The Midnight Children

This is a unique story of a family of runaway children who take up residence in a small town. Yes they are a family even there is no mom or dad. It also the story of an outcast boy who finds who he is and finds his people. In the dead of night, a truck arrives in Slaughterville, a small town curiously named after its windowless slaughterhouse. Seven mysterious kids with suitcases step out of the vehicle and into an abandoned home on a dead-end street, looking over their shoulders to make sure no one is aware of their arrival. Peculiar Ravani Foster covertly witnesses their arrival from his bedroom window. Ravani is eager to learn everything he can about his new neighbors: What secrets are they hiding? And most mysterious of all...where are the grown up’s? Ravani, , a lonely and friendless child finds an unexpected friend in the warm and gutsy Virginia. Tristian, the older brother who is in charge, strictly warns his family to stay away from others and do not get noticed. But Ravani and Virginia form a bond. Ravani’s first friendship ever. . But with this friendship comes secrets revealed and danger for the runaways. When Ravani learns their secret and of a threat to his new friends, he must fight to keep them safe, or lose the only person who has ever understood him. Full of wonder, friendship, and mystery, this book explores the meaning of what constitutes a home. The story has element that might be perceived as a bit magical, but I’d consider this work realistic fiction. And of course when there is a boy who us different, there is bullying. Meet Donnie and Stevie who call Ravani, Ravaoli and seek ways to make his life miserable.

"Welcome to someday, Rav. You're already here." Ravini is a kid in a small town. He doesn't have friends, and he doesn't like the slaughterhouse that is a significant part of the town's economy. But everything changes for him--and the entire town--when seven mysterious children arrive at midnight and move into the abandoned house next door. Rav learns about what it means to be a friend and how to take advantage of the now instead of waiting for someday. "Sometimes. though, a soul doesn’t know how great it truly is. Until it has to find out." What this book does really, REALLY well is really make you feel for the characters. The kid characters have unique personalities and challenges. Each of the midnight children has a backstory and a developed personality. We don't always see the backstory, but it is clearly there and important to each child. The adults are real and have their own concerns and quirks. The bad guy is scary. The person you think might be a bad guy isn't and is happy to change the town and his livelihood when he finds a better option. The parents have weaknesses and desires, and Ravini learns more about his parents and develops his relationship with them. It is nice to see parents developed to this level and portrayed as realistic people. This book has quirky characters and setting, but it isn't a light read. It's the kind of book that makes you think. It makes you stop every so often and think about the sentence you just read and how it applies to your life. It's written in a way that makes you stop and think, huh, I hadn't considered it like that, but I completely agree with the way that is worded. It makes you feel things deeply, whether it is joy or anger or anything else. The discussion about magic was interesting. Was it magic? Was it luck? Was it something else? It's not explained, and it doesn't need to be for the story. I did like how the kids choose to make their own magic to make things happen at the end, regardless of whether it was real magic or not. The book explores themes of loneliness, the choices people make, and what souls need. It's a story about found family, sibling love, loss, friendship, and hope in spite of terrible odds. Sensitive readers may want to be aware of scarier elements, such as the slaughterhouse and the spookiness at the beginning. The hunter character may also be a little scary (I kept getting the Child Catcher vibes from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). The slaughterhouse scenes involve some gore and a not insignificant amount of death. The book seems like it will be light and fun--which it often is!--but it can be dark too. Overall, I loved every minute in this world. A few times I wondered if I should be reading it alone in the dark, and a few times I laughed out loud. A few times I almost cried, but if anyone asks, it was just strong allergies. Ultimately, ...

This book is so different and great and wonderful. I am pretty sure I will be reading this book out loud to my middle school students for many years to come.