Now that Snip the cat is gone (but hardly forgotten), the classroom animals of the Midnight Academy are ready for things to get back to normal at the McKenna School. After all, protecting nutters (students) and lankies (teachers) is an around-the-clock job!
When a rare coin and a strange code are uncovered in the school, Malcolm and the Academy have another mystery on their paws. To find answers, Malcolm ventures into the dangerous outside world full of shady characters, new friends, and old enemies. Can Malcolm solve the mystery and save the school before it’s too late? Join Malcolm and company as they take on their most challenging assignment yet.
Illustrated with black-and-white line drawings by Brian Lies, author and illustrator of the
New York Times bestsellers
Bats at the Beach,
Bats at the Library, and
Bats at the Ballgame, this engaging novel will have readers rooting for Malcolm as they try to solve the mystery alongside him.
PRAISE FOR MALCOLM AT MIDNIGHT "A rip-roaring tale; even rodent haters will have to like Malcolm."
—Kirkus"Escapades, humor, and romance weave together in this madcap elementary school adventure . . . A first-rate debut."
—Publishers Weekly"This creature-feature leavens spookiness with healthy doses of whimsy."
—Booklist"Malcolm is thoroughly likable . . . a good choice for younger students who are reading above grade level yet aren't quite ready for heavier emotional or thematic content."
—School Library Journal PRAISE FOR BOOKS BY BRIAN LIESBats at the Beach
New York Times bestseller
BookSense Pick
"Brilliant, brilliant paintings . . . just a whiz-bang summer book, anytime book. Everybody should look at this."
—Daniel Pinkwater, NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday "Perfect for sharing with younglings of the wingless sort."
—Kirkus Reviews "The book truly soars in the dark yet luminescent art. . . . A grand adventure."
—School Library Journal "Fetching . . . [A] wonderful read-aloud."
—Newsday Bats at the LibraryNew York Times Bestseller
TIME magazine's Top Ten Children's Book of 2008
Winner of the Indies Choice Book Award for Best New Picture Book
*"The library-after-dark setting works a magic all its own, taking Lies and his audience to an intensely personal place."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review "[Lies] brings a sure, expressive and transporting hand to this story of a colony of bats paying a nighttime visit to a small-town library."
—Kirkus Reviews "Illustrations teem with bats so charming they will even win over chiroptophobes."
—Booklist "Another tale of bat mischief . . . the charm is all in the story itself." —New York Times Book Review
Bats at the Ballgame
New York Times Bestseller
IndieBound Children's Illustrated Bestseller
(star) "Baseball stadiums have an innate magic, never more so than in the hands of Lies . . . Fans of the other baseball bats will certainly enjoy these ones."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review (star)"The visual effect is quite stunning, with some fantastically disorienting upside-down spreads to reflect the fans' hanging position, and much of the language is utterly delicious[...]. [A]s a read-aloud by a baseball fan, it’s sure to inspire a love of the game—and maybe of bats as well."
--Kirkus Reviews, starred review "The illustrations, with brilliant colors and eye-catching details, carry the story ...Careful readers will find plenty of inventive details to make this latest outing to the bats’ nocturnal world worthwhile."
--School Library Journal"Malcolm's ponderings on the nature of revenge, compassion, loss, and friendship are seamlessly woven into the plot. Lies' gray-toned, textured pencil-and-graphite illustrations add dimension and personality to the creatures. Welcome back, Malcolm."
—Kirkus "Twists and turns abound, including a forgotten time capsule, buried treasure, secret codes, and hidden identities...For middle grade readers who enjoy animal adventure tales."
—School Library Journal "Lies' naturalistic illustrations enhance the general air of realism in a tale featuring unusually rich thematic underpinnings and a small protagonist with both 'hero brain' and 'hero heart.'"
—Booklist"Malcolm's ponderings on the nature of revenge, compassion, loss, and friendship are seamlessly woven into the plot. Lies' gray-toned, textured pencil-and-graphite illustrations add dimension and personality to the creatures. Welcome back, Malcolm."
—Kirkus "Twists and turns abound, including a forgotten time capsule, buried treasure, secret codes, and hidden identities...For middle grade readers who enjoy animal adventure tales."
—School Library Journal"Malcolm's ponderings on the nature of revenge, compassion, loss, and friendship are seamlessly woven into the plot. Lies' gray-toned, textured pencil-and-graphite illustrations add dimension and personality to the creatures. Welcome back, Malcolm."
—Kirkus
