Supergifted

Gordon Korman

49 pages 1-hour read

Gordon Korman

Supergifted

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2018

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Donovan is an ordinary middle school student with a habit of getting into trouble. Despite lacking the conventional academic brilliance of his peers at the Academy for Scholastic Distinction, he is an essential member of the robotics team, driving their machine, Heavy Metal. He is resourceful, impulsive, and fiercely protective of his friends and family. When a runaway truck threatens a neighborhood house, Donovan instinctively acts to prevent a disaster, setting off a chain of unexpected consequences.

Key Relationships

Best Friend of Noah Youkilis

Brother-in-law of Brad

Brother of Katie

Caretaker of Beatrice

Caretaker of Kandahar

Opponent of Hash Taggart

Son of Donovan's Mother

Son of Donovan's Father

Friend of Daniel Sanderson

Friend of Daniel Nussbaum

Teammate of Chloe Garfinkle

Noah is a student with an IQ over 200 who transfers to Hardcastle Middle School to escape the predictability of the Academy for Scholastic Distinction. He deliberately seeks out average experiences, celebrating mediocre grades and enthusiastically signing up for cheerleading despite his complete lack of athletic coordination. His highly literal thinking makes social interactions difficult for him to understand, often leading him to misinterpret situations.

Key Relationships

Best Friend of Donovan Curtis

Fellow Cheerleader with Megan Mercury

Unlikely Friend of Hash Taggart

Cheerleading Student of Katie

Acquaintance of Daniel Sanderson

Acquaintance of Daniel Nussbaum

Megan is the dedicated head cheerleader at Hardcastle Middle School, a position she has held since the sixth grade. She carefully choreographs routines, writes cheers, and anchors the human pyramid. Her mandatory positive attitude is severely tested when Noah joins her squad, as she views his lack of skill as a direct threat to her team's reputation. She is deeply affected when a runaway truck nearly destroys her family's home.

Key Relationships

Fellow Cheerleader with Noah Youkilis

Friend of Hash Taggart

Fan of Katie

Daughter of Mr. Mercury

Sister of Peter Mercury

Student of Mrs. Torres

Hash Taggart, nicknamed Hashtag, is the captain of the lacrosse team, quarterback of the football team, and a highly popular student. He is deeply invested in his athletic status and the winning streak of his teams. He initially views Noah's cheerleading as an embarrassment and attempts to force him off the squad to protect the lacrosse team's image.

Key Relationships

Friend of Megan Mercury

Acquaintance of Noah Youkilis

Opponent of Donovan Curtis

Bitten by Beatrice

Son of Mr. Taggart

Player for Coach Franco

Supporting Characters

Brad is a munitions specialist and tank commander who runs his household with military precision. He sets rigid expectations for those around him and expects his baby daughter to adhere to a strict schedule. His gruff demeanor creates friction at home, particularly with Donovan, though he harbors a more vulnerable side regarding his parenting abilities.

Key Relationships

Brother-in-law of Donovan Curtis

Husband of Katie

Father of Tina

Legal Owner of Beatrice

Katie is Donovan's older sister and a former cheerleader. She lives in a crowded household with her husband, her new baby, and her brother. She balances the chaotic dynamics between her strict husband and her impulsive sibling, often stepping in to help others.

Key Relationships

Sister of Donovan Curtis

Wife of Brad

Mother of Tina

Cheerleading Coach for Noah Youkilis

Chloe is a student at the Academy and a dedicated member of the robotics team. She is responsible for maintaining the hydraulic system of the robot Heavy Metal. She is observant and possesses strong common sense, often picking up on details that elude her highly academic peers.

Key Relationships

Teammate of Donovan Curtis

Former Classmate of Noah Youkilis

Owner of Marie Curie

Friend of Abigail

Daniel is one of Donovan's friends at Hardcastle Middle School. He finds Donovan's unpredictable behavior highly entertaining but prefers to watch the resulting chaos from a safe distance. He is opportunistic and quick to capitalize on leverage when he discovers secrets.

Key Relationships

Friend of Donovan Curtis

Acquaintance of Noah Youkilis

Close Friend of Daniel Nussbaum

Daniel Nussbaum is another student at Hardcastle Middle School who frequently hangs out with Donovan. Like his friend Daniel Sanderson, he is quick to distance himself from unpopular students and looks for ways to use situations to his own academic advantage.

Key Relationships

Friend of Donovan Curtis

Acquaintance of Noah Youkilis

Close Friend of Daniel Sanderson

Beatrice is a dog originally belonging to Brad, but she grew deeply attached to Donovan during Brad's military deployments. She sleeps in Donovan's room and acts instinctively to defend him from any perceived threats.

Key Relationships

Cared for by Donovan Curtis

Owned by Brad

Mother of Kandahar

Attacker of Hash Taggart

Kandahar, nicknamed Kandy, is Beatrice's energetic and unruly puppy. He is difficult to train and frequently causes disruptions around the house, relying on Donovan as a source of comfort.

Key Relationships

Cared for by Donovan Curtis

Son of Beatrice

Littermate of Marie Curie

Russ Trussman is a local television reporter with conspicuously perfect features. He investigates local news stories with a skeptical eye and searches for inconsistencies in public narratives, refusing to accept events at face value.

Key Relationships

Interviewer of Noah Youkilis

Interviewer of Megan Mercury

Mr. Osbourne, known as Oz, is the robotics teacher at the Academy. He coordinates the students as they build and program Heavy Metal, preparing them for an upcoming demonstration.

Key Relationships

Teacher of Donovan Curtis

Former Teacher of Noah Youkilis

Teacher of Chloe Garfinkle

Abigail is an intelligent student at the Academy who handles the coding and operating system for the robotics team. She is highly focused on academic performance and becomes intensely frustrated when technology fails.

Key Relationships

Teammate of Noah Youkilis

Friend of Chloe Garfinkle

Tina is the infant daughter of Brad and Katie. Her unpredictable sleeping and crying patterns constantly frustrate her father's attempts to put her on a strict schedule.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Brad

Daughter of Katie

Mrs. Torres is the cheerleading coach at Hardcastle Middle School. She appreciates school spirit over athletic skill and insists that anyone enthusiastic enough should be allowed on the squad.

Key Relationships

Coach of Megan Mercury

Coach of Noah Youkilis

Donovan's mother manages a crowded, chaotic household. She often jumps to the conclusion that Donovan is responsible whenever something goes wrong in the house.

Key Relationships

Mother of Donovan Curtis

Wife of Donovan's Father

Mother of Katie

Donovan's father lives in the bustling Curtis household and frequently reacts with surprise to the dramatic events surrounding his son.

Key Relationships

Father of Donovan Curtis

Husband of Donovan's Mother

Father of Katie

Mr. Taggart is Hash Taggart's father. He is highly protective of his son and quick to threaten official action when he believes his family has been wronged.

Key Relationships

Father of Hash Taggart

Antagonist to Donovan Curtis

Mr. Mercury is Megan's father. He experiences a terrifying incident at his home and expresses deep gratitude toward the individual who averts the disaster.

Key Relationships

Father of Megan Mercury

Father of Peter Mercury

Peter is Megan's younger brother. He opportunistically capitalizes on an emergency at his home by selling photographs of the scene to the local news.

Key Relationships

Brother of Megan Mercury

Son of Mr. Mercury

Marie Curie is Chloe Garfinkle's well-behaved dog and Kandahar's littermate. Her obedience highlights Kandahar's lack of discipline by comparison.

Key Relationships

Cared for by Chloe Garfinkle

Littermate of Kandahar

The careless driver of a tanker truck whose failure to properly park his vehicle sets off a dangerous chain of events in a residential neighborhood.

Key Relationships

Involved in an accident near Donovan Curtis

Connected to through an incident Noah Youkilis

Coach Franco manages the lacrosse team at Hardcastle Middle School. He maintains strict disciplinary standards for his athletes, ensuring they behave appropriately outside of practice.

Key Relationships

Coach of Hash Taggart