Homerooms and Hall Passes by Tom O’Donnell - ESSENTIAL

Homerooms and Hall Passes by Tom O’Donnell, 352 pages. Balzer and Bray (Harper), 2019. $17

Content: G (some violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

When Vela (paladin), Thromblurr (barbarian), Sorrowshade (assassin), and Devis (thief) aren’t busy out on adventures defeating evil doers and discovering treasure, they can be found once a week playing Homerooms and Hall Passes with their Hall Master, Albiorix (apprentice wizard).  Each week he takes them through the halls of J. A. Dewar Middle School where they have to game their way through such challenges as pop quizzes, study hall, and lunch. Midway through their latest game, however, Albiorix has a hiccup of mismanaged magic and the five friends find themselves propelled through a dimension - into JADMS as their middle school characters - Valerie (overachiever), Douglass (nerd 8th class), Melissa the loner, Stinky (background unknown), and what character should the Hall Master be? He doesn’t even have a character sheet!  Now they must play their way to success for real.  And they have no idea what the consequences will be if they don’t succeed.

You should buy this book and also The Game Masters of Garden Place by Denis Markell – they are two of a great kind. Fun all around, especially for budding Dungeons and Dragons fans who may have watched Stranger Things and become hooked. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS