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Middle School #1
The Worst Years of My Life
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE!
In his acclaimed and #1 bestselling middle-grade comic debut, Children's Choice Award Author of the Year James Patterson has never been more hilarious--or heartwarming.
Rafe Khatchadorian has enough problems at home without throwing his first year of middle school into the mix. Luckily, he's got an ace plan for the best year ever, if only he can pull it off: With his best friend Leonardo the Silent awarding him points, Rafe tries to break every rule in his school's oppressive Code of Conduct. Chewing gum in class--5,000 points! Running in the hallway--10,000 points! Pulling the fire alarm--50,000 points! But when Rafe's game starts to catch up with him, he'll have to decide if winning is all that matters, or if he's finally ready to face the rules, bullies, and truths he's been avoiding.
James Patterson's debut middle-grade novel addresses some of middle schoolers' biggest issues: bullies, first crushes, and finding out what makes each of us special, all with a hilarious main character and fantastic in-text illustrations that are sure to have young readers begging for more!
In his acclaimed and #1 bestselling middle-grade comic debut, Children's Choice Award Author of the Year James Patterson has never been more hilarious--or heartwarming.
Rafe Khatchadorian has enough problems at home without throwing his first year of middle school into the mix. Luckily, he's got an ace plan for the best year ever, if only he can pull it off: With his best friend Leonardo the Silent awarding him points, Rafe tries to break every rule in his school's oppressive Code of Conduct. Chewing gum in class--5,000 points! Running in the hallway--10,000 points! Pulling the fire alarm--50,000 points! But when Rafe's game starts to catch up with him, he'll have to decide if winning is all that matters, or if he's finally ready to face the rules, bullies, and truths he's been avoiding.
James Patterson's debut middle-grade novel addresses some of middle schoolers' biggest issues: bullies, first crushes, and finding out what makes each of us special, all with a hilarious main character and fantastic in-text illustrations that are sure to have young readers begging for more!
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
James Patterson
1,064 books346k followersOfficial US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, and collaborated most recently with Michael Crichton on the blockbuster Eruption. He has told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, and collaborated most recently with Michael Crichton on the blockbuster Eruption. He has told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,607 reviews
May 1, 2012
Okay, I'm a librarian, but I think this book tried too hard. I just never believed in the main character or the situations. And even though it tries to be funny, it's not funny. The drawings will appeal to kids, and I did like the surprise about Leo at the end, but overall, I was a little bored. Also, pulling a fire alarm is a serious offense in schools and gets kids caught up in the criminal justice system. Not very funny.
March 4, 2019
Rafe Katchadorian is in 6th grade. He has an imaginary friend called Leo who tells him he should do something cool. He should break all the rules.
I quite liked this funny story about a boy who's imagination is bigger than he is.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House Uk, Cornerstone and the author James Patterson for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I quite liked this funny story about a boy who's imagination is bigger than he is.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House Uk, Cornerstone and the author James Patterson for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 9, 2016
Rafe Katchadorian is now in the 6th grade and his imaginary friend Leo tells him that he should do something cool that would make his whole year: He should break the rules. Rafe agrees and creates Operation R.A.F.E. . Will he succeed or will everything he does all go up in flames? Read this and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good audiobook and the first book I've checked out by James Patterson. If you enjoy middle school stories, def check this out. It is available at your local library and wherever books are sold.
This was a pretty good audiobook and the first book I've checked out by James Patterson. If you enjoy middle school stories, def check this out. It is available at your local library and wherever books are sold.
April 14, 2018
A funny, engaging book. I read this with my 7th graders every year, because they seem to really be able to identity with the narrator! There are so many fun activities to do with this book, so teachers and librarians take note :)
April 22, 2017
Rafe and his best friend, Leo the Silent decide to make middle school more interesting by breaking every rule in the Code of Conduct handbook. They have a very elaborate system for scoring points, losing points and even losing lives of which you are only allowed three before you fail. They call this OPERATION R. A. F. E !!
It is a funny at times yet serious book about bullying, first love, friendships and much much more. The art work portrayed in the book is quite good and adds humor to the overall story.
I quite enjoyed reading this James Patterson book and will be checking out more of his work in this series.
It is a funny at times yet serious book about bullying, first love, friendships and much much more. The art work portrayed in the book is quite good and adds humor to the overall story.
I quite enjoyed reading this James Patterson book and will be checking out more of his work in this series.
December 14, 2011
Have you ever picked something up just because you've been told the author is amazing, and then after you start reading/listening to it begin to wonder if the world is crazy or if you just have no taste? That is what happened to me when I first started listening to this middle-schooler geared audiobook. Patterson is supposed to be a genius. So many people in my town rave about how amazing his stuff is. So what's wrong with me? Why can't I get into his stuff?
I knew I was in trouble when the intro music (an annoying electric guitar piece) continued even after the narrator started the story which made it difficult to focus on the words. The reader's voice (Bryan Kennedy) was beyond annoying, but I'll say more about that in a minute.
I picked this book up because I have 2 middle-schoolers; my oldest son (who now loves to read) has been stuck in the high fantasy/middle-ages genre. I was hoping this story would be suitable for him to read to get him out of the reading rut. I'm not sure if this book is actually in print or if it is only in audio format (I'm guessing the latter as the main character references the fact that he is talking to me-his listener-through his story on an audiobook--a device I found quite annoying personally) but it doesn't matter. I won't be getting this book out for him. It wasn't anything like what I expected.
What did I expect? Well, this is a James Patterson story, so I expected super short chapters. Score one for me. One chapter was only 1 sentence long. I also expected some cheesy, cliche-laden scenes and dialogue. Two-for-two, go Samantha! What I didn't expect was just HOW cheesy and cliched this story would be. I absolutely HATED the plot. The main character is annoying. Just about all the characters are annoying. Maybe it was the reader's voice that made them that way, but I have a feeling it was just the way the characters were written.
I think there are a few points I should make to explain why I feel this story is so bad.
1) The story is about a boy who is bored in school and decides to play a game he created to make school more fun. The game is to break every rule in the rule book. I know it's a work of fiction meant to entertain our youth, but could you send a worse message? Yeah, you could, but this one was bad enough. And the ending made it even worse.
2) The game the boy creates (Operation RAFE) is ridiculous. My 6th grade son started listening to this book with me and he looked at me and said, "Is this for writer for real? Does he actually think a sixth grader would be like that? The kid seems more like a third or fourth grader to me." My 6th grade daughter chimed in her agreeance. I just about fell over at that. My daughter AGREED with her brother! And what they agreed on was that this book was ridiculous. She opted not to listen to it any more after disc 1 and asked me to turn it off when she was in the car with me. This from the book's target audience guys!
3) More about the game...the point system. ????? Really? And the rewards for a million points(?) are absurd. To be honest, I can't even remember them as they were only mentioned once and were so off-the-wall, over-the-top insane, it's just crazy. At this point, even my third grader was scratching his head trying to understand the point system and just what the point was for earning the points.
4) The reader's voice. Oh, the reader's voice. Grating. Annoying. I could say more unpleasant things, but I'll leave it at that. My first grader said the voice reminded him of Shaggy from Scooby Doo. I disagree with that but found it an interesting comparison.
5) If you look past the idiotic game (plot) and were able to suffer through the sound, you come to my next big issue...the ending. Okay, so the kid is a delinquent who is failing out of school, getting into fights, and trying to break rules. So, what should we do with a kid like that? Let's REWARD him with art school. Sure, he gets a punishment of getting expelled and has to complete sixth grade in his mother's diner, but he gets a huge reward with minimal punishment. The supposed authorities let a family tragedy which happened nearly a decade before excuse the kid's behavior and bad choices. I just feel this is giving a really bad message to our kids. Do whatever you want and, no matter how bad/illegal your choices are, everything will work out.
I wasn't the biggest James Patterson fan to begin with, but after this story, I'm even less of a fan. I listened to his Witches & Wizards story (The One Who Is The One - my hubby and I still joke about that) and read a couple of his adult books, but am just not impressed. I think this may be the last J.P. book I pick up.
I knew I was in trouble when the intro music (an annoying electric guitar piece) continued even after the narrator started the story which made it difficult to focus on the words. The reader's voice (Bryan Kennedy) was beyond annoying, but I'll say more about that in a minute.
I picked this book up because I have 2 middle-schoolers; my oldest son (who now loves to read) has been stuck in the high fantasy/middle-ages genre. I was hoping this story would be suitable for him to read to get him out of the reading rut. I'm not sure if this book is actually in print or if it is only in audio format (I'm guessing the latter as the main character references the fact that he is talking to me-his listener-through his story on an audiobook--a device I found quite annoying personally) but it doesn't matter. I won't be getting this book out for him. It wasn't anything like what I expected.
What did I expect? Well, this is a James Patterson story, so I expected super short chapters. Score one for me. One chapter was only 1 sentence long. I also expected some cheesy, cliche-laden scenes and dialogue. Two-for-two, go Samantha! What I didn't expect was just HOW cheesy and cliched this story would be. I absolutely HATED the plot. The main character is annoying. Just about all the characters are annoying. Maybe it was the reader's voice that made them that way, but I have a feeling it was just the way the characters were written.
I think there are a few points I should make to explain why I feel this story is so bad.
1) The story is about a boy who is bored in school and decides to play a game he created to make school more fun. The game is to break every rule in the rule book. I know it's a work of fiction meant to entertain our youth, but could you send a worse message? Yeah, you could, but this one was bad enough. And the ending made it even worse.
2) The game the boy creates (Operation RAFE) is ridiculous. My 6th grade son started listening to this book with me and he looked at me and said, "Is this for writer for real? Does he actually think a sixth grader would be like that? The kid seems more like a third or fourth grader to me." My 6th grade daughter chimed in her agreeance. I just about fell over at that. My daughter AGREED with her brother! And what they agreed on was that this book was ridiculous. She opted not to listen to it any more after disc 1 and asked me to turn it off when she was in the car with me. This from the book's target audience guys!
3) More about the game...the point system. ????? Really? And the rewards for a million points(?) are absurd. To be honest, I can't even remember them as they were only mentioned once and were so off-the-wall, over-the-top insane, it's just crazy. At this point, even my third grader was scratching his head trying to understand the point system and just what the point was for earning the points.
4) The reader's voice. Oh, the reader's voice. Grating. Annoying. I could say more unpleasant things, but I'll leave it at that. My first grader said the voice reminded him of Shaggy from Scooby Doo. I disagree with that but found it an interesting comparison.
5) If you look past the idiotic game (plot) and were able to suffer through the sound, you come to my next big issue...the ending. Okay, so the kid is a delinquent who is failing out of school, getting into fights, and trying to break rules. So, what should we do with a kid like that? Let's REWARD him with art school. Sure, he gets a punishment of getting expelled and has to complete sixth grade in his mother's diner, but he gets a huge reward with minimal punishment. The supposed authorities let a family tragedy which happened nearly a decade before excuse the kid's behavior and bad choices. I just feel this is giving a really bad message to our kids. Do whatever you want and, no matter how bad/illegal your choices are, everything will work out.
I wasn't the biggest James Patterson fan to begin with, but after this story, I'm even less of a fan. I listened to his Witches & Wizards story (The One Who Is The One - my hubby and I still joke about that) and read a couple of his adult books, but am just not impressed. I think this may be the last J.P. book I pick up.
Read
March 6, 2019The snowball effect of lies is strong theme in this book. Rafe Khatchadorian, a middle schooler who is trying break every possible rule applied at school, is caught in his own web of lies. First, he lied to his mom, then he lied to his vice principal. He then he had to lie to cover up another lie. Then lie again to cover up the previous lies. I predict that soon all these lies will get curled up into one huge, messy and unpredictable ball of lies.
September 30, 2011
So far in the book, It's just been a mess of things. Just Rafe getting into trouble breaking rules we have at our own schools. It hasen't really been exciting. The chapters are very short. A few funny parts here and the but otherwise it's just been dull.
December 24, 2016
What an inaccurate representation on Middle School years, but a fun read anyways.
March 1, 2013
Overall: Blah. I picked this up thinking that my 11 year old would think this was amusing since she's going into middle school next year. Turns out this book is anything BUT amusing. It's about a kid who decides to break all the rules as a part of a game. Dumb. Plus I ended up worrying about the mom far more than Rafe who I just wanted to "fix." In the end, Rafe is punished for his ongoing behavior and graffittiing but then rewarded for his creative gifts by sending him to art school. Seriously. And don't get me started about how the book unnecessarily uses a non-character (Leo) and misses a very important character; his sister. The boyfriend only plays the role of a source for Rafe's $ and is completely undeveloped. The only good thing about it is that like "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books, it heavily relies upon cartoon graphics but this is nothing new in YA lit. I'm somewhat glad we kept reading this and didn't give up halfway thru (which we were close to doing) but the paper used in this book was a waste of a beautiful tree. Sheesh. Mr. Patterson, stick to books for adults.
January 20, 2012
Have you ever wanted to break every rule in the book in middle school? The book, Middle School, the Worst years of My Life, is a great book that takes you through the twist and turns in the life of Rafe and his plan to make it through sixth grade. Rafe is challenged by his friend Leo to break every rule in his school’s code of conduct. Along the way he has to fight dragons, try not to look like a loser in front of his crush Jeanne and fight the bully that has been out for him all year.
The game may be more than Rafe expected as he has to face the truth about his life.
James Paterson usually writes mystery or fantasy books but this book is a realistic fiction book written for kids in middle school. This is a great book for anyone going through middle school and I could really relate to Rafe. One of the best parts of the book is the illustrations because they help tell Rafe’s story through pictures. This is a good book to read on Kindle, which is how I read it. You can find out more information at www.middleschoolbook.com.
The game may be more than Rafe expected as he has to face the truth about his life.
James Paterson usually writes mystery or fantasy books but this book is a realistic fiction book written for kids in middle school. This is a great book for anyone going through middle school and I could really relate to Rafe. One of the best parts of the book is the illustrations because they help tell Rafe’s story through pictures. This is a good book to read on Kindle, which is how I read it. You can find out more information at www.middleschoolbook.com.
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December 24, 2020Currently on a pathetic late night nostalgia trip so I'm browsing through the books I read in elementary and middle school. Is it disingenuous for me to add books that I read 9 years ago and barely remember? Definitely, but I'm still doing it because I'm a sentimental person and I don't want to forget reading these books entirely. Also, I look cooler and therefore better than other people with more books on my account. Just hoping people don’t look deeper and realize it’s all children’s books. Am still I a fraud if I never pretended to be something in the first place?
It feels sort of weird how many serious themes and subject matters the authors tried to incorporate into their books mixed with attempts at zany humor to appeal to kids. This book has a dead sibling and an abusive father figure. Another similar book written by Patterson, I Funny(not the app), has a disabled orphan using comedy as his primary coping mechanism. Teenage angst probably sells well, or maybe they had to put something for the teachers. It's like for every mention of an abusive dad or a dead sister, there had to be a few fart jokes, puns, or quirky illustrations to balance those out.
There's something special about reading at this age. There was no pressure to read any of the classics, care about the literary value, or any substance at all. No one could judge me for what I was reading because I was a kid and kids are idiots with trash taste. I literally read anything I could find. At one point in 3rd grade, I was reading an encyclopedia-style book that tried to explain drugs, addiction, aids, divorce, and poverty to kids I found in the depths of my classroom library. I stopped reading halfway through because it was too boring.
This “review” is starting to look like a schizophrenic rant and I don’t know how to conclude a thought so I’m stopping here.
Also reading the books in the middle school bad genre in elementary school really gave me a skewed view of middle school. It wasn’t even that bad.
It feels sort of weird how many serious themes and subject matters the authors tried to incorporate into their books mixed with attempts at zany humor to appeal to kids. This book has a dead sibling and an abusive father figure. Another similar book written by Patterson, I Funny(not the app), has a disabled orphan using comedy as his primary coping mechanism. Teenage angst probably sells well, or maybe they had to put something for the teachers. It's like for every mention of an abusive dad or a dead sister, there had to be a few fart jokes, puns, or quirky illustrations to balance those out.
There's something special about reading at this age. There was no pressure to read any of the classics, care about the literary value, or any substance at all. No one could judge me for what I was reading because I was a kid and kids are idiots with trash taste. I literally read anything I could find. At one point in 3rd grade, I was reading an encyclopedia-style book that tried to explain drugs, addiction, aids, divorce, and poverty to kids I found in the depths of my classroom library. I stopped reading halfway through because it was too boring.
This “review” is starting to look like a schizophrenic rant and I don’t know how to conclude a thought so I’m stopping here.
Also reading the books in the middle school bad genre in elementary school really gave me a skewed view of middle school. It wasn’t even that bad.
October 9, 2016
Edit October 2016: ooh, they made this into a film! And it looks waaay better than the book. Haven't seen it yet, but based on the trailer it looks good. My expectations are high.
Original review:
So basically this is about a kid named Rafe who was entering middle school and he decides to play a "game" where he attempts to break all the rules. See, it even sounds stupid right?? But the book was a present from my grandma when I was first going into middle school so I read it.
Eh. This book was ok. All the characters except Rafe, Leo and the mom annoyed me. The bully was annoying, the stepdad, I thought was annoying too and not only that- WHAT was his purpose in the story??? At the end, where the girl he had a crush on (what was her name again?) tells him that he's might have to repeat 6th grade, Rafe's thoughts were "I felt like I had just been blindsided by an aircraft carrier. And who doesn't see an aircraft carrier coming?" I agree Rafe, I agree. HOW COULD YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING HELD BACK OR BEING EXPELLED?! Rafe was a decent character but sometimes his stupidity concerned me. This is not something I would recommend to kids going into middle school, if they are looking for advice for middle school. Unless I gave it to them and said "hey! Here's a book you might want to read. Think of it as how NOT to act in middle school!"
The book's not completely unenjoyable, though. It's pretty funny (although most of the time, I was laughing AT Rafe, not WITH him). I recommend only if you're looking for some LOLs. If you're an 11 year old looking for actual advice about middle-school, look elsewhere.
Original review:
So basically this is about a kid named Rafe who was entering middle school and he decides to play a "game" where he attempts to break all the rules. See, it even sounds stupid right?? But the book was a present from my grandma when I was first going into middle school so I read it.
Eh. This book was ok. All the characters except Rafe, Leo and the mom annoyed me. The bully was annoying, the stepdad, I thought was annoying too and not only that- WHAT was his purpose in the story??? At the end, where the girl he had a crush on (what was her name again?) tells him that he's might have to repeat 6th grade, Rafe's thoughts were "I felt like I had just been blindsided by an aircraft carrier. And who doesn't see an aircraft carrier coming?" I agree Rafe, I agree. HOW COULD YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING HELD BACK OR BEING EXPELLED?! Rafe was a decent character but sometimes his stupidity concerned me. This is not something I would recommend to kids going into middle school, if they are looking for advice for middle school. Unless I gave it to them and said "hey! Here's a book you might want to read. Think of it as how NOT to act in middle school!"
The book's not completely unenjoyable, though. It's pretty funny (although most of the time, I was laughing AT Rafe, not WITH him). I recommend only if you're looking for some LOLs. If you're an 11 year old looking for actual advice about middle-school, look elsewhere.
October 25, 2017
Starts out light and trite, gets more serious pretty quick until finally . I recommend you withhold judgement until the end.
I liked the clever writing: at first I wasn't happy that Rafe was not empathetic to others, was so far inside his own head that he could barely see even his mom as a person and thought of most others as enemies, but then I remembered that most kids that age are that way, that most kids in books are actually preciously & inauthentically perceptive to others' points of view & motivations.
I appreciate that Mom respects Rafe's creative imagination, though of course she doesn't always appreciate how he expresses it.... The family is experiencing stressors, facing the kinds of issues that aren't as extreme as some books for tweens explore, but challenging nonetheless. And they don't always make the right choices. But they do love each other and will keep helping each other survive, perhaps thrive.
I might have to reread the Summer Camp book in the series, and maybe some other entries too. And I will look for more by Chris Tebbetts.
I liked the clever writing: at first I wasn't happy that Rafe was not empathetic to others, was so far inside his own head that he could barely see even his mom as a person and thought of most others as enemies, but then I remembered that most kids that age are that way, that most kids in books are actually preciously & inauthentically perceptive to others' points of view & motivations.
I appreciate that Mom respects Rafe's creative imagination, though of course she doesn't always appreciate how he expresses it.... The family is experiencing stressors, facing the kinds of issues that aren't as extreme as some books for tweens explore, but challenging nonetheless. And they don't always make the right choices. But they do love each other and will keep helping each other survive, perhaps thrive.
I might have to reread the Summer Camp book in the series, and maybe some other entries too. And I will look for more by Chris Tebbetts.
August 11, 2019
Middle School, what is there to say? Middle School as I explained to my son is something you just have to get through. And as with Rafe -- it is just something he has to get through. Sixth grade is hard, it is a transitional year for kids. There are new expectations and experiences awaiting them. At an assembly, the vice principal is reviewing the code of conduct. Most of the kids are bored listening to someone read verbatim a code book. Rafe and his best friend, Leo, decide to break all the rules. Then the story takes off -- pranks, bullying and breaking of rules commence. But what saves this novel is the characters and their background stories. It explains the characters thought processes and their actions. Everyone deserves to have a Mrs Donatello sometimes in their lives to change their trajectory path.
February 11, 2015
LOVED IT! EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT, AND READ ALL OF THE JAMES PATTERSON BOOKS!
May 12, 2017
This was a really fun book to read because it was full of adventure. Rafe, the main character, is in middle school just like me, so it's interesting to see his point of view on what middle school is like for him. At the beginning of the book, Rafe is dreading starting the new school year as a sixth grader. He has no friends except one named Leo. Leo urges Rafe to break every rule in the schoolbook by the end of the year. Rafe and Leo create Operation R.A.F.E which stands for Rules Aren't For Everyone. Every rule that Rafe breaks, he earns points. Leo challenges Rafe to get a certain number of points each day. Rafe can get bonus points by the type of punishment he gets and for who sees it. One rule he makes for himself is the No-Hurt rule which is basically that no one else can get hurt or in trouble for Rafe's pranks. Throughout the book, Rafe takes on tons of rules and records/ draws them in his journal. At the end, there is a major twist about Leo, so read the book to find out what. Also, find out what happens when Rafe's mom discovers what he has been doing.
January 17, 2024
I like that it's about a boy who just wants to make things interesting. It was fun to read about the things he did, the risk he took, and that he made a game out of it.
June 3, 2012
Middle School: the Worst Years of My Life is a mind blowing realistic fiction book by James Patterson. The main character in this book is Rafe Khatchadorian who is starting his Middle School year. Rafe has a annoying sister named Georgia and a wonderful best friend named Leonardo. Rafe also has a caring mother named Jules who might be getting married to a man named Carl he is also known as the bear. Carl is very rude and demanding to Jules kids. On the other hand Rafe really doesn't want to go to school because he thinks it is going to be awful. Rafe had so many mean teachers like Ms. Donatello her nickname is the Dragon lady. Also Mrs. Ida the vice principal who controls every breath the children take at HVM's Middle School. So Rafe thought these years we're going to be horrible until Leonardo thought of a plan for Rafe, to break all the school rules to make the years of school fun. They both make this game consisting on the harder the rule is to break the higher points the player gets. The quote I love the most is "Even with the homework and the cleaning jobs, there was still a lot of just sitting around, staring at the walls and waiting for summer school." This quote basically means from all the trouble he made Rafe is going to go to summer school. The authors style is written In a diary. This book caught my eye because the cover of the book looked like the Wimpy Kid. I recommend this book to people that like like realistic fiction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2013
Middle school worst years of my life by James Patterson
Realistic fiction
281 pages
1 book
I have read the book Middle schools Worst Years of my life by James Paterson. This book is about a kid named Rafe he is a dorky kid who has a goal of breaking every rule in the school code. H has a system of points that go with it. He also only has 20 life's which means he can only get caught 20 times. While he is doing it he started getting a reputation that made the school bully mad. He also got hated from most every teacher in the whole entire school. the bully stole his notebook which had all of his points written down. He charged him a lot of money for it back. $1.50 a page from a 70 page note book. Rafe then got his notebook found out about from the principal and then got him in a lot of trouble he got expelled for the rest of the year.
I did not like this book very much and I think it was a little bit under my reading level. I also thought it skipped a round a lot. I am not a big fan of his writing like the Maximum Ride series. I think that the plot wasn't that great and it was not a very good book either. He is not that good at making it very realistic and the way that they have the classes it does not sound like a middle school and it sounded like a elementary school. I did not like this book at all and it was way easy to read.
Realistic fiction
281 pages
1 book
I have read the book Middle schools Worst Years of my life by James Paterson. This book is about a kid named Rafe he is a dorky kid who has a goal of breaking every rule in the school code. H has a system of points that go with it. He also only has 20 life's which means he can only get caught 20 times. While he is doing it he started getting a reputation that made the school bully mad. He also got hated from most every teacher in the whole entire school. the bully stole his notebook which had all of his points written down. He charged him a lot of money for it back. $1.50 a page from a 70 page note book. Rafe then got his notebook found out about from the principal and then got him in a lot of trouble he got expelled for the rest of the year.
I did not like this book very much and I think it was a little bit under my reading level. I also thought it skipped a round a lot. I am not a big fan of his writing like the Maximum Ride series. I think that the plot wasn't that great and it was not a very good book either. He is not that good at making it very realistic and the way that they have the classes it does not sound like a middle school and it sounded like a elementary school. I did not like this book at all and it was way easy to read.
December 12, 2017
I read this book with my 4th grade son to work on comprehension, plot, character traits, and some more advanced literary elements. He picked the book because I wanted him to enjoy the book that he would be reading on his own time with me and do extra worksheets that I found to push him to be a better reader. He has been identified as an advanced reader but has become lazy with his school work and I wanted to work with him to change that trend. I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but once we got into the story, I really liked it. To be honest, it was a mix of reading a book with my son and reading a fun book. I highly recommend this to middle grade readers and parents who may be looking to do the same thing I did with my son. 4 Stars.
November 7, 2019
People always talk about how great it is to get older. All I saw were more rules and more adults telling me what I could and couldn't do, in the name of what's " good for me." Yeah, well, asparagus is good for me, but it still makes me want to throw up.
Grak-tung!
It was about bullying, first love, friendships, breaking rules and much more.
I liked Rafe's and Leo's characters. And I was honestly shocked when I discovered the truth about Leo. And also I liked the idea and workings of Operation R.A.F.E (Rules aren't for everyone) and yes, Carl is a jerk.
It also felt good to read a middle grade book after so long.
The art work portrayed in the book is great plus it also adds humor to the story😉
Grak-tung!
It was about bullying, first love, friendships, breaking rules and much more.
I liked Rafe's and Leo's characters. And I was honestly shocked when I discovered the truth about Leo. And also I liked the idea and workings of Operation R.A.F.E (Rules aren't for everyone) and yes, Carl is a jerk.
It also felt good to read a middle grade book after so long.
The art work portrayed in the book is great plus it also adds humor to the story😉
July 9, 2013
I get why kids like James Patterson books. They generally all start with a pretty solid seed of an idea. I mean, who wouldn't want to read a book about a kid that sets out to literally break every rule in the book. But the execution is always so painfully formulaic that it reads like the literary equivalent of eating cardboard. Why is Patterson's writing warehouse allowed to continue--and how is it so successful?
May 31, 2023
Honestly a fun book LOL. I ate this book up so quickly though and I remember doing the same when I was younger. I used to think project RAFE was so cool LOL, not that I liked breaking rules or whatever. But that he had a cool point system, like a video game or whatever.
Also, I feel like it’s kinda rare that these young teenager books depict towards the end something other than popularity or getting with their crushes. Wholesome to see the good ending being getting closer with their mom.
Also, I feel like it’s kinda rare that these young teenager books depict towards the end something other than popularity or getting with their crushes. Wholesome to see the good ending being getting closer with their mom.
February 23, 2017
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
When I spotted this book on Netgalley, well I just had to read it. It was one of the books that I still needed to read in this series (I have read 3, 4, 5.5).
Now I could finally find out what happened to Rafe and why he moved to another school. Because while we do find several things out in the other books, and yes he did quite some stuff, I found it weirdly like an overdramatization. Yes, he broke a lot of rules, yes he did stuff, but really, it wasn't that much, plus we also do find out his reasons in this one. Reasons we didn't really get in the other books.
For instance that he has a new stepfather who does nothing but lie around and which causes his mother to have to work double. Not to mention that the stepfather thinks he is the boss over stuff, and he will shout at you (and also at your tiny sister). I am sorry, but while of course it isn't an excuse for someone to go haywire with rule breaking, I can see why Rafe would rebel.
Then there is the school, and most importantly the bully. I never liked Miller, but reading this? The crap he does? The stuff he gets away with apparently? No. Just no.
What he did with Rafe's notebook? I disliked that so much. Poor Rafe. :(
Of course there is also the brother, I already knew what was going on with that situation (thanks to the other books), but I think anyone with enough of a brain could see what is going on with the brother in this one. There are so many hints. So many clues. He plays quite a big role in this one, even bigger than in the others. Maybe because it is the first book, and a big moment is happening in Rafe's life (Middle School is starting).
The rule breaking, well, I am not one to approve of that, but I do have to say I had a silent laughter at all the plans he made and I definitely loved that he wasn't allowed to harm anyone. He was just breaking the rules, and if someone wanted to tell on him, he wouldn't mind it at all. He also picked a way to break the rules without anyone getting harmed or hurt. I definitely have to give credit to Rafe for that. A lot of people would just do whatever it takes to get a rule broken, but not Rafe, oh no, he just made an entire game out of it with scores/points, lives, and more!
We also see how Rafe developed a big crush on a certain girl, and I was happy that I could finally see how it all began.
The book is also filled with illustrations, comics, and more, and I loved it. It really brought the book to life, and I laughed so hard at some of the illustrations. :P
I do wonder though, how did Rafe not get that getting bad grades would mean he would have to redo a year? Hasn't he been through elementary? Or did they have a different system there? It just seems a bit weird and off that he wouldn't know this.
What more, ah, yes, the sister. I hated her so much. I am not sure what happened in between this book and her own book, but I am guessing some years passed. Because I was just too frustrated with her, she was annoying, intrusive, blurted out stuff that would just hurt people and ruin days, and several other things. At times I was tempted to put the book away when she appeared.
The ending was quite good, I did feel sorry for Carl, but then again, you don't just do that kind of stuff. :(
I am happy for Rafe though. I won't tell you why, because spoiler, but I am sure others will agree that this was a good ending.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
When I spotted this book on Netgalley, well I just had to read it. It was one of the books that I still needed to read in this series (I have read 3, 4, 5.5).
Now I could finally find out what happened to Rafe and why he moved to another school. Because while we do find several things out in the other books, and yes he did quite some stuff, I found it weirdly like an overdramatization. Yes, he broke a lot of rules, yes he did stuff, but really, it wasn't that much, plus we also do find out his reasons in this one. Reasons we didn't really get in the other books.
For instance that he has a new stepfather who does nothing but lie around and which causes his mother to have to work double. Not to mention that the stepfather thinks he is the boss over stuff, and he will shout at you (and also at your tiny sister). I am sorry, but while of course it isn't an excuse for someone to go haywire with rule breaking, I can see why Rafe would rebel.
Then there is the school, and most importantly the bully. I never liked Miller, but reading this? The crap he does? The stuff he gets away with apparently? No. Just no.
What he did with Rafe's notebook? I disliked that so much. Poor Rafe. :(
Of course there is also the brother, I already knew what was going on with that situation (thanks to the other books), but I think anyone with enough of a brain could see what is going on with the brother in this one. There are so many hints. So many clues. He plays quite a big role in this one, even bigger than in the others. Maybe because it is the first book, and a big moment is happening in Rafe's life (Middle School is starting).
The rule breaking, well, I am not one to approve of that, but I do have to say I had a silent laughter at all the plans he made and I definitely loved that he wasn't allowed to harm anyone. He was just breaking the rules, and if someone wanted to tell on him, he wouldn't mind it at all. He also picked a way to break the rules without anyone getting harmed or hurt. I definitely have to give credit to Rafe for that. A lot of people would just do whatever it takes to get a rule broken, but not Rafe, oh no, he just made an entire game out of it with scores/points, lives, and more!
We also see how Rafe developed a big crush on a certain girl, and I was happy that I could finally see how it all began.
The book is also filled with illustrations, comics, and more, and I loved it. It really brought the book to life, and I laughed so hard at some of the illustrations. :P
I do wonder though, how did Rafe not get that getting bad grades would mean he would have to redo a year? Hasn't he been through elementary? Or did they have a different system there? It just seems a bit weird and off that he wouldn't know this.
What more, ah, yes, the sister. I hated her so much. I am not sure what happened in between this book and her own book, but I am guessing some years passed. Because I was just too frustrated with her, she was annoying, intrusive, blurted out stuff that would just hurt people and ruin days, and several other things. At times I was tempted to put the book away when she appeared.
The ending was quite good, I did feel sorry for Carl, but then again, you don't just do that kind of stuff. :(
I am happy for Rafe though. I won't tell you why, because spoiler, but I am sure others will agree that this was a good ending.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
January 24, 2016
This book is not representative of the middle school experience, and the title is a shame--I hate the negativity and the cliche that MS is so terrible.
As a middle school reading teacher, I will be hesitant to suggest this book to even my most reluctant readers--because it is just over-the-top cliche after cliche about MS--and any REAL MS kid would see right through it! Also, like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books--I would not suggest using this book as a read aloud (unless in a small reading group), as the sketches/drawings are crucial to the story, and students should examine those for themselves.
I appreciated the character's sarcastic and self-deprecating voice--lines like, "I usually like to keep my head attached to my body, so I went ahead and stood up like he wanted me to" are funny!--but Patterson doesn't keep the wit up the entire story.
The sketches/drawings that accompany the text are cute, but nothing compared to Diary of a Wimpy Kid--or especially the sketches in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Just not a fan of this book. Hope this isn't the start of Patterson cranking out more and more young adolescent novels just because he can.
As a middle school reading teacher, I will be hesitant to suggest this book to even my most reluctant readers--because it is just over-the-top cliche after cliche about MS--and any REAL MS kid would see right through it! Also, like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books--I would not suggest using this book as a read aloud (unless in a small reading group), as the sketches/drawings are crucial to the story, and students should examine those for themselves.
I appreciated the character's sarcastic and self-deprecating voice--lines like, "I usually like to keep my head attached to my body, so I went ahead and stood up like he wanted me to" are funny!--but Patterson doesn't keep the wit up the entire story.
The sketches/drawings that accompany the text are cute, but nothing compared to Diary of a Wimpy Kid--or especially the sketches in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Just not a fan of this book. Hope this isn't the start of Patterson cranking out more and more young adolescent novels just because he can.
June 3, 2022
It was a really fun book. James Patterson writing is so fluid and dynamic, very catchy. If I had read this when I was a kid I would rate it 5 stars, but being an adult now I sometimes didn't have that much patience for his stupid actions (even knowing he is a kid) but I liked everything else and I will buy a print copy for my kids in the future(I don't have children yet).
Read
March 4, 2019It is kinda funny how many uptight adults disliked the book and rated it low. And they still wonder why pre-teens and teenagers distrust or hate them!
I enjoyed the book. Don't care about ratings or quality of writing or the fact Patterson is essentially a mystery writer. I liked the story.
*kids do NOT pull fire alarms though*
I enjoyed the book. Don't care about ratings or quality of writing or the fact Patterson is essentially a mystery writer. I liked the story.
*kids do NOT pull fire alarms though*
February 12, 2015
I mean, I read this in order to record an episode of Renata and Kait's podcast Worst Best Sellers. I think that says it all. (And HONESTLY, it wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be... which is ridiculous because it was pretty much a mess.)
March 7, 2017
Oh my this was a fantastic book I really recommend this book to people not just this book but other books also My mom read a adult one and she loved it I read all the kid books that James Patterson wrote and they were amazing so I recommend it.
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