Middle School: Winter Blunderland: Middle School, Book 15
Arctic research goes haywire in funny tween adventure.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Middle School Winter Blunderland, by James Patterson and Brian Sitts, is a slapstick, fast-paced tween adventure with strong messages about the effects of climate change. The premise -- a couple of middle schoolers and a scientist parent get a free trip to check in on an Arctic research center -- is a bit of a stretch, but then so are most of the adventures young Rafe, Penelope, and the Inuit kids they find in charge of the outpost go on, and it's still a lot of fun. Between tracking polar bears and trying to keep a whaling boat away, the kids learn a lot about climate science, Inuit culture, and basic survival. There are mentions of other books and series by Patterson, which feels a little unnecessary given the author's success, but the adventure is a fun, funny, and occasionally freezing read.
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What's the Story?
Rafe Khatchadorian is headed to far northern Alaska with his friend Penelope and her mom, Dr. Daria Deerwin, to study polar bears during his Christmas break in MIDDLE SCHOOL: WINTER BLUNDERLAND. His dreams of a fancy research center, zipping around to see tons of wildlife and spending more time with Penelope end up being just that: dreams. The research center is nothing like what he expected, poachers are looking to harm his wildlife experiences on land and sea, and Penelope meets a local boy who Rafe thinks is so much cooler than he is. On top of all this, Rafe is missing his family's holiday traditions and can't seem to stop getting himself in danger.
Is It Any Good?
James Patterson has found a working formula for tween adventures, and in this Arctic setting includes just the right mix of humor, heart, insecurity, danger, science, and luck. Middle School: Winter Blunderland puts climate change front and center, with lots of information about how it affects the wildlife and people in impacted regions. Rafe can't seem to do anything right on this trip, but his brain and heart are in the right place, and his adventures are gleefully fun to read. The mention of other Patterson books within the first few pages is distracting and feels too much like a sales pitch, but illustrations are delightful, the story moves fast, and the adventure is freezing fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about life in the communities in the Arctic like Rafe and Penelope visit in Middle School: Winter Blunderland. What's it like to live far from others and in such harsh conditions?
What can we do in our communities to address climate change? Rafe's involvement with the whaling boat might be a little extreme (and dangerous), but what can you do where you live?
What other adventure books have you read? Which are some of your favorites?
Book Details
- Authors: James Patterson, Brian Sitts
- Illustrator: Jomike Tejido
- Genre: Adventure
- Topics: Activism, Adventures, Friendship, Great Girl Role Models, Middle School, Wild Animals
- Character Strengths: Curiosity, Perseverance, Teamwork
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: jimmy patterson
- Publication date: November 7, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 256
- Available on: Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: January 23, 2023
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