M. G. Leonard, Beetle Boy, Scholastic Australia, 1 March 2016, 336 pp., $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781910002704
Beetle Boy is an intriguing, complex and endearing story about family, friendship and the ethics around scientific discovery. A complex mystery reveals itself slowly, in layers, and the wonderfully inventive methods used to thwart villainous plans and ultimately crack the mystery, keep the pages turning.
When we first meet him, Darkus is a loner whose dad has mysteriously vanished. He has been brought to live with his archaeologist uncle – Max, who proves to be a caring and reliable figurehead despite not being the least bit ready to accommodate a child into his life.
The day Darkus realises he is intrigued by beetles, and seems to be able to communicate with one particular amazing specimen, is when his disappointing existence begins to improve. Unlikely new friendships turn out to be the most important he’s ever had; the two loud men who live next door reveal themselves as greedy villains – not simply argumentative, bumbling fools and an obscure new hobbBeety becomes the key to finding his father and potentially saving the world.
Beetle Boy is most certainly fantasy, however it plays nicely with the edges of the realms of future possibility; giving it enough authenticity for the reader to buy into the story. It has great elements of fun, adventure, risk, fear and panic as well as strong characters and vivid descriptions which allow you to ‘see’ the story unfold. The language is common enough in the main to suit upper primary/lower secondary students and the more complex scientific vocabulary is interesting and accurate enough to educate the reader without them feeling lectured to. Superficially, probably a ‘boys’ book, this novel offers plenty to hook the girls in too and you certainly don’t have to like beetles to enjoy the story.
If every child possessed friends like Virginia, Bertolt and Baxter, a backyard hideout like Pickering and Humphrey’s place next door and Uncle Max’s “grit and determination” the world would truly be a better place.
Reviewed by Katie J Bingham