MIDDLE GRADE REALISTIC FICTION : Don't Check Out This Book! by Kate Klise

DON'T CHECK OUT THIS BOOK!

by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

Algonquin Young Readers, 2020

ISBN: 9781616209766

Source: purchased

Ages 9-12

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Is the sweet town of Appleton ripe for scandal?

Consider the facts:
Appleton Elementary School has a new librarian named Rita B. Danjerous. (Say it fast.)
Principal Noah Memree barely remembers hiring her.
Ten-year-old Reid Durr is staying up way too late reading a book from Ms. Danjerous's controversial "green dot" collection.
The new school board president has mandated a student dress code that includes white gloves and bow ties available only at her shop.

Sound strange? Fret not. Appleton's fifth-grade sleuths are following the money, embracing the punny, and determined to the get to the funniest, most rotten core of their town's juiciest scandal. Don't miss this seedy saga from the creators of the award-winning Three-Ring Rascals and 43 Old Cemetery Road series!

REVIEW

Returning to the format that proved so successful in their Old Cemetery Road series, sisters Kate and Sarah Klise tell the tale of banned books, theft, and stepping out of one's comfort zone.  Using a variety of amusing puns and word games, Kate Klise introduces readers to a small town named Appleton.  The arrival of a new school librarian at the small Appleton Elementary throws both the principal (Noah Memree) and the new school board president (Ivana Beprawpa) for a loop.  Ivana has put into place school uniform rules that force the students (all 20 of them) to buy their uniforms from her clothing store.  But the new librarian, Rita B. Dangerous, refuses to cooperate with Ivana's money making plans.  She's also providing "green dot" collection books for the students to read that Beprawpa and Memree don't think are appropriate for the students to read.  Meanwhile, Sarah Bellum and May B Dangerous, two fifth grade girls are working as reporters for the local newspaper.  Using letters, text messages, newspaper articles, phone messages, and emails, the story of Ivana's corruption, Rita's standing up for what she believes in, and the possible closure of the school is told.  Despite rather serious themes (ethical politics, banned books) the book comes across as rather light-hearted and fun.  As with the Klise's previous titles like this, I enjoyed the different formats used to tell the story.  Not only is the story fun, but it would be fun to use with a class in regards to the power of letter-writing, newspaper work, and messaging in storytelling.