Toppsta - Childrens Books – Reviews

Rafe Khatchadorian has got enough going on at home without having to worry about starting middle school. Luckily, he has plans to make his time there epic: it all starts with Operation R.A.F.E (Rules Aren’t For Everyone). Aided by his imaginary friend, Leonardo the Silent, rebellious Rafe sets out to break every rule in the school’s oppressive Code of Conduct, gaining points for each misdeed – from 5,000 points for chewing gum in class to 50,000 points for pulling the fire alarm. But will his plan really help him cope with middle school and everything that comes with it? From puberty and crushes to bullying and his parents’ divorce – he’ll somehow have to face up to his issues in the end. 

James Patterson’s Middle School series follows Rafe and his sister Georgia as they try to handle the embarrassment and challenges of school, summer camp and field trips with a series of madcap plots and adventures. Patterson is passionate about children’s literacy, driven by the firm belief that “There’s no such thing as a kid who hates reading. There are kids who love reading, and kids who are reading the wrong books”. The books are illustrated with brilliant cartoons by Laura Park making them accessible for even the most reluctant reader.

The hilarious and exhilarating stories have become critically-acclaimed bestsellers and in 2016 the Middle School movie was released. The laugh-out-loud plot of Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life enthralled a brand-new audience and the Middle School cast, including Lauren Graham as Rafe’s Mom and Griffin Gluck as Rafe, brought the books to life, telling the story of a school uprising led by an unlikely hero.

The series is aimed at children aged 9 and over, although younger readers may also enjoy the books, particularly if reading with an adult. You don’t have to read them in order, although we do recommend starting at book one when operation RAFE is born. The Middle School books are perfect for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates or any children who love funny series.

All the Middle School Books in Order:

Book 1: Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life (2011)
Book 2: Get Me Out of Here! (2012)
Book 3: My Brother is a Big, Fat Liar (2013)
Book 4: How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli and Snake Hill (2013)
Book 5: Ultimate Showdown (2014)
Book 6: Save Rafe! (2015)
Book 7: Just My Rotten Luck (2015)
Book 8: Dog's Best Friend (2016)
Book 9: Escape to Australia (2017)
Book 10: From Hero to Zero (2018)
Book 11: Born to Rock (2019)
Book 12: Master of Disaster (2020)
Book 13: Field Trip Fiasco (2021)
Book 14: It's a Zoo in Here (2021)
Book 15: Winter Blunderland (2022)