Malcom at MIdnight by W.H. Beck-ESSENTIAL

Beck, W.H., ill. By Brian Lies. Malcolm at Midnight. pgs. 265. Houghton Mifflin, 2012. $16.99. Content: Language: G, Mature Content: G, Violence: G

Malcolm is a rat, but has been mistaken as a mouse by the teacher and kids in the class he lives in. He has a knack for reading, so one night he sneaks off to the library and is almost eaten by a fish. He also discovers that the other class pets have a secret society called the Midnight Academy. The academy tries to help the school, but they don’t like rats, so Malcolm has to pretend to still be a mouse. When Aggy the Iguana goes missing, Malcolm becomes the main suspect. Determined to save Aggy, Malcolm sets out to see what happened to her and clear his name, thus proving not all rats are bad.

The animals are cute and easy to identify with. The plot is completely unbelievable, but is cute and hare to put down. The pencil animal sketches are detailed and adorable. Kids who enjoy books about talking animals, mystery, humor, and adventure will enjoy this page-turning book.

EL - ESSENTIAl. Reviewer: Jessica Moody, Library Media Specialist, Olympus Jr. High.