Wednesday, December 17, 2014

K10: Malcolm at Midnight by W.H. Beck


The Kidliterati Ten is an interview series with young readers. We ask them about a favorite book and hope that you enjoy their answers.

11697763Tell us a little about yourself: what is your first name, how old are you, and what is your favorite ice cream flavor?
My name is Lydia, I'm 8, and my favorite flavor of ice cream is Rocky Road.

What book did you read and why did you choose it?
I read Malcolm at Midnight. I went to a book talk and met the author so I thought it would be a good book to read.

Can you describe this book in one word?
Adventurous.

What was your favorite part of this story?
My favorite part is the first time when the school pets get together at night for a meeting of the Midnight Academy. 

If you had a problem similar to the main character's problem, what would you do?
I would try to figure out what is going on so I can help.

What would you say to your best friend to convince them to read this book?
You should read Malcolm at Midnight because there are a lot of adventures and the pictures are fantastic. Some of the cat pictures were so real, they freaked me out!

What do you think about the book's cover?
I love it because it tells me what the book is about and it looks so real.

Would you want to read another book about these characters? Why or why not?
Yes because I’m wondering what happens after Snip the cat is gone.

Can you name another book that reminds you of this one?
No, because I haven’t read any other big books about talking animals.

If you could ask the author one question about this book, what would it be?
What made you decide to use footnotes throughout the book?


**** Thank you for sharing with us, Lydia! ****


I reached out to W.H. Beck and she was kind enough to answer Lydia’s question. Also, her website has a lot of interesting "behind-the-scenes" information about this book!

The main reason there are footnotes in Malcolm at Midnight is because it's fifth grader Amelia Vang who is telling Malcolm's story. She's a perfectionist/overachiever sort who not only knows what footnotes are and how to use them, but she also has a lot of side commentary on what's going on in Malcolm's story. The footnotes were a fun way for me to show these aspects of her character.

Thanks for thinking of my book!

**** Thank you, W.H. Beck! ****
When Malcolm the rat arrives as the pet at McKenna School, he revels in the attention. He also meets the Midnight Academy, a secret society of classroom pets that keeps the nutters (kids) safe. There’s just one problem…rats have a terrible reputation! So when the Academy’s iguana leader is kidnapped, Malcolm must prove his innocence—and that even rats can be good guys. Illustrated by Brian Lies of Bats at the Beach, this engaging middle-grade novel will have readers rooting for Malcolm as they try to solve the mystery alongside him.


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