A review by librarianryan
Unplugged by Gordon Korman

adventurous funny

3.5

 This was a fun Audiobook.  But Korman is such a powerhouse in middle grade fiction that is to be expected.  Jett is the son of one of the richest people in the world (think Jeff Bezos) and acts like it.  After getting into a bit of trouble back home, dad packs him and his minder off to the backwoods of Little Rock, Arkansas and the wellness retreat The Oasis.  Rule number one at Oasis?  Completely unplug.  This is a time for meditation, mindfulness, getting back to nature and finding yourself.  The last thing Jett wants to do is find himself.   Grace is a “camper” who comes every summer and she loves it.  She is totally into the lifestyle of the Oasis.  Then there are the other kid campers and adult ones to (this is a family place after all).  But Jett, especially the trouble making precocious kind will be kids.  They take in a baby lizard they name Needles (because its bite is worse than it’s bark), and discover that things at the Oasis are not always what they seem.  This book was a laugh riot with lots of heart.  However, I thought the ending was way rushed.  So much time was built building up the Oasis and trying to reform Jett, that the mystery at the end came as a bit of a shock and almost seemed out of place.  This book was enjoyable, and kids will love it, but Korman has done better.