Rafe is an adolescent boy who is new to middle school and is very rebellious of school rules with the help of his "imaginary" friend Leo he establishes a unique way of making his time at middle school less boring. Facing the harsh realities at home and balancing the new setting of middle school Rafe experiences a lot of emotional development. With the unique game created with his imaginary friend, Leo the question is whether following the rules at school is a bad thing. ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was funny and relatable. It follows Rafe who is a classic case of a student whose behavioral issues mask deeper emotional struggles. On the surface, he seems like a troublemaker, but it becomes clear that he's dealing with complex feelings, like grief over the loss of a family member and difficulties at home. These aspects of his character remind us that students often have layers of experiences influencing their behavior. In connecting with students as a future middle school teacher, it's important to look beyond the surface. ( )

"Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life" by James Patterson is a hilarious and relatable tale about seventh-grader Rafe Khatchadorian's antics in a typical American middle school. Through Rafe's eyes, readers experience the challenges of adolescence, while also exploring themes of creativity and friendship. Perfect for middle school students, this fast-paced novel is both entertaining and instructive, making it an ideal choice for reluctant readers and classroom discussions alike. ( )

not a new story, but still, has some interesting twists. laura park's illustrations make it worth the read. ( )

The only reason I read this book was because of "Battle of the Books" and not wanting to fake it with my middle school kids. And the "Leo" plot turned into something interesting that I did not expect. However, this book was horribly written....Rafe bugged the crap out of me....the blatant disrespect and regard for rules.....

I worry about this series' popularity. It does not promote anything of a positive nature. I'm all for kids reading but it would be nice to be something of substance. This is far from that. Yep. Have no desire to read the second book.

I also didn't find it relatable to must middle schoolers that I know ( )