Beetle Boy

This summer I have reignited my love for reading through a variety of children’s literature.

I visited my local library, scouring for titles and authors recommended on Twitter. Bettle Boy by M. G. Leonard was one of them. I purchased this book amongst others at the beginning of the last school year and it has sat on the bookshelf in the classroom ever since. I have heard great things about it from adults and children so I thought it was time to read it.

Bettle Boy is a story brimming with science, adventure and humour, starring protagonist Darkus, an awkward thirteen-year-old boy, whose father, Director of Science for the Natural History Museum, mysteriously disappears. From a locked room! Vanished into thin air! In order to discover what has happened, Darkus moves in with his peculiar uncle Max, who is not well equipped for children and lives next door to two crazy cousins, one of whom has an unusually large beetle infestation. Darkus soon realises that the beetles are anything but ordinary and he is not the only one with an avid interest in them. Alliances forge to overthrow the evil antagonist fashionista-villainess- Lucretia Cutter who threatens to destroy the colony and holds the key to his dads disappearance. As the first in this epic trilogy – the story is only just starting!

Written in a highly entertaining and extremely informative way, M. G. Leonard has captured the wonderful, supernatural world of beetles magically! A must read for mini-beast detective fans looking for their next adventure.

I would recommend this to those aged 9+ or as an adult led text. This would be a great addition to those exploring suspense or setting description writing and is ideal for looking at how writers describe characters. I especially loved the dung throwing beetles, who launch an epic, tummy-churning attack on those who threaten their existence. Themes in this book include: determination, perseverance, friendship and heroism.

Please comment with your thoughts.