People think Noah is smart and dependable, and they admire him for his creativity.  Mrs. Olinski chooses Noah first for her academic team after reading one of his essays (Chapter 5), the people at Century Village count on him at his grandfather's wedding, and Ethan notes that Noah "has a proven talent for thinking of prizes" (Chapter 3). Noah always has something to say, is a bit eccentric, and is quite sure of himself. His propensity for blithely pointing out what a "wonderful job" he does can be annoying at times, and Nadia points out that his account of the wedding is "not as amusing" as he thinks it is (Chapter 2). Noah's best traits, however, cause him to be perceived as likeable and kind. As Mr. Singh explains, Noah, along with the others, has learned through his experiences to recognize kindness in others and to always look for it in himself (Chapter 11).