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Middle School Misadventures: Operation: Hat Heist!

(Middle School Misadventures #2)

Jason Platt

really liked it 4.00 · Rating details · 44 ratings · 10 reviews

In Jason Platt's second Middle School Misadventures graphic novel, Newell's favorite hat gets taken away! With the help of his most talented friends, he concocts the perfect plan to get it back. Operation: Hat Heist is a go!

Newell's favorite show of all time is The Captain! Newell is beyond excited when he learns that the Captain himself, Patrick O'Shaughnessy, will be ...more

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Paperback, 232 pages

Published April 21st 2020 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

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· 44 ratings · 10 reviews

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Apr 28, 2020 Polly rated it it was amazing

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange of an honest review, as part of a blog tour hosted by The Fantastic Flying Book Club (FFBC).*

The book started by introducing us to the main character, Newell, and his Dad, and to the TV show that they both love so dearly, The Captain. I like how the story started this way because we were immediately given a glimpse of the book's center. I'm saying that the TV show is the center of the book because it's what started everything -- it's where *A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange of an honest review, as part of a blog tour hosted by The Fantastic Flying Book Club (FFBC).*

The book started by introducing us to the main character, Newell, and his Dad, and to the TV show that they both love so dearly, The Captain. I like how the story started this way because we were immediately given a glimpse of the book's center. I'm saying that the TV show is the center of the book because it's what started everything -- it's where Newell's hat came from and the hat being lost is the main plot of the book. Being introduced to Newell and Newell's connection to his favorite TV show made me feel more connected both to the character and the story. I really loved how the show was able to connect the characters in the story, too.

At first, I thought that this is gonna have a simple linear plot since it's a middle-grade book, but boy was I wrong. The plot went normally but I really wasn't expecting the plot twist! What made the plot twist surprisingly even better is that it made way for a lot of things to make sense and be realized. There were some events in the story that only made sense when the plot twist happened. It was also good how the author made the characters really go through this plot twist with the readers -- it's like the characters and readers were discovering something together. This was another way that a "connection" in the book was made.

There are a few themes that I found in this book that I found really important, especially for its target audience (middle-grade readers). First and foremost is giving importance to the things that our loved ones give us -- no matter how big or small it might be -- because we don't really know what they had to go through just to give that gift to us. Secondly is remembering that we always have friends who are always willing to help us. Some of them are really willing to go through all hardships with us. We don't have to be too hard on ourselves and think that we don't deserve their help. As what the famous saying goes, "No man is island." As long as we know how to return a favor and how to show our gratitude to those who help us, it's okay to ask for help sometimes. Lastly but certainly not the least is forgiving the people who have done us wrong and forgiving ourselves, too. In this book, Newell was so guilty when he lost his hat. He had a hard time admitting that to his Dad, and I think that the reason why we find it hard to admit our weaknesses sometimes is because we haven't fully accepted the situation yet. Forgiving ourselves for our weaknesses and mistakes is just as important as forgiving other people.

As this is a graphic novel, of course, I would also love to commend Jason Platt's arts. The artworks in this graphic novel truly gave life and color to the story. It made the reading experience a lot more exciting and memorable because we were able to see what's going on during each scene. Seeing the characters' facial expressions and body gestures also made the experience of reading this a total package! The artworks are also really clean and and pleasant to look at.

This book surely changed my view on middle-grade novels because it has a lot of values and lessons in it. It is not just a story of finding a lost belonging --- it is also a story of parent-child relationship, friendship, being creative, thinking outside of the box, collaborating, trust, and forgiveness. This book should be read by everyone because surely anyone who reads this will be able to pick up one or two things from the story of the Newell and his middle school misadventures! ...more

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Apr 27, 2020 Katherine Moore rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020, 2020-read, blog-tour, coronapocalypse, mg-school

This is a middle-grade buddy adventure graphic novel that goes so much further than the cover and description would at first suggest, and I loved every frame of it. Newell is an eighth-grader with a group of loyal friends, a dad who he watches their favorite show 'The Captain' with, and a very special hat that he keeps on losing.
Author Jason Platt opens the book with an 'episode' of 'The Captain' and this is the hook for the entire story; Newell shares a love for this show with his dad, and it ...more

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Sep 20, 2020 Ms. Yingling rated it liked it

Library copy

My students really liked the first book, and this will be popular as well. Goofy fun, with appealing illustrations.

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Nov 19, 2020 Wes Molebash rated it it was amazing

Operation: Hat Heist is a wonderful follow up to the first book in the Middle School Misadventures series. Jason Platt is a brilliant cartoonist and his comics provide a wonderful, wholesome retreat for kids of all ages (even us really old ones!).

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Feb 12, 2021 Mike rated it liked it

Shelves: realistic-fiction, graphic-novel

I was spoiled by the first book. This was fun, and I do really like the artwork, but the story just wasn't as crisp as the first one. But I also know that the middle grade audience of our school will inhale the series, so I bought two copies. ...more

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Feb 15, 2020 Bonnie Grover rated it really liked it

“No hats in school!” What is Newell supposed to do when the principal confiscates his favorite hat? Can he and his friends get past the school secretary and into Principal Todd’s office to get his hat back? I love graphic novels and this one was a fun read!

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Jun 23, 2020 Jason rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: comics-and-graphic-novels, school, middle-school, humor, mystery, conflict

I wish middle-grade comics about boys got into some of the identity-questioning stuff the ones about girls do. This was fun- a good ride, though the mystery is not too hard to figure out- but not terribly introspective, relatively speaking, anyway. Raina Telgemeier has spoiled me forever.

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Jan 13, 2021 Elizabeth P rated it liked it

Shelves: childrens, graphic-novels

I thought this book was fun, but I didn't like that the principal kept the hats forever in his office. I can understand keeping the hat until the end of the day and giving it back to the student, but keeping it forever just seems unnecessary and cruel. ...more

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