A small but intrepid classroom pet saves his school from a mad cat's revenge in this debut tale of wild doings in night-shrouded hallways. Newly arrived in Mr. Binney's fifth-grade class, undersized rat Malcolm quickly learns how to communicate with select students by pointing to words in a dictionary. He also figures out how to escape his cage at night and joins other similarly sprung mascots who, as the Midnight Academy, are the nighttime ears, eyes, nose, and whiskers of McKenna Elementary School. Along with offering amusing rat's-eye views of the daytime antics of the school's lankies (grown-ups) and nutters (children), the book sets Malcolm a double challenge. First, to find a way to overcome prejudice against rodents and, second, foil the schemes of vicious cat Snip to poison the school's water supply. Written as an extended report addressed by an anonymous student and accompanied by realistically detailed scenes of small animals in shadowy academic settings, this creature-feature leavens spookiness with healthy doses of whimsy.

Malcolm is a class pet who stumbles upon a midnight meeting of all the school's pets. But unlike the rest--rabbits, mice, fish--Malcolm is a rat, and rats have a bad rap. Malcolm struggles with his identity and escapes many close encounters to prove that he has McKenna School's best interests at heart. An age-appropriate if somewhat derivative story about believing in yourself and building meaningful friendships.

Malcolm is a small rat who is often mistaken for a mouse, which is both a blessing and a curse. As a fifth-grade "mouse" pet he has a comfortable cage, good food and a classroom full of interesting kids, and, amazingly, Malcolm discovers he can read! During nighttime explorations, he becomes part of the Midnight Academy, a group of varied creatures who are also classroom pets. They speak and have several sophisticated means of communication utilizing school bells, secret codes and even cellphones and computers. But there is a prowling, vicious rogue cat, and there have been thefts, disappearances and cases of vandalism. Malcolm is at the center of it all, always under suspicion but determined to use his rat abilities to act honorably. What follows is a breathless, exciting tale of adventure, danger, betrayal, twists and surprises. Beck unfolds the events in the form of an anonymous note to teacher Mr. Binney detailing Malcolm's journey, with clever and sometimes hilarious asides in the form of footnotes. Meditations on the nature of power and friendship are subtly and seamlessly woven within the plot. Lies' meticulously detailed illustrations in endless varieties of gray depict the highlights of Malcolm's adventures and capture each creature's individuality. Malcolm's mouse/rat appearance underscores the confusion as to his real species. A rip-roaring tale; even rodent haters will have to like Malcolm. (Animal fantasy. 8-12)

Escapades, humor, and romance weave together in this madcap elementary school adventure from first-time author Beck. When fifth-grade teacher Mr. Binney mistakes Malcolm, a small rat, for a mouse and purchases him as a classroom pet, Malcolm develops an identity crisis. He soon learns that rats are held in low esteem by both humans and other animals, first from Mr. Binney-s read-aloud of The Tale of Despereaux (-Was that what people really thought of rats? That they are sneaky, conniving, lazy, greedy?-), and then when Midnight Academy members (pets from other classrooms) accept him only after he self-identifies as a mouse. Longing to prove his worthiness through -valor and merit,- Malcolm faces numerous challenges: Honey Bunny the rabbit-s distrust, Snip the cat-s evil plans against -the nutters- (children), and his forbidden friendship with fifth-grader Amelia. Lies-s (Bats at the Ballgame) detailed spot illustrations are a lively complement to the story, which is written in second person by an unnamed (but identifiable) narrator as an anonymous letter, complete with

Gr 4-6 "A lot happens in a school when the teachers aren't looking." Malcolm the rat learns that very quickly when he is adopted as the pet for Mr. Binney's fifth-grade class. After everyone has gone home, the school comes alive with the activities of the Midnight Academy, a secret society of classroom pets that endeavors to protect the school. Malcolm is accepted into it on a trial basis but runs into trouble right away when its leader, an iguana named Aggy , goes missing. The other members blame Malcolm for the disappearance, so it becomes doubly important for him to find Aggy -to ensure her safety, and to clear his name. The story is a bit long-winded, but Malcolm is thoroughly likable, and the action sequences keep the pages turning. Lies's frequent illustrations, which are soft and expressive, do a lot to endear Malcolm to readers. Some aspects of the tale strain credibility, like how Malcolm communicates with a student by pointing to words in the dictionary, and some plot elements seem somewhat convoluted or poorly explained. Overall, though, the winsome illustrations and Malcolm's appealing character make this debut novel a satisfactory selection. It may also be a good choice for younger students who are reading above grade level yet aren't quite ready for heavier emotional or thematic content. Amy Holland, Irondequoit Public Library, NY