Fifth grader Nora Rose Rowley is really a genius. It’s true. But don’t tell anyone. Nora always gets average grades so she can forgo the pressure-cooker gifted program or Brainiac Academy. But when Nora gets one hundred percent fed up over testing and the fuss everyone makes about grades, she brings home a terrible report card just to prove a point. Pretty soon her teachers, parents, and the principal are launching a massive effort to find out what’s wrong. Can Nora convince them that tests alone are a stupid way to measure intelligence?
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"Although this is a children's book, I really enjoyed reading it. I've never really liked the emphasis schools are placing on testing and how that affects the way our children view themselves and others. It sparked my desire to try and do something about this craziness that is overcoming the school system. All a test shows is a snapshot of about a week in the child's world. My children are much more than just some statistic and percentage. It's a great read and I'm going to encourage my children to read this as well."
— Susannah (4 out of 5 stars)
" I could have read this book for hours and hours if I didn't hsve to go to bed. I was lost in my book. This is about a girl who is trying to hid that she is a genius so she trys to fail on every test. "
— Katie, 2/16/2014" this book was pretty easy. i get bored so i read my youger siblings books. my sister was reading this one. "
— Audrey, 2/14/2014" I liked this book because it was just like me. The reason it was just like me is because I would always worry when my report card would come, I knew that I was going to get grounded. I would recomend this book to anybody that likes to read about there own personal life and what things happen to them, like when there report card comes. "
— Mick, 2/13/2014" I liked this book, but I don't think it was quite as well thought out and inviting as some of his other books, like The School Story. It's an interesting idea though...a girl who keeps her genius intelligence a secret for the first ten years of her life because she wants to be normal. Also, thought-provoking about the way that grades and pressure to perform affects kids. "
— Kristin, 2/12/2014" every andrew clements book we read is better than the last one. "
— Ivy, 1/31/2014" This is a really good book for being a second-grade read. It's funny to read about Nora and realize that I understand only part of what she's talking about. "
— Featherheart, 1/28/2014" It sort of dragged on but it was pretty interesting. "
— Tappyfeet, 1/15/2014" A kid kinda book, but i wouldnt say it was good. "
— Jenny, 12/26/2013" I don't think I've disliked a children's book more. "
— Krista, 12/6/2013" I was frustrated with the girl's idea that she should just do mediocre work so she could be "normal". I thought she should have strived to do her best and shine. "
— Car, 11/20/2013" awesome i loved the characters! "
— Alicia, 11/14/2013Andrew Clements is the author of the enormously successful children’s novel Frindle. He has won two Christopher Awards and an Edgar Award, and more than ten million of his books are in print. His popular works include About Average, Troublemaker, Extra Credit, and others. Clements is a graduate of Northwestern and National Louis universities, and he currently lives in central Massachusetts with his wife.