Malcolm at Midnight

Gr 4–6—Malcolm, a small but quite extraordinary rat, is purchased as a class pet for the fifth grade at McKenna School in Beck's debut novel (Houghton Mifflin, 2012). The little rodent is mistaken for a mouse because of his size by Mr. Binney and his students. Malcolm allows himself to be called a mouse by the school's Midnight Academy, a secret society of pets at McKenna who protect the school and track its goings-on. When the Midnight Academy's leader, an iguana, is kidnapped, Malcolm is blamed and he sets out to clear his name and prove that he's a rat of valor, integrity, and talent. Not only does Malcolm solve a mystery at the school, but his ability to read allows him to communicate with two students. Charlotte Parry's narration of the long, detailed student note written to Mr. Binney from Malcolm's point of view captures the individual personalities of the members of the Midnight Academy, from its iguana leader to the seriously maladjusted feline villain to the human students. The tension and plot twists are captured in the well-paced, expressive reading. Malcolm's dilemma and identity crisis are neatly imbedded throughout without becoming didactic, making this often exciting, always engaging saga appeal to broad audiences.—Maria Salvadore, formerly District of Columbia Public Library, Washington, DC