Malcolm at Midnight had enough familiar elements to appeal to a wide audience, but it was by no means a copy of other creature-featured stories. The story attempts to pose a fantastic answer the questions that many children ask, "What happens to the school at night when we are not there? What would the classroom pets do if they could talk?" Malcolm is a smaller-than-average rat in fifth grade who is often mistaken for a mouse. He resents that because rats have such a negative reputation where mice are thought of as noble and virtuous. He is torn between hiding behind that false perception to gain acceptance with the other classroom pets in their secret "Midnight Academy" meetings and doing something heroic to prove that not all rats are, well, rats. He finds himself embroiled in a mystery that threatens the children of the school and all signs point to him as the culprit. What's a noble rat to do? 4.5 stars - an almost perfect combination of talking animal story, mystery, and school story with great themes gently interspersed. Love the tie in to The Tales of Despereaux, being a rat/mouse of valor and merit and being the 5th grader you want to be. Wrote down a few quotes, perhaps my favorite: "Any numb brain would take read-aloud over the usual daily math warm-up"! This book would be a great read aloud. Illustrations and footnotes add to the charm.
What do You think about Malcolm At Midnight (2012)?
Unusual narrator. The conclusion wrapped it up nicely.
—Marlene
