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*** Caleb Widogast, as the wizard of the group, is this by default. He also attended the Soltryce Academy in his youth, described a very difficult institution to get into.
*** Beauregard Lionett is established early on as a member of the Cobalt Soul, described as an order of "warrior librarian monks."
*** Beauregard Lionett is established early on as a member of the Cobalt Soul, described as an order of "warrior librarian monks."
to:
*** Caleb Widogast, as the wizard of the group, is this by default. He also attended the Soltryce Academy in his youth, described as a very difficult institution magic school to get into.
*** Beauregard Lionett is established early on as a member of the Cobalt Soul,described as an order of "warrior librarian monks."monks" who value knowledge and truth.
*** Beauregard Lionett is established early on as a member of the Cobalt Soul,
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In common parlance, the phrase "book smart" tends to imply that a person is sheltered or lacking in street smarts. That can be the case with characters to whom this trope applies, but it doesn't always.
to:
In common parlance, the phrase "book smart" tends to imply that a person is sheltered or lacking in street smarts. That can be the case with characters to whom this trope applies, but it doesn't always.
isn't a prerequisite.
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In common parlance, the phrase "book smart" tends to imply that a person is sheltered or lacking in street smarts. That can be the case with characters to whom this trope applies, but it doesn't always.
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* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics.
** The SpinOff ''Series/YoungSheldon'' shows Sheldon has ''always'' been this way, attending high school at the age of 9 and showing the same InsufferableGenius tendencies.
** The SpinOff ''Series/YoungSheldon'' shows Sheldon has ''always'' been this way, attending high school at the age of 9 and showing the same InsufferableGenius tendencies.
to:
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'':
** All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics.
** The SpinOff ''Series/YoungSheldon'' shows Sheldon has ''always'' been this way, attending high school at the age of 9 and showing the same InsufferableGeniustendencies.tendencies even towards his teachers.
** All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics.
** The SpinOff ''Series/YoungSheldon'' shows Sheldon has ''always'' been this way, attending high school at the age of 9 and showing the same InsufferableGenius
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* ''Series/GilmoreGirls'': Rory Gilmore and her rival Paris Geller are hard-working and excellent students who eventually go to Yale.
to:
* ''Series/GilmoreGirls'': ''Series/GilmoreGirls'':
** Rory Gilmore and her rival Paris Geller are hard-working and excellent students who eventually go to Yale.
** Rory Gilmore and her rival Paris Geller are hard-working and excellent students who eventually go to Yale.
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** April Nardini is later introduced doing a science fair experiment, which wins her second prize. [[spoiler: She attends M.I.T. in the revival.]]
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* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics, and have been that way since they were young.
to:
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics, and have been that way since they were young.academics.
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* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics, and all were described as {{Nerds}} in school.
to:
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics, and all have been that way since they were described as {{Nerds}} in school.young.
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* ''WebVideo/LizzieBennetDiaries'': This version of Lizzie Bennet establishes her intelligence by introducing herself in the first episode as a grad student, with the series being an InUniverse assignment for her masters program. Charlotte is also reimagined as a fellow grad student, and Gigi Darcy is described by her brother as a good student long before she is shown on screen.
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* ''Film/MeanGirls'': Cady Heron is established as GoodWithNumbers when she first goes to school in order to contrast with her transformation into a [[ObfuscatingStupidity seemingly book-dumb]] [[AlphaBitch Plastic]] later in the film. [[spoiler: She still manages to clinch the win for the Mathletes, despite being months out of practice, at the end of the film.]]
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* ''Theatre/Heathers'': The ScreenToStageAdaptation establishes Veronica in the second verse of the OpeningSong as this, as she is reasonably confident she will get into "Harvard, Duke, or Brown." She also later quips she'll have to get her SAT scores sent to "San Quentin instead of Stanford."
to:
* ''Theatre/Heathers'': ''Theatre/{{Heathers}}'': The ScreenToStageAdaptation establishes Veronica in the second verse of the OpeningSong opening as this, as she is reasonably confident she will get into "Harvard, Duke, or Brown." She also later quips she'll have to get her SAT scores sent to "San Quentin instead of Stanford."
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''They're As for a star.''
* ''Theatre/Heathers'': The ScreenToStageAdaptation establishes Veronica in the second verse of the OpeningNumber as this, as she is reasonably confident she will get into "Harvard, Duke, or Brown." She also later quips she'll have to get her SAT scores sent to "San Quentin instead of Stanford."
* ''Theatre/Heathers'': The ScreenToStageAdaptation establishes Veronica in the second verse of the OpeningNumber as this, as she is reasonably confident she will get into "Harvard, Duke, or Brown." She also later quips she'll have to get her SAT scores sent to "San Quentin instead of Stanford."
to:
''They're As for a star.start.''
* ''Theatre/Heathers'': The ScreenToStageAdaptation establishes Veronica in the second verse of theOpeningNumber OpeningSong as this, as she is reasonably confident she will get into "Harvard, Duke, or Brown." She also later quips she'll have to get her SAT scores sent to "San Quentin instead of Stanford."
* ''Theatre/Heathers'': The ScreenToStageAdaptation establishes Veronica in the second verse of the
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''They're As for a star.''\\
to:
''They're As for a star.''\\''
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* ''Theatre/Heathers'': The ScreenToStageAdaptation establishes Veronica in the second verse of the OpeningNumber as this, as she is reasonably confident she will get into "Harvard, Duke, or Brown." She also later quips she'll have to get her SAT scores sent to "San Quentin instead of Stanford."
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[[/folder]]
[[folder:WebVideo]]
* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'':
** Campaign 1:
*** As Percival de Rolo is described in his intro, "With so many siblings to share the burdens of lordship, Percy turned his attention to the sciences, engineering, and naturalism."
** Campaign 2:
*** Caleb Widogast, as the wizard of the group, is this by default. He also attended the Soltryce Academy in his youth, described a very difficult institution to get into.
*** Beauregard Lionett is established early on as a member of the Cobalt Soul, described as an order of "warrior librarian monks."
[[/folder]]
[[folder:WebVideo]]
* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'':
** Campaign 1:
*** As Percival de Rolo is described in his intro, "With so many siblings to share the burdens of lordship, Percy turned his attention to the sciences, engineering, and naturalism."
** Campaign 2:
*** Caleb Widogast, as the wizard of the group, is this by default. He also attended the Soltryce Academy in his youth, described a very difficult institution to get into.
*** Beauregard Lionett is established early on as a member of the Cobalt Soul, described as an order of "warrior librarian monks."
[[/folder]]
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* ''Theatre/AVeryPotterMusical'': As the OnlySaneMan in this parody universe, Hermione Granger is basically the ''only'' person who actually studies at Hogwarts.
to:
* ''Theatre/AVeryPotterMusical'': As the OnlySaneMan Hermione Granger, like her book counterpart, is this - in this exaggerated parody universe, Hermione Granger she is basically in fact the ''only'' person who actually studies at Hogwarts.
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* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics.
to:
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics.academics, and all were described as {{Nerds}} in school.
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* ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables'': Though she struggles with geometry, Anne Shirley generally excels at school, in spite of having never gone before the age of 11, and competes with Gilbert Blythe out of spite for the top spot in the class. Anne later wins the Avery Scholarship at Queen's Academy, awarded to the top student in English.
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* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics. The SpinOff ''Series/YoungSheldon'' shows Sheldon has ''always'' been this way, attending high school at the age of 9 and showing InsufferableGenius tendencies even towards his teachers.
to:
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics. academics.
** The SpinOff ''Series/YoungSheldon'' shows Sheldon has ''always'' been this way, attending high school at the age of 9 and showing the same InsufferableGeniustendencies even towards his teachers.tendencies.
** The SpinOff ''Series/YoungSheldon'' shows Sheldon has ''always'' been this way, attending high school at the age of 9 and showing the same InsufferableGenius
[[folder:Theater]]
* ''Theatre/AVeryPotterMusical'': As the OnlySaneMan in this parody universe, Hermione Granger is basically the ''only'' person who actually studies at Hogwarts.
--> '''Hermione:''' ''I may be frumpy''\\
''But I'm super smart.''\\
''Check out my grades''\\
''They're As for a star.''\\
* ''Theatre/TheTwentyFifthAnnualPutnamCountySpellingBee'': The eponymous county bee is made up of winners of local school spelling bees (with second-runner-up Leaf Coneybear being the only exception), so basically all of the main contestants, plus emcee and past contestant Rona Lisa Peretti, are this.
* ''Theatre/AVeryPotterMusical'': As the OnlySaneMan in this parody universe, Hermione Granger is basically the ''only'' person who actually studies at Hogwarts.
--> '''Hermione:''' ''I may be frumpy''\\
''But I'm super smart.''\\
''Check out my grades''\\
''They're As for a star.''\\
* ''Theatre/TheTwentyFifthAnnualPutnamCountySpellingBee'': The eponymous county bee is made up of winners of local school spelling bees (with second-runner-up Leaf Coneybear being the only exception), so basically all of the main contestants, plus emcee and past contestant Rona Lisa Peretti, are this.
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* ''WesternAnimation/Ducktales2017'': Huey Duck takes after his Uncle Scrooge as the "smartest of the smarties," even keeping a copy of the Junior Woodchuck Guidebook under his hat. Webby and Violet also count as this.
to:
* ''WesternAnimation/Ducktales2017'': While the show never portrays the kids going to school, Huey Duck takes after his Uncle Scrooge as Duck's detail-oriented nature and dedication to the "smartest of the smarties," Junior Woodchucks is portrayed as this - he even keeping keeps a copy of the Junior Woodchuck Guidebook under his hat. Webby and Violet Sabrewing also count counts as this.this.
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* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics.
** The SpinOff ''Series/YoungSheldon'' shows Sheldon has ''always'' been this way, attending high school at the age of 9 and showing the same InsufferableGenius tendencies.
** The SpinOff ''Series/YoungSheldon'' shows Sheldon has ''always'' been this way, attending high school at the age of 9 and showing the same InsufferableGenius tendencies.
to:
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics.
**academics. The SpinOff ''Series/YoungSheldon'' shows Sheldon has ''always'' been this way, attending high school at the age of 9 and showing the same InsufferableGenius tendencies.tendencies even towards his teachers.
**
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Fixed typo in description
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A character is shown as getting really good grades in school, and be all around academically competent.
to:
A character is shown as getting really good grades in school, and be being all around academically competent.
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* ''WesternAnimation/Ducktales2017'': Huey Duck takes after his Uncle Scrooge as the "smartest of the smarties," even keeping a copy of the Junior Woodchuck Guidebook under his hat. Webby and Violet also count as this.
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** The SpinOff ''Series/YoungSheldon'' shows Sheldon has ''always'' been this way, attending high school at the age of 9 and showing the same InsufferableGenius tendencies.
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* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Data, being an android, has encyclopedic knowledge and can learn extremely quickly.
to:
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'':
** Data, being an android, has encyclopedic knowledge and can learn extremelyquickly.quickly.
** Wesley is exceptionally smart even by the higher standards of the 24th century, but by the third season it's pretty clear he also feels a lot of pressure to always be an overachiever.
** Data, being an android, has encyclopedic knowledge and can learn extremely
** Wesley is exceptionally smart even by the higher standards of the 24th century, but by the third season it's pretty clear he also feels a lot of pressure to always be an overachiever.
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* ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'': Jason is extremely smart, especially compared to his older siblings Peter and Paige. He drives his teachers to exasperation, though, because he does ''far'' more schoolwork than any other 10-year-old (and in fact probably more than most college students) should.
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SubTrope of TheSmartGuy. The inversion is BookDumb. Compare also StreetSmart.
to:
SubTrope of TheSmartGuy. The inversion is BookDumb.BookDumb, the OverdosedTrope. Compare also StreetSmart.
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!!Examples
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[[folder:Films - Live-Action]]
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[[folder:Films - -- Live-Action]]
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[[/folder]]
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----
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* Miyuki Shirogane from ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' is not a [[TheAce multi-talented genius]] like his LoveInterest, Kaguya, but he makes up for his lack of prestige by his academic achievements, earning the best grades among the entire student body during exams, and is consistently placed as the top-scorer in the national mock exams--save for one time where he got beaten by a certain Mikado Shijo. However, the series later acknowledge that he's not naturally that intelligent (being less bright than his younger sister Kei), and when he allows himself to slack off a little [[spoiler:after getting together with Kaguya]], his ranking drops to the 12th place.
to:
* Miyuki Shirogane from ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' is not a [[TheAce multi-talented genius]] like his LoveInterest, Kaguya, but he makes up for his lack of prestige by his academic achievements, earning the best grades among the entire student body during exams, and is consistently placed as the top-scorer in the national mock exams--save for one time where he got beaten pushed down to second place by a certain Mikado Shijo. However, the series later acknowledge that he's not naturally that intelligent (being less bright than his younger sister Kei), and when he allows himself to slack off a little [[spoiler:after getting together with Kaguya]], his ranking drops to the 12th place.
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* In ''Manga/LuckyStar'', Miyuki and Kagami get the highest grades out of the main characters (Miyuki due to her high intelligent, Kagami because she's a hard worker in general). By comparison, resident {{Otaku}} Konata is BrilliantButLazy (she ''can'' get good grades, but normally doesn't bother) and Tsukasa is BookDumb due to being a forgetful [[TheDitz ditz]].
to:
* In ''Manga/LuckyStar'', Miyuki and Kagami get the highest grades out of the main characters (Miyuki due to her high intelligent, intelligence, Kagami because she's a hard worker in general). By comparison, resident {{Otaku}} Konata is BrilliantButLazy (she ''can'' get good grades, but normally doesn't bother) and Tsukasa is BookDumb due to being a forgetful [[TheDitz ditz]].
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* ''Manga/LuckyStar'': Miyuki and Kagami get really good grades, oddly, neither are {{nerd}}s, and the resident nerd does terribly at school.
to:
* ''Manga/LuckyStar'': In ''Manga/LuckyStar'', Miyuki and Kagami get really the highest grades out of the main characters (Miyuki due to her high intelligent, Kagami because she's a hard worker in general). By comparison, resident {{Otaku}} Konata is BrilliantButLazy (she ''can'' get good grades, oddly, neither are {{nerd}}s, but normally doesn't bother) and the resident nerd does terribly at school.Tsukasa is BookDumb due to being a forgetful [[TheDitz ditz]].
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* ''Series/GilmoreGirls'': Rory Gilmore and and her rival Paris Geller are hard-working and excellent students who eventually go to Yale.
to:
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Willow is the studious, bookish member of the Scoobies who excels at research. Giles is also excellent at research, being a librarian and watcher.
* ''Series/GilmoreGirls'': Rory Gilmoreand and her rival Paris Geller are hard-working and excellent students who eventually go to Yale.
* ''Series/GilmoreGirls'': Rory Gilmore
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* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': Sam Winchester is smart enough to have gotten into Stanford despite his transient upbringing and is the brother who is more focused on lore research. Bobby Singer, despite being a junk dealer, has an enormous well of knowledge and can read texts in multiple languages.
* ''Series/TheXFiles'': Both Mulder and Scully are book smart and educated, though Mulder knows more about UFO lore while Scully is educated in the hard sciences.
* ''Series/TheXFiles'': Both Mulder and Scully are book smart and educated, though Mulder knows more about UFO lore while Scully is educated in the hard sciences.
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* ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'': Malcolm is a BrilliantButLazy example. He's a troublemaker like his brothers, but unlike them, he's a also a prodigy who excels in school, even in his class for gifted students.
to:
* ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'': Malcolm is a BrilliantButLazy example. He's a troublemaker like his brothers, but unlike them, he's a also a prodigy who excels in school, even in his class for gifted students.
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[[quoteright:322:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ajfairlyoddparents.png]]
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* Miyuki Shirogane from ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' is not a [[TheAce multi-talented genius]] like his LoveInterest, Kaguya, but he makes up for his lack of prestige by his academic achievements, earning the best grades among the entire student body during exams, and is consistently placed as the top-scorer in the national mock exams--save for one time where he got beaten by a certain Mikado Shijo. However, the series later acknowledge that he's not naturally that intelligent (being less bright than his younger sister Kei), and when he allows himself to slack off a little [[spoiler:after getting together with Kaguya]], his ranking drops to the 12th place.
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Created from YKTTW
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[[quoteright:322:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ajfairlyoddparents.png]]
A character is shown as getting really good grades in school, and be all around academically competent.
Often it's a way to quickly establish them as so intelligent in general that they are able to master the academia without effort. Other times, it's more to showcase their diligence, at studying in particular. Either way, kids need role models.
When more than one character who is Book Smart is at the same school, a competition of who gets the best test scores is pretty much inevitable.
Almost always seen in family shows, which usually feature at least one book smart sibling with a BookDumb sibling as a foil, typically in FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling and TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry dynamics.
In a SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan duo, the Book Smart character tends to be the Sensitive Guy. In a TomboyAndGirlyGirl duo, it depends on the media: in {{Anime}} and {{Manga}}, the Book Smart character is often the GirlyGirl, but in Western media, it can be either.
SuperTrope to {{Nerd}}, which is this plus social incompetence, AcademicAthlete, which is this plus athleticism, AcademicAlphaBitch which is this plus CompetitionFreak attitude, BadassBookworm, which is this plus fighting abilities, DitzyGenius, which is this plus lack of common sense, GentlemanAndAScholar, which is this plus politeness, and TeenGenius, which is this played to the extreme. Often tends to overlap with {{Bookworm}} and GoGetterGirl. It can overlap with BrilliantButLazy if the character is not particularly studious but gets good grades without much effort.
SubTrope of TheSmartGuy. The inversion is BookDumb. Compare also StreetSmart.
----
!!Examples
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/{{Chihayafuru}}'': Tsutomu Komano studies so much that everyone calls him Desktomu, and is #2 as a result. He is still not able to surpass Taichi, who is #1 [[HardWorkHardlyWorks without as much effort]], and it's one of his major gripes.
* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'': Unlike his uneducated father, Son Gohan is very good academically.
* ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'': Haruhi Suzumiya gets excellent grades without any real effort.
* ''LightNovel/InouBattleWaNichijoukeiNoNakaDe'': Mirei and Sayumi are #1 and #2 at school, respectively.
* ''Manga/LuckyStar'': Miyuki and Kagami get really good grades, oddly, neither are {{nerd}}s, and the resident nerd does terribly at school.
* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': Yaoyorozu has the best grades in Class 1-A by a long shot, to the point that a quarter of her class comes to her for tutoring. This also ties into her usage of her [[ThePowerOfCreation Quirk,]] which requires her to [[DifficultButAwesome memorize the exact formula of whatever object she's creating.]] However, her abilities as TheStrategist are rivaled or surpassed by her classmates, Midoriya and Bakugo, whose grades are fourth and third in the class respectively.
* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'': Ami is one of the most well-known anime examples. She's so smart that she's often referred to as one of the best students of the country.
* ''Manga/SeitokaiYakuindomo'': All three female members of the Ousai school council with Shino and Aria being rivals at their grade, #1 and #2 respectively, and Suzu being a TeenGenius with an IQ of 180.
* ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'': Shana excels academically as well as athletically on her first day at school, being a superhuman and all.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Riley Wilder of ''ComicBook/TheNewYorkFour'' is this. The daughter of literati parents who who have pushed her hard for academic success, Riley has lived a very sheltered life with lots of academic achievement and intellectual development, (even her college roommate Lona, who is a fellow straight A student, comments rather bitterly on how easy Riley makes their classes look and seems born to succeed in academia) but has been very limited in most other ways. This comes with some predictable pitfalls in terms of [[ShrinkingViolet shyness and low confidence]], [[NoSocialSkills less than stellar social skills]], [[IntelligenceEqualsIsolation being more connected with books or computers than people around her]], and worst of all, being easy prey for people looking to emotionally manipulate her.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Films - Live-Action]]
* ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'': Brian is a deconstruction of this trope. While a brainy student, he still doesn't meet the standards of his EducationMama.
* ''Film/HighSchoolMusical'': [[GoodWithNumbers Gabriella]] and her friend [[AcademicAlphaBitch Taylor]] are very good students. Also, minor character Martha describes herself as a brainiac during the song "Stick to the Status Quo".
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': Hermione is very knowledgeable due to reading a lot.
* ''Literature/ALittlePrincess'': Sara impresses her teachers at her boarding school with her intelligence. Despite being seven years old, she spends much time reading books and can speak French fluently.
* ''Literature/{{Matilda}}'': Matilda is only 5 but has exceptional reading and mathematical skills, to the point that she SurpassedTheTeacher at school.
* ''Literature/RaceToTheSun'': Nizhoni's best friend Davery is a very good student, has a lot of knowledge about various topics and reads books above his (middle grade) school level. Even his magical weapon, given to him by the Sun, is a book.
* ''Literature/WinnieThePooh'': Owl has an education and is relatively knowledgeable, but as far as actual intelligence goes, he's actually pretty dumb.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics.
* ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'': Topanga is an overachiever who gets straight As.
* ''Series/GilmoreGirls'': Rory Gilmore and and her rival Paris Geller are hard-working and excellent students who eventually go to Yale.
* ''Series/TheGoodPlace'': Chidi, with his vast knowledge of ethics and philosophy, is the most educated of the main characters.
* ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'': Malcolm is a BrilliantButLazy example. He's a troublemaker like his brothers, but unlike them, he's a also a prodigy who excels in school, even in his class for gifted students.
* ''Series/ModernFamily'': Alex is academic and studious, in contrast to her BookDumb siblings.
* ''Series/NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'': While Ned himself is BookDumb, both his best friends Cookie and Moze excel academically. Moze is a very clever girl in general (in both academics and common sense), while Cookie only has book smarts but is otherwise [[DitzyGenius completely clueless]].
* ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'': Despite being a clumsy NaiveEverygirl, Sabrina is notably good at school. She writes for the school newspaper, and also excels at math and science.
* ''Series/SavedByTheBell'': The main cast has two examples, GoGetterGirl Jessie and ExtravertedNerd Screech. Even if Screech is even better at academics than Jessie, he's a DitzyGenius who lacks commmon sense outside of school.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Data, being an android, has encyclopedic knowledge and can learn extremely quickly.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'':
** Charlie Brown's friend Linus is the most knowledgeable of the kids.
** Marcie is a very good student, in contrast to her BookDumb friend Peppermint Patty.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'': Brain is the smartest student in Mr. Ratburn's class. He is regularly shown getting As, and knows a lot about science, astronomy, and literature.
* ''WesternAnimation/AsToldByGinger'': Ginger is an excellent student, being especially good at writing.
* ''WesternAnimation/CharlieAndLola'': Minnie is Lola's go-to source of general knowledge despite her being no older than Lola.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'': The show has two main examples. Apathetic TeenGenius Daria and active GoGetterGirl Jodie are both very good academically compared to most of the other students.
* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'': Even if the characters are never seen at school before season 5, Edd is very knowledgeable and well-spoken, besides being a GadgeteerGenius. Season 5 confirms him to be an active and responsible student.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': AJ is the only straight "A" student in his class, despite having an insane SadistTeacher like Mr. Crocker.
* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': Brian, the college-educated IntellectualAnimal. He's the most well-read member of the family, despite [[GadgeteerGenius Stewie]] being the smartest.
* ''WesternAnimation/HarryAndHisBucketFullOfDinosaurs'': Sid knows a lot of stuff because he reads a lot of nonfiction.
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': Kim is a straight-A student, while also being a popular cheerleader and an athletic superheroine. Her nerdy sidekick Ron, on the other hand, is BookDumb.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': In addition to being [[ChildProdigy highly intelligent]], Lisa is also very academically competent.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus'': Dorothy Ann is always the student who correctly answers to the questions asked by the teachers.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'': Gretchen is very good at school and helps her friends thanks to her knowledge.
* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo'': While it varies depending on the adaptation, Velma is generally portrayed as being very knowledgeable due to studying in books and, in series produced after the advent of the internet, online. She generally knows math, and in ''WesternAnimation/WhatsNewScoobyDoo'', she knows a bit of history.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Lisa is a hardworking bookworm who excels academically. Martin also qualifies as a TeachersPet. Averted with Milhouse who, despite being stereotypically nerdy, is not a particularly good student.
* ''WesternAnimation/WhatsWithAndy'': Lori is a straight-A student.
[[/folder]]
A character is shown as getting really good grades in school, and be all around academically competent.
Often it's a way to quickly establish them as so intelligent in general that they are able to master the academia without effort. Other times, it's more to showcase their diligence, at studying in particular. Either way, kids need role models.
When more than one character who is Book Smart is at the same school, a competition of who gets the best test scores is pretty much inevitable.
Almost always seen in family shows, which usually feature at least one book smart sibling with a BookDumb sibling as a foil, typically in FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling and TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry dynamics.
In a SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan duo, the Book Smart character tends to be the Sensitive Guy. In a TomboyAndGirlyGirl duo, it depends on the media: in {{Anime}} and {{Manga}}, the Book Smart character is often the GirlyGirl, but in Western media, it can be either.
SuperTrope to {{Nerd}}, which is this plus social incompetence, AcademicAthlete, which is this plus athleticism, AcademicAlphaBitch which is this plus CompetitionFreak attitude, BadassBookworm, which is this plus fighting abilities, DitzyGenius, which is this plus lack of common sense, GentlemanAndAScholar, which is this plus politeness, and TeenGenius, which is this played to the extreme. Often tends to overlap with {{Bookworm}} and GoGetterGirl. It can overlap with BrilliantButLazy if the character is not particularly studious but gets good grades without much effort.
SubTrope of TheSmartGuy. The inversion is BookDumb. Compare also StreetSmart.
----
!!Examples
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/{{Chihayafuru}}'': Tsutomu Komano studies so much that everyone calls him Desktomu, and is #2 as a result. He is still not able to surpass Taichi, who is #1 [[HardWorkHardlyWorks without as much effort]], and it's one of his major gripes.
* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'': Unlike his uneducated father, Son Gohan is very good academically.
* ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'': Haruhi Suzumiya gets excellent grades without any real effort.
* ''LightNovel/InouBattleWaNichijoukeiNoNakaDe'': Mirei and Sayumi are #1 and #2 at school, respectively.
* ''Manga/LuckyStar'': Miyuki and Kagami get really good grades, oddly, neither are {{nerd}}s, and the resident nerd does terribly at school.
* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': Yaoyorozu has the best grades in Class 1-A by a long shot, to the point that a quarter of her class comes to her for tutoring. This also ties into her usage of her [[ThePowerOfCreation Quirk,]] which requires her to [[DifficultButAwesome memorize the exact formula of whatever object she's creating.]] However, her abilities as TheStrategist are rivaled or surpassed by her classmates, Midoriya and Bakugo, whose grades are fourth and third in the class respectively.
* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'': Ami is one of the most well-known anime examples. She's so smart that she's often referred to as one of the best students of the country.
* ''Manga/SeitokaiYakuindomo'': All three female members of the Ousai school council with Shino and Aria being rivals at their grade, #1 and #2 respectively, and Suzu being a TeenGenius with an IQ of 180.
* ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'': Shana excels academically as well as athletically on her first day at school, being a superhuman and all.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Riley Wilder of ''ComicBook/TheNewYorkFour'' is this. The daughter of literati parents who who have pushed her hard for academic success, Riley has lived a very sheltered life with lots of academic achievement and intellectual development, (even her college roommate Lona, who is a fellow straight A student, comments rather bitterly on how easy Riley makes their classes look and seems born to succeed in academia) but has been very limited in most other ways. This comes with some predictable pitfalls in terms of [[ShrinkingViolet shyness and low confidence]], [[NoSocialSkills less than stellar social skills]], [[IntelligenceEqualsIsolation being more connected with books or computers than people around her]], and worst of all, being easy prey for people looking to emotionally manipulate her.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Films - Live-Action]]
* ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'': Brian is a deconstruction of this trope. While a brainy student, he still doesn't meet the standards of his EducationMama.
* ''Film/HighSchoolMusical'': [[GoodWithNumbers Gabriella]] and her friend [[AcademicAlphaBitch Taylor]] are very good students. Also, minor character Martha describes herself as a brainiac during the song "Stick to the Status Quo".
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': Hermione is very knowledgeable due to reading a lot.
* ''Literature/ALittlePrincess'': Sara impresses her teachers at her boarding school with her intelligence. Despite being seven years old, she spends much time reading books and can speak French fluently.
* ''Literature/{{Matilda}}'': Matilda is only 5 but has exceptional reading and mathematical skills, to the point that she SurpassedTheTeacher at school.
* ''Literature/RaceToTheSun'': Nizhoni's best friend Davery is a very good student, has a lot of knowledge about various topics and reads books above his (middle grade) school level. Even his magical weapon, given to him by the Sun, is a book.
* ''Literature/WinnieThePooh'': Owl has an education and is relatively knowledgeable, but as far as actual intelligence goes, he's actually pretty dumb.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': All the main characters except Penny are brilliant when it comes to science and academics.
* ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'': Topanga is an overachiever who gets straight As.
* ''Series/GilmoreGirls'': Rory Gilmore and and her rival Paris Geller are hard-working and excellent students who eventually go to Yale.
* ''Series/TheGoodPlace'': Chidi, with his vast knowledge of ethics and philosophy, is the most educated of the main characters.
* ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'': Malcolm is a BrilliantButLazy example. He's a troublemaker like his brothers, but unlike them, he's a also a prodigy who excels in school, even in his class for gifted students.
* ''Series/ModernFamily'': Alex is academic and studious, in contrast to her BookDumb siblings.
* ''Series/NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'': While Ned himself is BookDumb, both his best friends Cookie and Moze excel academically. Moze is a very clever girl in general (in both academics and common sense), while Cookie only has book smarts but is otherwise [[DitzyGenius completely clueless]].
* ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'': Despite being a clumsy NaiveEverygirl, Sabrina is notably good at school. She writes for the school newspaper, and also excels at math and science.
* ''Series/SavedByTheBell'': The main cast has two examples, GoGetterGirl Jessie and ExtravertedNerd Screech. Even if Screech is even better at academics than Jessie, he's a DitzyGenius who lacks commmon sense outside of school.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Data, being an android, has encyclopedic knowledge and can learn extremely quickly.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'':
** Charlie Brown's friend Linus is the most knowledgeable of the kids.
** Marcie is a very good student, in contrast to her BookDumb friend Peppermint Patty.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'': Brain is the smartest student in Mr. Ratburn's class. He is regularly shown getting As, and knows a lot about science, astronomy, and literature.
* ''WesternAnimation/AsToldByGinger'': Ginger is an excellent student, being especially good at writing.
* ''WesternAnimation/CharlieAndLola'': Minnie is Lola's go-to source of general knowledge despite her being no older than Lola.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'': The show has two main examples. Apathetic TeenGenius Daria and active GoGetterGirl Jodie are both very good academically compared to most of the other students.
* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'': Even if the characters are never seen at school before season 5, Edd is very knowledgeable and well-spoken, besides being a GadgeteerGenius. Season 5 confirms him to be an active and responsible student.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': AJ is the only straight "A" student in his class, despite having an insane SadistTeacher like Mr. Crocker.
* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': Brian, the college-educated IntellectualAnimal. He's the most well-read member of the family, despite [[GadgeteerGenius Stewie]] being the smartest.
* ''WesternAnimation/HarryAndHisBucketFullOfDinosaurs'': Sid knows a lot of stuff because he reads a lot of nonfiction.
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': Kim is a straight-A student, while also being a popular cheerleader and an athletic superheroine. Her nerdy sidekick Ron, on the other hand, is BookDumb.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': In addition to being [[ChildProdigy highly intelligent]], Lisa is also very academically competent.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus'': Dorothy Ann is always the student who correctly answers to the questions asked by the teachers.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'': Gretchen is very good at school and helps her friends thanks to her knowledge.
* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo'': While it varies depending on the adaptation, Velma is generally portrayed as being very knowledgeable due to studying in books and, in series produced after the advent of the internet, online. She generally knows math, and in ''WesternAnimation/WhatsNewScoobyDoo'', she knows a bit of history.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Lisa is a hardworking bookworm who excels academically. Martin also qualifies as a TeachersPet. Averted with Milhouse who, despite being stereotypically nerdy, is not a particularly good student.
* ''WesternAnimation/WhatsWithAndy'': Lori is a straight-A student.
[[/folder]]
