Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life facts for kids
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| Author |
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| Illustrator | Laura Park |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Middle School |
| Genre | Graphic novel, comedy |
| Publisher | Little, Brown and Company |
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Publication date
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June 27, 2011 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover, paperback) |
| Pages | 283 |
| ISBN | 978-0316101875 |
| Followed by | Middle School: Get Me Out of Here! |
The book Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life is a funny and realistic story by James Patterson. It's the first book in his popular Middle School series. Published on June 27, 2011, this book follows a sixth-grader named Rafe Khatchadorian. He's just starting middle school and has to deal with common challenges like crushes, bullies, and family problems. Rafe tries to make his school year more exciting by breaking every rule in the school handbook! This book was well-liked by many reviewers and led to a sequel, Middle School: Get Me Out of Here!.
Contents
Story of Rafe's Middle School Life
Rafe Khatchadorian finds sixth grade at Hills Village Middle School pretty boring. To make things more interesting, he and his friend Leonardo the Silent come up with "Operation R.A.F.E." This stands for "rules aren't for everyone." Their goal is to break every single rule in the school's handbook.
Rafe also faces challenges at home. His mom works many extra shifts at a diner. This means she doesn't get to see Rafe or his sister, Georgia, very often. He also has a stepfather-to-be named Carl, who is not very kind. Rafe calls him "Bear."
Rafe finds comfort in his classmate, Jeanne Galletta. She doesn't think "Operation R.A.F.E." is a good idea. Instead, she encourages Rafe to focus on his schoolwork.
A school bully named Miller, also known as Miller the Killer, causes trouble for Rafe. Miller steals Rafe's journal, which has all his drawings and plans for "Operation R.A.F.E." Miller refuses to give it back unless Rafe pays him one dollar for each page.
Near the end of the book, Rafe and his mom have to meet with the principal. They need to talk about a rule Rafe broke. But when they get there, Rafe and Miller get into a fight. This leads to Rafe being expelled from school.
However, one of Rafe's teachers looks through his journal and sees his amazing drawings. The teacher suggests that Rafe should go to a special art school called Airbrook. The book ends with Rafe getting ready to start at Airbrook.
Meet the Characters
- Rafe Khatchadorian – He is the main character and a sixth grader. Rafe doesn't have many friends at Hills Village Middle School, except for Leo the Silent.
- Leonardo the Silent – This is Rafe's quiet, imaginary friend. Leo often encourages Rafe to get into trouble. It's later revealed that Leo was Rafe's real twin brother, Leonardo. He sadly passed away from an illness called meningitis when they were very young.
- Georgia Khatchadorian – She is Rafe's younger sister. Georgia can be annoying and often argues with Rafe. She also tends to tell family secrets.
- Jeanne Galletta – Jeanne is one of Rafe's few friends at school. She also helps Rafe with his homework. Rafe has a big crush on her.
- Miller the Killer – He is the school bully. Miller believes Rafe's "Operation R.A.F.E." is a challenge to his own reputation as the biggest troublemaker.
- Jules Khatchadorian – She is Rafe and Georgia's mother. She works hard and is divorced.
- Carl "Bear" – He is Jules's fiancé. Carl is not very kind, but Jules eventually breaks up with him.
- Ms. Donatello "Dragon Lady" – She is a teacher at Hills Village Middle School. At first, Rafe thinks she is mean. But she turns out to be kind and helps him.
- James Patterson – This character is shown as an older version of Rafe. He is also the author of the book.
Book's Success and Recognition
What People Said
- Publisher's Weekly said the book's short chapters and fun drawings help kids who feel different. It shows them there's a place for everyone.
- School Library Journal noted that the story helps readers understand the characters better. It shows how kids deal with school and family life.
- Library Media Connection praised the detailed and creative pictures. They said it's a fun story that even kids who don't like reading much will enjoy.
Awards and Sales
The book was recognized by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). It was named one of their 2012 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers. Because Middle School was so successful, James Patterson was nominated for the Children's Book Council's Author of the Year award.
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life became a No. 1 best-seller on The New York Times list. It was also a No. 1 Indiebound best-seller. You can also listen to it as an audiobook.
More Adventures: The Sequels
The Middle School series has many more books!
- Middle School: Get Me Out of Here! came out on May 7, 2012. This book follows Rafe at his new art school. He tries "Operation: Get a Life" instead of "Operation: R.A.F.E."
- On March 18, 2013, a book about Rafe's sister, Georgia, was released. It's called Middle School: My Brother is a Big, Fat Liar.
- Another book, Middle School: How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill, was released on June 24, 2013.
- Then came Middle School: Ultimate Showdown, which is an activity book, not a story.
- The story books continued with Middle School: Save Rafe!, followed by Middle School: Just My Rotten Luck, Middle School: Dog's Best Friend, Middle School: Escape to Australia, Middle School: From Hero to Zero, Middle School: Born to Rock,Middle School: Master of Disaster and Middle School: Field Trip Fiasco.
Movie Version
A movie based on the book was released by CBS Films in October 2016. The actor Griffin Gluck played Rafe Khatchadorian in the film.
