pretty clear—to us, if not to him—that the relationship is more important to him than to her. Any bets on whether we get to meet her? Or if she even responds when he reaches out to her? This chapter also shows the residents of The Pines weren’t written out of the story when Dexter transitioned to public school. And his conversation with his Grandma about the pitiful condition of the WEMS school building reinforces Ms. Napier’s comments on how it’s in such bad shape—you just know the place will fall apart by the end of the book (or Dexter will mastermind repairs).

One thing I enjoy about GRK’s multi-narrator model is there are always some surprises about who gets a chapter. Gianna's earlier chapter painted a picture of Jackson Sharpe but Ronny had immediately stolen the scene, so I wasn’t sure how important Jackson would be. Turns out, almost as important as he seems to think he is. I love that he refers to himself as “Jackson Sharpe.” You know there’s an outsize ego there. (And his line “If I can’t be great at everything, what’s the point of being good at anything?” is an apt motto. Actually, I’m tagging page 49 as a master lesson in character development. I feel like I know exactly who Jackson Sharpe is after that page, which had to have been fun to write.)

Gianna shares a lot in Chapter Six. “The teachers take laminating very seriously in this place.” (Hi, Traci Vogel, I suspect we'll hear more about you!) Dexter is avoiding Gianna, so their behind-the-scenes interactions are probably less “informal interview” than she identifies. I saw a comment on Twitter that Dexter = Mike Otis and I have no doubt it originated with this passage: “He always looks like a hunted animal when he sees me. But I give him credit. His expression soon changes to resignation and acceptance.”

Jackson Sharpe gives us the perfect cliffhanger to close out the first quarter of the book as he begins “Dear Dexter Foreman” on school letterhead. We know he’s up to something, but where is he going with this letter?

[Raymond Jardine]

Want some insider information about OLD SCHOOL? The guy who wrote this article seems to know what he's talking about:
A Clash of Cultures: A Guest Post by Gordon Korman - B&N Reads

[Jade]

I’ll get you my reviews for chapters 1-7 real, real soon—but I’ve just finished the book and it was AWESOME! One comment, though… my friends and I were cackling over Ronny’s nickname for the old people. The “geezer squad” oh my goodness, that was hilarious!

[Jade]

Okay, here it is!

To start, I love how this book’s a longer one. It makes me so happy! More content than usual and a nice long read.

 

Chapters 1-7

 

I love Dex! He’s such a nice and chill character but I can tell he has a lot of built up sass. The characterizations of all the older characters are so good. The truancy officer busting into Bingo was an iconic scene. He’s a great guy. He’s so no-nonsense, too: Dex is going to school whether he likes it or not.

 

The picture Gord paints of THE PINES is awesome. Especially in later chapters.

 

Now, Gianna! Gianna Greco. One: Great name. Two: I can tell she’s nosy. Knows the way things work and don’t I love a good reporter character. I love how she always has a nose for an interesting story, and how she is so observant and takes advantage of her surroundings. She reminds me of all the good parts of Shoshanna and forgive me, but that reporter girl in SLUGFEST. A little bit of my heart was warmed because of how much time we didn’t have with the reporting in that book… anyways, Gianna’s really interesting to me.

 

At first, Ronny gets on my nerves. But in that cool kid kind of way? The insults he uses (and Jackson?) for the “Geezer Squad” had me and my friends absolutely cackling because absolutely nobody says that. I feel like a lot of slang was used excellently and some ironically. That was funny. But I feel like the characterizations of people in OLD SCHOOL are just… different. Like Gord tossed together similar but different personality traits or he tried something different. Whatever he did, it was most excellent. Also, Gianna and Ronny’s sister-brother relationship is written very well, I’d say. Like they exist to each other, but not really at all.

 

Unrelated, but there was this one line that Jackson said. It actually had me laughing and wheezing as I read this book on my bed. I had to reread it. Page 52.

 

“Finally—something about this kid that makes sense. His parents moved across an ocean just to get away from him. I can relate.” Jackson Sharpe, page 52

 

This made me CACKLE! I even laughed reading it again! This has got to be a legendary joke. That got more out of me than all of Malik’s jokes in MASTERMINDS except for one. Speaking of Jackson, I adore his character. He reminds me a lot of Yash in theory—but he’s so, so different. They’re both popular athletes, that’s literally it. Jackson is so egotistical, he’s like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. He’s so hilarious about it though. His friendship with Ronny? Classic. The mathlete… three time athlete… can’t get enough of himself and he hates Dex. I 100% understand him. Someone coming on your turf and stealing your fire? Nah. Won’t work! He was just so comical to me and it made me happy to see so much of him in the beginning. I like how he cares a little bit about what Ronny’s doing, but everybody understands that Ronny is kind of just… an angry guy. Ronny reminds me of Steinke Newhouse. God, that NAME! I couldn’t forget Steinke’s name if I tried! But Anyways.

 

The characters in OLD SCHOOL remind me a lot of other characters but in the best ways possible. They’re only the same in premise. They’re written like whole different people because they are.

 

I like how Dex falls into how terrible Middle School is. I can also appreciate his little crush on Teagan. Wonder where that will go. But he’s just such a realistic and likeable middle schooler, they all are! The pacing in this story is excellent.

 

Now, now. Ms. Napier. I really liked her at first. I love her introduction about loving kids or something. But I have mixed emotions towards her. She’s so… faculty. I can tell you though at first I loved her! She’s so peppy but… adulty.

 

But anyways. Sorry, I’m skipping around the book as I write this. This story was great, okay? Reading the little snippets as I refresh my memory. I really like the buildup for the Eyeball where Gianna is. Traci Vogel’s introduction is spectacular and she has so much main character energy. I know I’m not supposed to like her, but she’s just so likeable. An actual icon. The way eighth graders are painted from a seventh’s grader’s perspective is so well done. Anyways.

 

Back to Gianna. I’d like to see a book with her as the main character. But this story told for Dex is perfect. I think Chapter 6 was the best of 1-7. I like the confrontation with Ronny at the end and how he embarrasses himself again. I like how Dex is shown to be a fixxer-upper! I didn’t know that about him. The foreshadowing for everything is just so well done… goodness! Also, everything about the Bunker Boys? WWII? So epic! 

 

Also, also, also. Chapter 7. Jackson’s little evil letter to Dex. Woah. He’s such a great device to facilitate the plot through. I see the story actually beginning and I’m so intrigued. His logic behind making it a letter and not an email? The very end of the chapter? Jackson, naughty!

 

Anyways, I was not planning on writing my entire chapters 1-7 review right now, but i got carried away because the story is just that. good. Cheers to Book Club!

 

[Raymond Jardine]

@Jade, I was glad to see your excellent review. You point out that GRK’s characters come up with funny insults (like “Geezer Squad”). I think that’s something I’ve always enjoyed—any name-calling is potentially hurtful, of course, but Kormanian characters tend to avoid actual mean words and instead use creative terms that are hard not to laugh at. Speaking of names, you said you like the Gianna Greco’s. Out of curiosity, are you pronouncing it “Jee-onna” or “Jonna”? Or something different? And I’m thrilled you like Jackson Sharpe, too. He’s a hoot. And YES, Gaston is the perfect comparison. I love your analysis that “the way eighth graders are painted from a seventh grader’s perspective is so well done.” It’s been a long time since I was part of a younger cohort in school, but some of the characters in OLD SCHOOL really refresh my memory on how big a deal it was to interact with students a grade or more ahead. Their wisdom! Their strength!

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The second quarter of OLD SCHOOL

With the new chapter and change of perspectives, we get to see Jackson Sharpe’s full phishing letter through Dexter’s eyes. No suspense on whether Dex will buy it—it works! And commence the misunderstandings as Dex credits Ms. Napier for his big chance to bypass the whole “going to school” thing. (You just know that will blow up at some point.) But then: Enter Teagan. Oh, so difficult when friends age differently. (I distinctly remember one classmate who was so into dinosaurs early in elementary school… and how awkward it was when he was still so into dinosaurs in fifth grade. He was still my age but he seemed to fit in better with my little sister’s friends.) The three-summers-old bird map (totally not a “chart”) is awesome, and the bird nicknames are amazing. “America’s Got Talons”!!!

It was good to see “Ronny Greco” as a chapter heading. And his perspective doesn’t disappoint. He may not be my favorite in OLD SCHOOL, but I think I appreciate his distinct voice most of all the characters. He has an opinion on every subject, and it’s a harsh opinion every time. Especially when the subject is Ms. Napier. And clearly Dex will join her on the short list of Ronny’s least favorite people at WEMS. Except—does Dex start to win him over just by being a decent guy! And now I need a “T-shirt” t-shirt.

Poor Gianna and her Pulitzer-worthy laminator story. Buried in the fold on the last page! And the culture shock is hilarious when she sees the behind-the-scenes life at The Pines. She’s the perfect narrator for a chapter of exposition about Dex’s arrival and early days at The Pines. So, he wasn’t always an old man disguised as a 'tween—he was actually a mischievous little kid when he first showed up.

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I’ll keep going through chapters 8 to 15 but don’t want to rush so I’ll pause now and pick up again soon. Hope to see insights from some others who are reading OLD SCHOOL, too.

I do want to drop one more comment before breaking, though. I always like to look for similarities between a new story and previous books. Hey—if I loved something once, I’m thrilled to see a new take on it! I’ve seen some comments comparing OLD SCHOOL to SCHOOLED and some other Korman books. My comment is about associations to two non-GRK works:

> The Foreman parents as diplomats: I loved the Henry Reed books when I was young. Henry’s dad was a diplomat, and Henry came to the U.S. every summer where he stayed with his aunt and uncle (her mother’s much-older brother). That reminds me a bit of Dex’s situation. From a practical standpoint, the “diplomats serving abroad” approach is a neat way to separate a kid from his parents without having them dead or missing or neglectful.

> Codes: Dex and his buddy at The Pines, Leo (of “Bunker Boys” fame), identify creating a new code as a great option to fulfill the J. Enoch Dunwoody-assigned get-out-of-school project (that Jackson Sharpe made up, of course). As a kid, my version of the dinosaur awkwardness is that I loved stories about codes and ciphers and secret languages, way past the target age range for those stories. I read all the “junior detectives” series and Leo’s challenge to Dex to create a code that even he can’t crack has me super excited even now!

[Raymond Jardine]

The second quarter of OLD SCHOOL (continued)

In Dexter’s chapter where he learns he’s the main story of the next Eyeball, I thought the “saving Fifi” callout might be a dream Dexter was having. I love how over-the-top Gianna’s lede is, and also Dexter’s accusation that “she doesn’t have the decency to look ashamed.”

Chapter 12 was the “passionate guidance counselor” payoff I was waiting for since first meeting Ms. Napier early in the book. Her pride that students might be taking an interest in school affairs! Her desire for students to feel some school spirit! And for anyone who sees shades of SCHOOLED in OLD SCHOOL, I can now say with certainty there’s some DON’T CARE HIGH as well. Not just the bleeding heart guidance counselor, but also the school newspaper that creates a hero of a student who prefers anonymity.

The whole create-a-code scheme is the most unexpected part of this story and I love it, so Dex’s introduction of the GX-4210 transmitter (anyone have theories on symbolism in that model designation?) and his Batman test message are making me excited to see where this goes. Can Dex actually create an unbreakable code?

“Dexter gets exposed to hydrochloric acid and turns into a normal-looking ‘tween” is a great origin story! And Jackson Sharpe needs to work on his sabotage. After the “special project” letter and the science lab partner treachery, it seems Jackson’s efforts always backfire. (DON’T CARE HIGH also has an important “science lab partners” relationship!)

“I don’t do zucchini.”  🥚

The pocketknife showdown finishes off the first half of the book and introduces a huge new problem for Dex!

[Raymond Jardine]

The third quarter of OLD SCHOOL

Again, an Eyeball story from Gianna helps to tell the story. Unlike the start of Chapter 11, though, her newspaper article beginning Chapter 16 is already in print, with a big headline that leaves no question about what happened. But, unlike the profile she wrote about Dexter, this article's byline is misleading—that is NOT the story Gianna would have written! And she rectifies that problem with a new article, published independently….

New favorite quote, thanks to Archie: "I wouldn't always be mad if there wasn't always something to be mad about." And I like that Dex sees a resemblance between Archie and Ronny.

I always loved MacGyver and was thrilled to see it referenced here… though I'm not sure how I feel about the implication it's a show for ancient people!

You know someone's a legend when people imagine his potential heroism when he's not even there—like Dex and the sprinkler incident at the WEMS pep rally. Great choice to have Jackson Sharpe tell this tale. It's easy to feel how much he's seething over it!

Ronny Greco buying a "T-shirt" t-shirt… now that was not on my OLD SCHOOL bingo card. Shades of Mike Otis…. And then all the WEMS students showing up at The Pines sort of reminds me how Simon Irving had his home life interrupted by fellow students seeking his wisdom in SON OF INTERFLUX.

The feeling has been building for most of the book, but by Chapter 21 (Ms. Napier), I'm pretty convinced OLD SCHOOL is GRK's answer to his fandom's oft-repeated request to "write something new but in your 'classic Korman' style." This is a fusion of DON'T CARE HIGH and SCHOOLED, told (in part) from the perspective of Mike Otis/Cap Anderson (Dexter Foreman), with elements of POP and RESTART, and bringing back the behind-closed-doors discussions between school administrators and faculty that I loved from early Korman books. @Asher and I made some similar comments in the SLUGFEST book club, so maybe it's more we're in a new era rather than just seeing a one-time reversion of writing style. (I think GRK has had several authorial "periods"—pure humor MG Lit, pure humor YA Lit, action/adventure, dark YA, and explorations of "memory" are a few that come to mind—so I'm hopeful there'll be more in the style of SLUGFEST and OLD SCHOOL on the horizon.)

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That seems like a good idea to break on for today. I'm planning to review up through Chapter 23 later this weekend and finish off the final quarter of the book next Friday.

[Jade]

Aha, look at me! Insanely behind again! Sorry...

Chapters 8-14

Pretty sure this is my favorite part of the book. Most of the cool stuff starts here. We've already got the ball rolling and it's got me real happy for where it's going! Also don't know where I put the book.

The project! I'd ask why he bought that so easily, but honestly, it makes sense. I like how it's a bit detailed and keeping the entire chapter at the beginning of the second quarter was really smart. I like how, I suppose, the "plot" is introduced. Pretty artful! Now Teagan. Goodness, childhood crushes. I feel like the feeling was captured very well. I like his denial at first. Does he even know? And the idea of the map, goodness, that's so cute! I was so excited to meet Teagan but then, bam. Actually meeting her was disgusting. I've seen this change happen in so many people. I forget the way Dex described her eyelashes, but it was HILARIOUS! But yes, I hate when girls go from actual individuals to this... contrived presence... around the same age. Twelve, thirteen. Fourteen. It's so messed up!

I was so excited to see Ronny had a chapter! I feel like it was so necessary. It was nice to be able to see into his head and see how he thinks. I didn't think it'd fit in so well to the story, but it was perfectly necessary. I love Ronny's dynamic, almost as much as I love Jackson's. I don't know if Ronny even reminds me of any recent characters. He's just so distinct, in my opinion. I do like seeing how he gradually warms up to Dex, and how nice Dex is to him. And goodness! I thought he was harsh on Ms. Napier, but NO! I hate her! Well, not hate, but she's so annoying and UGH! I share his opinion on her...

And Gianna again. She's an excellent "narrator" character, or to watch the story happen if that makes any sense. I totally understand being the underdog in a group and no matter how hard you work, they still treat you like that! Well, a little bit. I'm usually the upperclassman terrorizing the underclassmen... and it's so fun. It's like the real world. I like how reality is mimicked between them at/in the Eyeball. This is the part where I started to really like Traci!

Personally, Dex is cool for growing up at the Pines, but I feel like his personality stayed almost the same as he grew up. Which is all fine and dandy, I liked it!

[Raymond Jardine]

@Jade, if the Forum timestamps are to be believed, you and I were posting at almost the same moment on Saturday. You do a much better psychoanalysis of Teagan! We agree on her, and feel Dex’s disappointment. But so far in the book, we don’t see eye to eye on Ms. Napier or Traci. I really, really like the guidance counselor. She cares so.much. for her students and feels like she’s getting resistance from them to show some school spirit, and also from her fellow staff/administrators about giving the kids some slack. (Clearly, I have started to live that meme where I used to relate to Ferris Bueller but now feel like Principal Rooney was just trying to do his job… I’m able to see the story through the adult’s eyes a whole lot easier these days.) As far as Traci… well, if someone ever edited something I wrote to make it appear to say the opposite of my original words, I would spit nails. Love your insight on Dex being sort of stuck in time at The Pines.

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The third quarter of OLD SCHOOL (continued)

I feel like I should be disappointed in myself, but I think the start of Teagan’s chapter made me laugh the most yet in OLD SCHOOL. She is just soooo negative and condescending, with that I’m-the-center-of-the-universe worldview. And then her 180-degree turnaround about wanting to see Dexter when she hears he’s got a fan club!

And speaking of self-centered side characters: poor Jackson Sharpe. Can’t you just feel his world falling apart?! Archibald McDoofenbutz—ha!

[Raymond Jardine]

The fourth quarter of OLD SCHOOL

Gianna starts off the final fourth of the book by navigating relationships with other girls. First it’s swallowing her pride to deal with editor-in-chief Traci Vogel, then picking up journalism tips (and how an eyeglass chain can double as a fidget spinner) from The Pines resident Phyllis Birdwell, then trying to figure out the dynamics of Dex’s relationship with Teagan, and whether she could care.

Dex stumps Leo on a code! I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t’ve happened if Leo was feeling more spry.

In The Eyeball article Ms. Napier is upset about, the author—Traci or Gianna, presumably—identifies all the ways her fellow WEMS students might arrive at the school board meeting to show support for their wrongfully suspended classmate Dexter. The one that got my attention was the pogo stick. I wondered if that method of transportation made its first Kormanian appearance in A SEMESTER IN THE LIFE OF A GARBAGE BAG but it looks like BEWARE THE FISH probably actually gets that honor. GRK has dropped pogo sticks in the NOSE PICKERS and MASTERMINDS and 39 CLUES series, as well as in the short story THE TROPHY (ß link).

It seems fitting that Ronny is the one who tells Ms. Napier how much interaction Dex has had while relegated to The Pines. And her interaction with Adele and Dex at their home makes me feel like I judged the guidance counselor correctly from the start.

Then, Dexter comes back as the chapter head with a million things going on to set up the remaining three chapters—the final 10 percent of the book that should wrap up Dex’s suspension and code project, unveil Leo’s fate, and identify what Wolf’s Eye decides to do about the crumbling school building.

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That seems like a good time to pause and reflect a bit before the rush of the final chapters. So I’ll be back in a day or two. Anyone else reading along should jump in and share some thoughts. Who’s your favorite character so far? If you haven’t finished the book, how do you think it will end?

[Raymond Jardine]

The fourth quarter of OLD SCHOOL (continued and concluded)

OLD SCHOOL’s antepenultimate chapter is filled with sweetness—Gianna’s offer to volunteer as Dex’s assistant with the code-breaking equipment, Ronny’s delight at Dex’s use of his t-shirt as the coded text, and all the cheering from the school board meeting’s audience in support of Dex. A novel like this needs one final hurdle for the hero to overcome. Gotta admit, though, I did not see the FBI showing up as the Diabolus ex machina of Dex’s story.

Then Dex gets a couple of chapters to wrap up all the loose details—including the highs of the FBI confirming his code was unbreakable and his decision about where to continue his schooling… and the heartbreaking news about Leo.

What a disappointment Teagen turns out to be. GRK writes a lot about the strength and resilience of friendship but it’s also true not every relationship is meant to last forever. And the first bus ride back to TEMS makes it clear Dex has plenty of new friends to bring him in to the next phase of his life.

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I hope other Forum-goers will post their own thoughts on OLD SCHOOL. There's no time limit on sharing insights and favorite parts of the story! This one is such a great addition to the GRK bookshelf. It really has a classic and nostalgic feel of the early Korman stories I remember from when I was the target audience for MG and YA books!

[Jade]

Wow. I am notoriously behind. This happens a lot... lol. Sorry this is so late! In my defense, I finished the first 6 chapters of the review on Friday, but didn't do the last one until just now. But here's my real review of Chapters 8-14 since I had given the book to my friend over the time I was supposed to have it.

@Raymond: That's so cool! That we posted around the same time! 

Actual Chapter 8-14 (I have the book back. My friend read it.)

 

Leo and Dex’s friendship is so precious. I like how they were so receptive to the letter just because it had the official lettering on it. I mean, who sends letters? And they ate that up! Now Dex’s confusion at Teagan being so different! Yikes! She’s grown, wearing this whole outfit, and she has “long black lashes.” Wow. She’s twelve years old! I hope that’s from mascara and not from false lashes. That’s something I can’t get over. I can barely stand highschoolers in full glam, full face, all nails done like they’re grown women. Sis, you’re twelve. Read a book. Remember when pre-teens played outside?

 

Teagan is so rude! And here’s to me thinking I would have liked her! It’s pretty heartbreaking, actually, but I can believe it. Especially since she lives up north in New York. People change. Sometimes at faster paces.

 

Ronny! Let’s go! Absolutely adored his perspective. He gives a new way to look at the story and he’s more than just some bully-character. But I totally understand his hatred of Mrs. Napier is hindsight! Ugh! His “friendship” with Jackson is real. Now, Jackson doesn’t have to help him with math, but I like how Sharpe’s so stuck-up and egotistical that he’s more focused on his social attitude than being a real friend. He reminds me of Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. All of the nicknames for Dex! I mean, Herb? C’mon! I like the small detail about Dex learning about the T-shirts, and how that works. Very cool, you know?

 

The creosote! This little adventure was really cool, I like looking at how Ronny’s going to “revenge” “The Ancient One.” Now, Ronny sneaking around and finally seeing the shirt that Dex bought. T-Shirt. That was pretty awesome. Goodness, Dex is so sweet! I can’t believe he shared his food with Ronny for no reason at all! And the little detail of “opening the sweater?” Adorable! I love watching this new friendship bloom! And then Ronny saying that T-Shirt is the only logo that really makes sense. Yeah, I liked Chapter 9.

 

Gianna coming after Ronny was a great choice. I like the introduction, and the perfect use of “Lol.” Traci honestly seems pretty evil in this chapter. Gianna’s really responsible, I like how she’s curious and kind of stalks Dex, which isn’t very cool. Also, this bus driver is a character. I love this guy! All the old people thinking she’s his girlfriend is adorable. I really enjoy it. I think it’s cool how he doesn’t live with his parents and everything is great between everyone. She’s so aware, too, she realized how she’s a terrible “friend.” Is she even interested in Dex’s personality at all? I feel like Gianna is a Slytherin. Ronny would be one too.

 

His reaction to her article is so calm and I like how he’s a bit nonreceptive but still listening, kind of. I would’ve ditched her immediately (not that he hasn’t tried.) Gianna’s all proud of it too. Dex’s life is not the public’s business! C’mon guys! Now, Gianna showing Dex The Eyeball with his new student profile was straight out of the Twilight Zone. Imagine you walk into the room of your new school’s newspaper and they’re all obsessing over your life story, writing up your biography like you’re some exotic new toy. So creepy! I would be really upset with Gianna after she pulled this stunt. I think it was  agreat end to the chapter.

Ms. Napier is so stuck up here! She has her heart in the right place, but come on! He’s fixing the school because your people are too incompetent to do it themselves. Instead of being appalled, you should be embarrassed and I’d like to see your ears turn red from realizing just how inadequate your school is! Go harass some other student that’s being useless unlike the one doing the job of the adults. Maybe he wouldn’t have to do it if you all weren’t so… ugh. I do like how she appreciates Dex as a person. She knows the other students don’t know his name, and she’s aware of the political climate of the middle school. I like this scene with Ronny where she’s spending time with him. I know she does really care about the students, that I love. So sweet. And the complicated relationship of being “friends” with Dex except he’s not actually Ronny’s friend, Ronny just eats his food. And the creosote! The creosote! That was funny, because he’s right, it’s not illegal to just have creosote in his locker.

 

The introduction to Old Bossy is awesome. It’s so cool to see the computer-y aspect of this story appear. It really pulled me in and displayed how Dex is a fixer upper and also a scientific genius! The jokes are always funny, and I like how we get to know some more about Leo. It’s awesome seeing how he has so much fun doing this and getting to know more of his backstory. He’s beginning to seem a somewhat important character at this point. I actually get to understand the “best-friendship” between the two of them. Also, great imagery of 17-year-old Leo. That was a great quote to pick! Batman? I like how they’re all these little meaningless phrases, good way to pull in reality to the story. Why’d he randomly call him Mr. Preminger on page 121? Leo’s really good, and it’s showing an obstacle for Dex to really come over. I’m seeing a tall hill that the character is going to have to get past and it makes me so happy to see as a reader! “No charge.” is such a nice little catchphrase! Adorable! And what, Teagan actually talking to 

Back to Jackson! Love the thinking in third person. He’s a bit of an icon. He’s so worked up over not being the best on the math team and it’s pretty hilarious. Even Ronny agrees. Nobody cares about the math team. “No offense but we kind of didn’t. We just pretended to.” Sophie is so amazing for saying that. This scene is just really, really funny and a great reflection of what it’s like to be a kid in middle school. Ronny using Dex for the snacks! So real! And it is nice that all of the “popular” kids acknowledge what Dex did fixing the stairs. Oh, this story just warms my heart and makes me feel all happy inside. Jackson’s so stuck up and thinks he’s the center of the universe. I’m surprised him being partnered with Dex wasn’t more of a disaster in chemistry. It reminded me of Roddy & Coopervega in WHATSHISFACE. I think of them often. But come on, the freakout over actual acid burning through Dex’s clothes? I’m shocked he isn’t more shocked (but not really, it’s in character) and Jackson’s being a melodramatic king about it again. Oh, how I adore Jackson. Dex is so funny. “What was the first clue?” About the acid being on him. Now I like this “aha!” moment when Dex puts on the normal-kid clothes and feels like he belongs, a little bit. And he likes it! He enjoys it! And Jackson, lol. I love how he makes it about himself again. He made the loser look better. Yep, always about him.