When Malcolm the rat arrives as the pet at McKenna School, he revels in the attention. He also meets the Midnight Academy, a secret society of classroom pets that keeps the nutters (kids) safe. There’s just one problem: Rats have a terrible reputation! So when the Academy’s iguana leader is kidnapped, Malcolm must prove his innocence—and show that even rats can be good guys. Illustrated by Brian Lies of Bats at the Beach, this engaging middle grade novel will have readers rooting for Malcolm as they try to solve the mystery alongside him.
W.H. BECK is both an author of children's books and a librarian. She grew up in Wisconsin, the oldest of four. As a kid, her dad always teased that she would be a librarian someday. She read all the time—walking home from school, while brushing her teeth, under the table at dinnertime, and under the covers at night. And, sure enough, after earning an elementary teaching degree from the University of Wisconsin, she went on to get a master’s degree in information studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She still lives and reads in Wisconsin and shares a home and books with her husband, two sons, and a big black dog. Visit her website at
www.whbeck.com. Brian Lies is the New York Times bestselling creator of Bats at the Beach, Bats at the Library, Bats at the Ballgame, Bats in the Band, and the Caldecott Honor book The Rough Patch. He has written and/or illustrated dozens of other acclaimed books for children. He lives with his family in a small seaside town in Massachusetts, where he tends a big and thriving garden.