Saturday 16 October 2021

BEETLE BOY

 by M.G. Leonard;  

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Cat Princess

 

Erin the cat; Addicted to Murder Mystery & Mice! (Not necessarily in that order!)

Hello, and welcome to my Saturday Book Review!

This week, we will be reviewing a rather brilliant book about beetles. In fact, there are three books to this series, so at some point, we will hopefully entice you to become beetle fans, too.

 

Beetles, I hear you shout; surely cats chase beetles and bugs because they're nasty things. All the movies show them as such.

 

Well, that is sort of how I felt, too. And indeed, I had not read anything to the contrary.

 

That is, until now. . . . . 

 

BEETLE BOY By M.G.Leonard

 

 

 

Beetle Boy, By M.G. Leonard

Published by Chicken House Publishing


 

The Plot: 

 

Darkus Cuttle, the 13-year-old son of Dr Bartholomew Cuttle, widower, has lost his dad. Well, more accurately, having dropped Darkus off at school, his dad went to the Natural History Museum from where he inexplicably VANISHED. Vanished from a locked room from which there was no other exit than the door he entered and definitely didn't leave by. 

 

Darkus's uncle Max, a renowned archaeologist, takes him under his wing. Darkus, having moved into his uncle's flat over a health food shop, has to attend a new school. It is there that he is befriended by two fellow students, Virginia and Bertolt. Things are rough for Darkus, and the school's cowardly bullies try to harass him. But with Virginia's timely rescue, he gets by.

 

Now, that is all scene-setting and introductions. The real fun of this adventure starts when Uncle Max's neighbours, Humphrey (an ogre of a man) and Pickering (thin, with unruly yellowing teeth and ill-fitting clothes), brawl in the street. The two can only be described as a nasty pair of bickering, probably incompetent cousins. Each is intent on domineering the other and opening their own shop in the premises they jointly inherited. As Darkus sits on the other side of the road and watches safely, a beetle falls from Humphrey's trouser leg and makes his way to the kerb where Darkus sits. 

 

Of course, this beetle isn't your ordinary beetle that a cat would happily play with, but the size of a hamster and with a rather sharp looking horn. It also seems to be seeking Darkus out! How could that possibly be, the unbelieving amongst us would say. Well, this dude is more than he appears. If Darkus had any doubts that the beetle was trying to talk to him, they were put aside when the beetle helped scare off the bullies that re-entered the scene.

To skip a little bit forwards, what happens next is Darkus, Virginia, and Bertolt join up to try and find Dr Cuttle. Max is also on the case but from another direction. 

 

At this point, I am coming perilously close to giving away too much. But what I will say is, we meet Lucretia Cutter, a geneticist. She and Dr Cuttle worked together but had, a long time past, parted company. Now whether Lucretia is good or bad remains to be seen, and her connection to Darkus's father's disappearance is, well, uncertain. One sure thing is that she likes beetles and intends to find some she re-engineered and lost. 

 

OK, that's as far as I dare go with tempting you. There is a lot more fun action and adventure to be had in this book, and it would be a shame to give away too much.



 

So, what did we think?

 

Until I read this book, I hadn't even begun to consider the beetle community in all its beauty, variety and even ferocity – in a self-defence kind of way. But it opened my eyes, like so many other readers, onto a whole new world. Believe me when I say that Mrs H and I will be putting up places for beetles to rest up in the garden and even designated beetle crossing points on the palaces drive. I personally won't be bringing any home to.... er.... play with any longer!

 

This book is must-read for the young aspiring 'Entomologist' (I guess that means me and anyone who studies insects) and reader. Personally, those little, and not so little, insect guys do so much for us that we should take the time to learn more. 

 

Brilliantly written for readers of age 9 and upwards, this book helps teach, too. It had me hooked, and I went and got Mrs H's credit card and ordered the next two! Just as well I did, as, by the time I got to the end of this, I so needed another beetle fix. 

 

The book has some lovely illustrations too, by Júlia Sardà, that add to the flavour of the beetle adventure. 


Noted author, Katherine Woodfine, is quoted on the back cover of this book and says "A darkly funny Dahl-esque adventure."  I think that is so true, and quite a recommendation in itself. 

 

 I would like to add that M.G. Leonard has written many excellent kids books that work really well for adult readers too. If you like trains, you HAVE to check out her "Adventures on Trains" series of mystery adventures she co-authored with Sam Sedgman. We have, and they are well worth the price of the fare!


 

Want to buy a copy?

  

If you'd like a copy of Beetle Boy to add some entomological adventure into your life, then please do BEETLE along to your local bookshop first. 

 

Beetle Boy is published by Chicken House. A link to their website can be found HERE.  https://www.chickenhousebooks.com/

 

M.G. Leonard's website link can be found HERE.  https://www.mgleonard.com/

 

Till next time, when we will be reviewing Book 2 in this series, entitled Beetle Queen, we wish you a bug friendly week!

 


 

Till later.

 

Toodlepip and Purrs!

 

ERin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


22 comments:

  1. Thank you for this book report!
    I will admit that insects aren't my favourite things on the planet, but I know how very important they are, which is why we don't rake our leaves, so the critters can overwinter under the leaf litter. We are also only planting native plant species, and removing anything that isn't native. It's a long process, but I love seeing butterflies, bees, and other bugs hanging around!

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    1. I really do think it is all down to education. I have to admit Mrs H isnt much to look at, and can be intimidating too, but I do think we all need each other and looks arent everthing and reputations are often wrong. Sounds like you sure are doing your part for Mother Natures finest workers, bravo. I'm sure you and yours will reap the benefit of your work pretty much straight away.
      Purrs
      ERin

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  2. Beetle Boy sounds like a really good book, Erin! There is a whole other world that we rarely see, isn't there?

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    1. It certainly was and is. Little is just as important as big, and yet we seldom take the time tolook down and admire nature. I am so pleased to be able to share this fun book.
      Purrs
      ERin

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  3. How cool that someone wrote about the insect worlds, it sounds quite good and unique!

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    1. It certainly is, Brian. It is one of the reasons why we, Mrs H and I, find Middle Grade reading so much fun, so exciting, and educational too!
      ERin

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  4. Replies
    1. It sure is. Not cats in it, but the beetles provide plenty of fun and action packed accompanyment to the story.
      ERin

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  5. Replies
    1. As a start to understanding beetles and insects in general, I think this book and series has done more to show their true life and naturally important part in our eco system than any others. I think capturing young readers minds when they are unbiased and open is so very important.
      ERin

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  6. Tat does sound like a pretty interesting book! But we somehow doubt that our local bookshop i rural France would have it or be able to order it!

    Purrs,
    Tama and Benny

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    1. Oh that is a shame. Still, if you ever head into Paris or another city, and fancy a middle grade read, maybe there will be a copy? Or even Amazon, at a push may deliver to you?
      Purrs
      ERin

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  7. Hi! We love to read. This sounds like a pretty cool book. We might have to think of beetles as something not so scary. Well, not as scary as spiders, but still more scary than ants…. Maybe.

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    1. I know what you mean. Maybe you could get to know a few beetles more intimately, over supper and then maybe a game of bridge, or a hand of poker or dominoes?
      Purrs
      ERin

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  8. I can't help but think of the Metamorphosis by Kafka. This book sounds equally as intriguing!

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    1. Well, I am not sure about the Kafka bug, but this has plenty of its own to intrigue and support throughout the story.
      Purrs
      ERin

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  9. ERin; wavez two ewe gorgeouz, we hope ewe and de crew in de palace iz happee N well.....de gurl sayz her haz hurd oh beetle boy but her canna rememburr de who ore de when !!!! R most fave o rite beetle iz de "lady bug " !!!! :) ♥♥♥

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    1. If you get a chance to recall, then it may be you'll fancy a read. Lady bugs are definitely the super popular bugs out there, but there are somany more that do as much or more that get worse press. Here's to more understanding and less bad movie deals for the bugs
      Purrs
      ERin

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  10. It sounds interesting although I have to admit that I don't like those huge beetles that fly into you on summer nights. They put me off when I saw one had fallen into the water and it's back was covered with tiny little fleas trying to stay dry.

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    1. I'm guessing that must have been a water boatman beetle carrying passengers! OK, Mrs H says they are something completely different. But still, one beetle helpng others stay dry is kind of cool, even if it is unwittingly so.
      Purrs
      ERin

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  11. Princess, I'm so glad that you and Mrs. H have added children's books to your repetoire of reads in recent years. Mom and I have loved reading children's picture books and stories for young readers for many years. We agree with you that they can be just as enjoyable for adults as they are for children. Purrs and Nose kisses. Your Prince.

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    1. They are certainly more fun on a winters day/evening, and way more addicting than, say, a romance. Yuck!
      Unless that romance is an exciting adventure style romance with a suarve princely knight like you!
      Purrs
      ERin
      XOXO

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