Review: Room 42 by Melody J. Bremen

ROOM 42

by Melody J. Bremen

Upper Middle Grade Contemporary

262 pages

Dave is an eighth-grader at Lakeville Boarding School, the school for boys with unexplored potential (aka losers). If he wants to graduate, he needs to behave and keep a low profile. And he’s pretty good at that.

Then Dave gets a new roommate, Tom Grant. Tom doesn’t know how to listen to rules and he insists on dragging Dave along as he hunts animals (and teachers in pajamas), goes sledding on cafeteria trays, and drives bulldozers through the night. Dave’s chances of keeping a low profile are going down the drain.

MY TIDBITS

They say boys will be boys, and this book is about a class of them which takes their lives to the extreme. . .and has a huge problem staying out of trouble because of it.

The main character, Dave, is trying to stay out of trouble but when he meets Tom, this suddenly becomes a chore. The two become great friends, and Dave finds himself wrapped up in all the outrageous schemes and plans Tom comes up with, ones he knows he should stay away from but can't.

Packed with adventures and trouble, Dave is a kid especially boys will love. He means well as does Tom, but meaning well doesn't automatically lead to great actions or results. There are moments to cringe, ones to laugh and times to wish things would work out a little better. But in all cases, Dave is a character easy to like. Even Tom, who takes a bit of warming up to, is a character all of his own. The others take their own spots and round off to form a simply wonderful gang.

There are tons of messages rolled into the pages (taking a stand, confidence. . .) but the fantastic situations and adventures the boys go through ease these over and keep the entire thing from becoming preachy. Instead, kids will wish they too could join in with Dave and Tom, and dream of living such adventures themselves.



And here she is. . .

MELODY J. BREMEN!!!

Melody J. Bremen writes books for middle grade and young adult readers. She lives on a distant planet where all they do is write and read books. (Sometimes they eat jelly beans.) She has a faithful computer named Oswald.

You can find her. . .

Website: http://melodybremen.com/

Goodreads profile : 

https://www.goodreads.com/melodyjbremen