How to Read the Macdonald Hall Series
Gordon Korman’s iconic Macdonald Hall series (often beloved by fans as the Bruno & Boots books) is best read in publication order. Because the books follow a linear progression of school terms, years, and character growth, reading them in order lets you appreciate how the boys' relationships, their classmates, and their infamous headmaster evolve over time.
The Macdonald Hall Book Order
- This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall! (1977) – The one that started it all. Roommates Bruno Walton and Melvin "Boots" O'Neal pull one prank too many, prompting the frustrated headmaster, William "The Fish" Sturgeon, to separate them. The boys go to hilarious lengths to get back into Room 14.
- Go Jump in the Pool! (1979) – When Macdonald Hall risks losing its best swimmers to a wealthier rival school due to the lack of a pool, Bruno launches an outrageous fundraising campaign that involves selling hot dogs, organizing a raffle, and eventually building a pool of their own.
- Beware the Fish! (1980) – In an attempt to boost declining school enrollment, Bruno leads the boys in a series of wild marketing stunts, which accidentally draw the attention of the authorities and suggest the school is a hotbed of international espionage.
- The War with Mr. Wizzle (1982) – Also published under the title The Wizzle War. A new, overly strict administrator, Mr. Wizzle, arrives to revolutionize the school with computerized demerits and dress codes. Bruno and Boots lead a clever rebellion to save the school's classic laid-back culture.
- The Zucchini Warriors (1988) – A wealthy benefactor sponsors the school's football team, the Zucchini Warriors, by building a state-of-the-art stadium and providing an eccentric coach. Bruno and Boots must navigate the high stakes of school sports and Elmer Drimsdale’s escape-prone biology projects.
- Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood (1991) – Also published under the title Lights, Camera, Disaster!. A Hollywood movie production crew uses the campus as a filming location, throwing the boarding school into chaos as Bruno seeks fame and Boots tries to prevent total disaster.
- Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall (1995) – Also published under the title The Joke's On Us. A mysterious prankster begins pulling stunts around campus and framing Bruno and Boots. The duo must uncover the real culprit to clear their names before "The Fish" expels them for good.
The Macdonald Hall Universe: What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into the books, it helps to understand the charm, setting, and colorful cast that make this Canadian boarding school series a timeless classic.
The Setting and Premise
The series is set at Macdonald Hall, a boys' boarding school located in Southern Ontario, Canada, just down the road from Miss Scrimmage's Finishing School for Young Ladies. The proximity of the two schools is the catalyst for many of the boys' schemes, which often require recruiting the girls from across the road (particularly Cathy Burton and Diane Grant) to act as accomplices or co-conspirators.
Meet the Cast
- Bruno Walton: The mastermind behind the pranks. Outgoing, creative, and completely unbothered by rules, Bruno is fiercely loyal to his friends and his school.
- Melvin "Boots" O'Neal: Bruno’s roommate, best friend, and the reluctant voice of reason. Boots is the one who usually has to carry out the practical details of Bruno's wild schemes.
- William R. Sturgeon ("The Fish"): The stern but deeply caring headmaster of Macdonald Hall. He earned his nickname from the unblinking, fish-like glare he gives students when they land in his office.
- Mrs. Sturgeon: The headmaster's warm-hearted wife, who often balances her husband's strict discipline by offering the boys cookies, milk, and understanding.
- Miss Scrimmage: The well-meaning but notoriously scatterbrained headmistress of the girls' school. She is famous for keeping a shotgun in her office, which she frequently fires into the air in moments of panic.
- Elmer Drimsdale: Macdonald Hall's resident science genius, whose experimental plants, insects, and weather balloons frequently escape and complicate Bruno and Boots' plans.
Chronological Order vs. Publication Order
Unlike complex fantasy sagas, the timeline of Macdonald Hall is straightforward. The chronological order matches the publication order exactly. The books trace Bruno and Boots from their early years at the school through to their older, though not necessarily wiser, years. While each book functions as a standalone adventure, reading them out of order can spoil minor character developments, such as the introduction of new faculty or changing relationships with the girls at Miss Scrimmage’s.
The Famous Origin of the Series
The publication history of the series is almost as famous as the stories themselves. In 1976, a 12-year-old Gordon Korman was assigned a creative writing project by his track-and-field coach, who was filling in as an English teacher. The story Korman wrote became the manuscript for This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall!. Korman mailed the manuscript to Scholastic, and it was published in 1977 when he was just 14 years old. His youthful perspective gave the books a highly authentic, fast-paced, and hilarious tone that captured the hearts of young readers worldwide.
On-Screen Adaptations
The series was adapted into three successful television movies produced by Aircraft Pictures and broadcast on YTV in Canada between 2016 and 2017. Starring Jonny Gray as Bruno and Callan Potter as Boots, the films are:
- Bruno & Boots: Go Jump in the Pool! (2016)
- Bruno & Boots: This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall (2017)
- Bruno & Boots: The Wizzle War (2017)
The movies capture the chaotic, lighthearted energy of the original books and serve as a fantastic companion watch for readers finishing the series.