Middle School: Get Me Out of Here! by James Patterson

I freely admit that I was not a huge fan of James Patterson's Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life. With that experience in mind I started reading Middle School, Get Me Out of Here! with a bit of a skeptical eye. I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this sequel.

Rafe, his mother and sister are moving in with Rafe's grandmother. Thankfully, through the intercession of a teacher from his old school, Rafe is given the chance to compete for a slot at a school for the arts near his new home. Life has never been easy for Rafe and though he is hopeful for a fresh start, his new school is challenging in many ways and the mystery of his father's disappearance also becomes a focus of his attention.

The format of this book, both prose and graphic novel interwoven, adds depth to the mood of the story as well as well as allowing us additional insight into the character's mind. The style of the pictures captures the emotion of the story in a way that words would not. This story will reach kids in its raw, yet accurate account of the struggle that is 7th grade. Though this will first be picked up by the Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans, I foresee its appeal being much broader.

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