Malcolm Under the Stars
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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 Malcolm Under the Stars, the follow-up to Malcolm at Midnight, has all the appeal of the first book and a bit less scariness. In less skilled hands than those of author W.H. Beck and illustrator Brian Lies, the positive messages and life lessons -- including friendship, working together, the importance of each person's talents, making the best of things you can't change, and how love and kindness redeem lives -- might crush the life out of the tale. But here, between the great characters (human and critter alike, brought to life in personality-rich illustrations), their creative problem-solving skills, and a raft of sweet moments, it's all about getting your message across by telling a great story -- which just happens to be one of the lessons.
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What's the Story?
After the dramatic events of Malcolm at Midnight, things seem to be settling down for the critters, nutters (kids), and lankies (adults) of McKenna School. But brave, well-meaning young Malcolm the rat is still worried: He's not convinced the crazed, murderous Snip the cat from Book 1 is really gone. Soon a bigger peril looms: The once state-of-the-art school is falling apart, and the school board wants to close it. Meanwhile, Malcolm's human BFF Amelia has been acting very strangely. As kids and critters work together to prevent disaster, they go down unexpected paths, from historical research into the school's past to an unheard-of collaboration between Inside and Outside animals as Malcolm leaves the comfort of his cage to become MALCOLM UNDER THE STARS.
Is It Any Good?
Malcolm and his multi-species friends return in a fun sequel with all the original's appeal and a bit less scariness. Author W.H. Beck's lively, vocabulary-drenched narrative (in the voice of Mr. Binney's fifth-graders) and Brian Lies' endearing illustrations make the characters relatable and appealing as they test boundaries and try to solve numerous mysteries, from finding the legendary treasure that might save their school to figuring out why Amelia is acting so strangely all of a sudden.
The story dishes out plenty of positive messages -- especially about the power of forgiveness and love -- but avoids getting preachy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stories that involve kids and animals working together. Why do you think they're so popular? Do they make you see the animals around you differently?
This story would have been very different if a certain character had chosen stern justice over kind forgiveness. Have you ever had a choice between insisting on what was rightfully yours or being generous to someone who's done you wrong? How did it turn out?
In Malcolm Under the Stars, sometimes it's good to follow the rules, and sometimes it's good to think for yourself. Do you think that's also true in real life? What could go wrong? Is it worth the risk?
Book Details
- Author: W.H. Beck
- Illustrator: Brian Lies
- Genre: Animals
- Topics: Adventures, Cats, Dogs, and Mice, Friendship
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- Publication date: August 4, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 12
- Number of pages: 272
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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