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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.
fondantsurprise's review against another edition
3.0
More like 2.5 stars. Another book of my eldest’s that I read — this one wasn’t really my thing. Felt a bit old-fashioned actually, from the days when children’s stories were full of one-dimensional adult villains and underdeveloped sidekicks. Kind of a bit Roald Dahl-like. Equally it was very much a page-turner and the descriptions of beetles were fantastic.
lisasf2f04's review against another edition
5.0
Fun, educational (I now know way more about beetles than I probably ever need to!), action packed read.
indiebookshops's review against another edition
4.0
Follow the adventures of Darkus and his friends, Virginia and Bertolt, as they search for his dad who has gone missing from a locked room in the Natural History Museum.
They are joined along the way by Darkus’ Uncle Max and some even more amazing friends, that help in the fight against the evil Lucretia Cutter, (mad? evil?)scientist and fashion designer.
The story is fast paced and exciting, lightened every now and again with touches of humour, especially from the cousins, Pickering and Humphrey, evil and stupid in equal measures.
M.G. Leonard exhibits a real knowledge and love of beetles throughout the book which is peppered with great facts and bits of information.
This is part of a trilogy that includes ‘Beetle Queen’ and the upcoming ‘The Battle of the Beetles’.
The physical book is another beautiful object from Chicken House Publishing and the special edition has beetles on the fore edge (as has the special edition of ‘Beetle Queen’).
This was a well-deserved addition to the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2017 shortlist and is another book that though it is aimed at the Middle Grade reading groups I would highly recommend to everyone to read as it is so well written.
They are joined along the way by Darkus’ Uncle Max and some even more amazing friends, that help in the fight against the evil Lucretia Cutter, (mad? evil?)scientist and fashion designer.
The story is fast paced and exciting, lightened every now and again with touches of humour, especially from the cousins, Pickering and Humphrey, evil and stupid in equal measures.
M.G. Leonard exhibits a real knowledge and love of beetles throughout the book which is peppered with great facts and bits of information.
This is part of a trilogy that includes ‘Beetle Queen’ and the upcoming ‘The Battle of the Beetles’.
The physical book is another beautiful object from Chicken House Publishing and the special edition has beetles on the fore edge (as has the special edition of ‘Beetle Queen’).
This was a well-deserved addition to the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2017 shortlist and is another book that though it is aimed at the Middle Grade reading groups I would highly recommend to everyone to read as it is so well written.
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