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debbiesbooknook's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a fun book! I recommend it to young readers (especially if they like beetles or insects). The story is entertaining, exciting, and funny. Also, the main characters are unforgettable and quite interesting and quirky. However, the beetles are the heroes in this story. This is the first book in a trilogy and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
libscote's review against another edition
3.0
I have to admit, I saw this one and thought, "will I really like it?' But honestly, it is better than I expected. I learned a lot about beetles, and they seemed really interesting. Darkus's father has disappeared, and no one knows why. It does seem to be connected to the beetles. With the help of his uncle and two new friends, can he figure out what happened?
There's definitely a lot of danger in this story, which I enjoyed. There are some British terms in here which I think might need translation for younger readers, but overall, it's a fun book.
There's definitely a lot of danger in this story, which I enjoyed. There are some British terms in here which I think might need translation for younger readers, but overall, it's a fun book.
a_robin_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
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Information:
- Storytel audiobook
- Second read
- 24 hour Basically Readathon
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Review:
Listened to the audiobook narrated by the author herself.
I love this book, one of my favorites!
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Review previously placed on my blog:
Review previously placed on my blog:
I have read Beetle boy by MG Leonard. This is the first book in the Battle of the beetles series. This was a reread for me and I read this one for the 24 hour Basically Readathon.
I'm so glad I descided to reread this one! I loved it! If you like middle grade, I would highly recommend this book. I'm super excited to read the rest of the series. I love this book, because it's equally fun and hard-hitting. I like that mix. The story itself is very nice and the characters are all great. The writing is also very good and the audiobook was awesome. 5 stars again!
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ellielabbett's review against another edition
5.0
A really engaging and upbeat novel about the adventure of a young boy called Darkus who is trying to track down his father, who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
I felt that this was a very strong story, with lots of secrets unfurling and some really unique characters.
The story ends on a slight cliff-hanger, as the reader wonders where the villain has gone, and who/what she really is. There are some great gaps in the narrative which could be utilized for writing. For example, the children could make predictions about who Lucretia is, and what has happened to her.
Interesting elements of Science, with lots of information about beetles. The story might be nice to link in with 'living things'.
I felt that this was a very strong story, with lots of secrets unfurling and some really unique characters.
The story ends on a slight cliff-hanger, as the reader wonders where the villain has gone, and who/what she really is. There are some great gaps in the narrative which could be utilized for writing. For example, the children could make predictions about who Lucretia is, and what has happened to her.
Interesting elements of Science, with lots of information about beetles. The story might be nice to link in with 'living things'.
mat_tobin's review against another edition
5.0
This was a great read from start to finish and make no mistake, the beetles are the stars of the book. Leonard writes with a good pace, has a broad range of interesting characters and is, I think, a master of plot: you get a strong feeling that she knows where this series of stories is going and this, the first book, is setting the scene for later stories.
The heroes themselves, led by Darkus, are engaging and diverse and the bad characters are stock enough to almost seem to pop out of a Dahl book which is a very good thing indeed. The chapters themselves are never too long and I really believe that the beetles themselves, as protagonists, are almost guaranteed to bring any reader into the story.
The heroes themselves, led by Darkus, are engaging and diverse and the bad characters are stock enough to almost seem to pop out of a Dahl book which is a very good thing indeed. The chapters themselves are never too long and I really believe that the beetles themselves, as protagonists, are almost guaranteed to bring any reader into the story.
homeschooledbookworms's review against another edition
4.0
This is a very good book with a bad title. And synopsis.
So, this book was aimed at a younger audience than me, but hey, who doesn't love a good middle-grade novel every now and then?
I read this one for the Concorde Book Awards 2017. I'm glad it was shortlisted, because it's not a book I would have picked up otherwise.
Basically, it looks like 10 year olds would be too old to read this one. But they really wouldn't. I wasn't too old to read this one.
I can see that this book would be an amazing start to adventure novels for kids. It's got the right amount of humour and silliness along with adventure, a little mystery and a lot of very cool ideas.
I mean come on, Base Camp? While I was reading, I wanted one of those.
And beetles? They suddenly transformed from weird insects to something incredibly interesting.
A house with secret passageways? Yes yes YES!
I would have loved this one when I was younger. I loved the education side of the story too (I learnt a lot while reading).
A friend of mine told me that she was never going to read this because it looks far too "childish and silly" to her, and the story sounds "rubbish". Man, I pity her now.
So, this book was aimed at a younger audience than me, but hey, who doesn't love a good middle-grade novel every now and then?
I read this one for the Concorde Book Awards 2017. I'm glad it was shortlisted, because it's not a book I would have picked up otherwise.
Basically, it looks like 10 year olds would be too old to read this one. But they really wouldn't. I wasn't too old to read this one.
I can see that this book would be an amazing start to adventure novels for kids. It's got the right amount of humour and silliness along with adventure, a little mystery and a lot of very cool ideas.
I mean come on, Base Camp? While I was reading, I wanted one of those.
And beetles? They suddenly transformed from weird insects to something incredibly interesting.
A house with secret passageways? Yes yes YES!
I would have loved this one when I was younger. I loved the education side of the story too (I learnt a lot while reading).
A friend of mine told me that she was never going to read this because it looks far too "childish and silly" to her, and the story sounds "rubbish". Man, I pity her now.
testingbooksandcoffee's review against another edition
4.0
Wat een heerlijke avonturenverhaal om bij weg te dromen. Keverjongen is spannend, grappig maar vooral heel erg fijn.
leahmichelle_13's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up Beetle Boy on a whim – I’ve heard lots of good things about the book on Twitter, so when I spotted the book in my local library (a brand new copy!) I snapped it up. I didn’t expect to read it so quick (or maybe at all, as I generally pick books up, want to read ‘em and then lose all interest – it’s not the book, it’s me, I am SO fussy and I have to be in the right kinda mood to read a book) but I picked it up immediately, and it’s a brilliant read.
At first I wasn’t sure it would be my kind of thing – I’m not a big bug fan. They give me the creeps. I despise cockroaches (when you lived abroad with them for thirteen years, you just know you’d rather live anywhere but where cockroaches also reside), spiders give me the creeps and I just don’t like bugs. I am, however, converted. I kind of want a Baxter of my own. It takes quite an author for me to think, “Man, I want to go out and buy a beetle,” but M.G. Leonard has managed that. It kinda reminded me of Ant Man, with the whole bugs willing to help humans kinda thing. I loved how open Darkus was to Baxter, to the whole beetle army thing, like he was just fine with beetles understanding what you’re saying and even answering you, in their own way.
It was an interesting plot, with Darkus wanting to find out what happened to his dad, who went missing. He’s staying with his Uncle in the meantime and he thinks his life is pretty normal, until a bug falls out of his neighbour’s leg and bam, his life is changed. Along with his friends Bertolt and Virginia, they set off to discover the truth about what happened to Darkus’s dad. This was such a fun adventure. It’s for ages 9-12, which actually amazed me because the language seemed a lot older, but I suppose 9-12 is that tricky age where you are learning bigger words, using your vocab more so a book like this will teach you lots of new words. Saying that, even I was taught some new stuff, because my bug knowledge before reading this book was seriously lacking.
M.G Leonard has written such a wonderful book. Characters you love, there’s lots of action and adventure and it went and made me want my very own beetle. A sentence I never thought I would type in my life, but there you go. I loved it so much, I’ve already ordered the sequel off Amazon and it will be with me shortly so I can dive in and boy, am I looking forward to that. I’m intrigued to learn more about Lucretia, she’s so bad as a villain like evil, but I’m dying to know what she did to herself?!? Plus more of three fabulous friends and lots of smart, wonderful beetles sounds good to me.
At first I wasn’t sure it would be my kind of thing – I’m not a big bug fan. They give me the creeps. I despise cockroaches (when you lived abroad with them for thirteen years, you just know you’d rather live anywhere but where cockroaches also reside), spiders give me the creeps and I just don’t like bugs. I am, however, converted. I kind of want a Baxter of my own. It takes quite an author for me to think, “Man, I want to go out and buy a beetle,” but M.G. Leonard has managed that. It kinda reminded me of Ant Man, with the whole bugs willing to help humans kinda thing. I loved how open Darkus was to Baxter, to the whole beetle army thing, like he was just fine with beetles understanding what you’re saying and even answering you, in their own way.
It was an interesting plot, with Darkus wanting to find out what happened to his dad, who went missing. He’s staying with his Uncle in the meantime and he thinks his life is pretty normal, until a bug falls out of his neighbour’s leg and bam, his life is changed. Along with his friends Bertolt and Virginia, they set off to discover the truth about what happened to Darkus’s dad. This was such a fun adventure. It’s for ages 9-12, which actually amazed me because the language seemed a lot older, but I suppose 9-12 is that tricky age where you are learning bigger words, using your vocab more so a book like this will teach you lots of new words. Saying that, even I was taught some new stuff, because my bug knowledge before reading this book was seriously lacking.
M.G Leonard has written such a wonderful book. Characters you love, there’s lots of action and adventure and it went and made me want my very own beetle. A sentence I never thought I would type in my life, but there you go. I loved it so much, I’ve already ordered the sequel off Amazon and it will be with me shortly so I can dive in and boy, am I looking forward to that. I’m intrigued to learn more about Lucretia, she’s so bad as a villain like evil, but I’m dying to know what she did to herself?!? Plus more of three fabulous friends and lots of smart, wonderful beetles sounds good to me.