I love the works of Roald Dahl both for children and adults so when I saw the comparison made to that great author, I had high expectations of Beetle Boy. I was not disappointed. I loved reading the story of a young boy, Darkus Cuttle, who's a bit of a misfit and is even more so when his father, Dr Bartholomew Cuttle, disappears from inside a locked room at the Natural History Museum. The police have no ideas but Darkus refuses to accept that his father would have wilfully abandoned him, leaving him an orphan.
With the help of his Uncle Max, a lovely quirky character, his new friends Bertolt and Virginia, and a most unusual sidekick, Baxter the rhinoceros beetle, Darkus embarks on a quest to uncover the truth. Does the evil Lucretia Cutter (think Cruella De Vil here), with her a rather peculiar penchant for living jewellery, have something to do with his father’s disappearance?
M.G. Leonard's first book, written for the eight to 12 age group but this is just a guideline, is fast-paced, exciting and often funny. It's a compelling read about bravery, friendship and ... beetles. If you didn't know much about this insect before you started the book, you certainly will by the end of it. Plus just to help you understand the terms used, there's even "An Entomologist's Dictionary" at the back of the book.
A heart-warming adventure story I completely recommend and timed to coincide with World Book Day.
PWT rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
Beetle Boy (The Battle of the Beetles)