It Doesn't Take a Genius

Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

liked it 3.00 · Rating details · 1 rating · 1 review

Emmett and his older brother Luke have always been "Batman and Robin," though they're quick to bicker about who's who. Spending the summer at a historic Black summer camp seems like a wonderful adventure for the two to share, but since Luke is there as a junior counselor, he seems to spend all of his time being everyone else's big brother, and ignoring Emmett.

As Luke seems ...more

Get A Copy

Hardcover, 240 pages

Expected publication: April 13th 2021 by Six Foot Press

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about It Doesn't Take a Genius, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about It Doesn't Take a Genius

Lists with This Book

A Day with Uncle Bembe by Kimberly Gordon

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

Black Boys

292 books — 50 voters

Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan

Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman

2021 YA/MG Books With POC Leads

268 books — 162 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

liked it Average rating 3.00 ·

Rating details

· 1 rating · 1 review

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of It Doesn't Take a Genius

Feb 15, 2021 Ms. Yingling rated it liked it

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This has the same characters as the movie Boy Genius (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4310022/...) and starts after the events in that movie.

Emmett is disappointed that his older brother Luke won't be able to spend time with him during the summer in their rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Even though Luke has gotten a scholarship to go to a fancy art prep school in the fall, he is planning to spend the entire summer away from home at Camp DuBois, a camp for Black ch E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This has the same characters as the movie Boy Genius (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4310022/...) and starts after the events in that movie.

Emmett is disappointed that his older brother Luke won't be able to spend time with him during the summer in their rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Even though Luke has gotten a scholarship to go to a fancy art prep school in the fall, he is planning to spend the entire summer away from home at Camp DuBois, a camp for Black children that has an amazing array of programs, from history to baking to dance. Emmett will miss his brother, and his mother is in med school, so very busy. The family doesn't talk about his father, who died when Emmett was five. While Luke keeps talking up the camp, Emmett puts in an online application without his mother's permission, and gets accepted with a scholarship! His mother is a bit angry at first, but relents when she realizes what a great opportunity the camp is for Emmett. The brothers travel to the camp, but Luke quickly abandons his brother because he has to work. Emmett has a helpful, if somewhat odd, roommate, Charles, and the two quickly navigate the ins and outs of camp. There are a lot of options for classes to take. Everyone takes Black to the Future and Superhero Secrets, and Emmett tries to decide what interests he has. Is he preppy, artsy, a skater, or a Blerd? Given his love of debate, he decides he must be a Blerd, but he also tries out for the Street Style dance class and makes it. The teacher is very exacting, and challenges Emmett to study different dancers. Emmett also takes an interest in film, and asks some of the girls in the class to work with him on a promotional video for the camp. He does struggle with swimming, wants to spend more time with Luke (who instead is spending more time with Derek, who gives Emmett a hard time), and wishes that his mother and Luke would share more about his father. Camp is not only educational, but gives Emmett lots of time to think about how his background informs the way he views his future.
Strengths: Like Watson's Some Places More Than Others, this had a lot of great information about Black cultural icons. From Blaxplotation films to Soul Train to hip hop and music stars, Emmett investigates not only a lot of Black artists, but Black scientists, thinkers, and historical figures. Even though the camp is "bougie", he enjoys being around a lot of academically gifted Black kids, and learns to really embrace his identity. I also enjoyed the information about his relationship with his brother and mother, his worries about his mother in school and possibly dating, and his concerns about growing apart from his brother when his brother goes away to school. This is a middle grade concern that I don't see in a lot of books. The camp, while a LOT fancier than any camp I ever went to, was fascinating, and sounds like a lot of fun. Even with his struggles, Emmett enjoys himself. This is a great book to add to lists of titles that showcase Black joy!
Weaknesses: I found it hard to believe that Emmett could have faked his mother's information on the camp application and gotten in so quickly with a scholarship, but that's the sort of plot device that middle grade readers love.
What I really think: Summer camp books are always possible, and I loved all of the information about Black culture and history. There are a few serious issues, but this is primarily a humorous, fun book. ...more

flag Like · see review