What do you think?
Rate this book
Beetles, Lightly Toasted
Fifth-grader Andy Moller will do anything to win the Roger B. Sudermann essay contest so that he can win fifty dollars and get his picture in the local newspaper. His cousin and rival, Jack, feels exactly the same way. But how can Andy be inventive and imaginative in an essay contest on conservation? Bugs and beetles, that's how. Leave it to Andy to think of people eating insects as a way of conserving their food budgets. Before long he's preparing toasted beetles in brownies, mealworm-filled egg salad sandwiches, and batter-fried earthworms for his friends and family. They don't know what they're in for, and neither does Andy. Will he win the contest and lose his friends and family?
134 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1989
14 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
245 books1,034 followersPhyllis Reynolds Naylor was born in Anderson, Indiana, US on January 4, 1933.
Her family were strongly religious with conservative, midwestern values and most of her childhood was spent moving a lot due to her father's occupation as a salesman.
Though she grew up during the Depression and her family did not have a lot of money, Naylor stated that she never felt poor because her family owned good books. Her parents enjoyed reading stories to the children--her father would imitate the characters in Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer--and her mother read to them every evening, "almost until we were old enough to go out on dates, though we never would have admitted this to anyone."
By the time Phyllis reached fifth grade, writing books was her favorite hobby and she would rush home from school each day to write down whatever plot had been forming in her head - at sixteen her first story was published in a local church magazine.
Phyllis has written over 80 books for children and young people. One of these books, "Shiloh," was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1992, was named a Notable Children's Book by the American Library Association and was also Young Adult Choice by the International Reading Association.
Naylor gets her ideas from things that happen to her or from things she has read. "Shiloh" was inspired by a little abused dog she and her husband found. The little dog haunted her so much that she had to write a story about him to get it out of her mind.
Her family were strongly religious with conservative, midwestern values and most of her childhood was spent moving a lot due to her father's occupation as a salesman.
Though she grew up during the Depression and her family did not have a lot of money, Naylor stated that she never felt poor because her family owned good books. Her parents enjoyed reading stories to the children--her father would imitate the characters in Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer--and her mother read to them every evening, "almost until we were old enough to go out on dates, though we never would have admitted this to anyone."
By the time Phyllis reached fifth grade, writing books was her favorite hobby and she would rush home from school each day to write down whatever plot had been forming in her head - at sixteen her first story was published in a local church magazine.
Phyllis has written over 80 books for children and young people. One of these books, "Shiloh," was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1992, was named a Notable Children's Book by the American Library Association and was also Young Adult Choice by the International Reading Association.
Naylor gets her ideas from things that happen to her or from things she has read. "Shiloh" was inspired by a little abused dog she and her husband found. The little dog haunted her so much that she had to write a story about him to get it out of her mind.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 30, 2024
Although Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's 1989 middle grade novel Beetles, Lightly Toasted is in many ways not only rather reminiscent of Thomas Rockwell's 1973 story How to Eat Fried Worms but also in my opinion more than a trifle derivative, the main premise of Beetles, Lightly Toasted is actually not quite as frivolous and as ridiculous as in How to Eat Fried Worms, since main protagonist Andy Moller wants to win the annual fifth grade essay contest and get his picture in the local newspaper with a pretty legitimate topic on conservation and for which he, for which Andy has ingeniously considered and chosen the positives, or at least the potential positives of consuming insects, of making recipes with diverse bugs as main ingredients (while in How to Eat Fried Worms, everything totally and annoyingly just hinges on some silly bet whether Billy Forrester is able to eat fifteen nightcrawler earthworms). And while as an adult reader, I certainly do find the rather obvious similarities between Beetles, Lightly Toasted and How to Eat Fried Worms a bit narrationally problematic, I would certainly not ever go so far as to in any way accuse Phyllis Reynold Naylor of actually having plagiarised from Thomas Rockwell, as I do indeed appreciate that (and as already mentioned) the reasons why Andy Moller is deciding to make foods containing insects are indeed interesting and also much more legitimate than Thomas Rockwell’s Billy Forrester with his tendency for making crazy bets, my uncomfortableness with the textual similarities between both novels rather majorly notwithstanding.
Now as far as Beetles, Lighlty Toasted rates as a story in and of itself, and although the opening chapters do feel a bit narrationally slow and dragging, well, as soon as Andy decides to base his essay for the newspaper contest on cooking and taste testing diverse insect including recipes with regard to conservation in mind, the narrative pace of Beetles, Lightly Toasted certainly does pick up quite notch, and Andy as a protagonist also then becomes increasingly likeable and relatable as a character (although yes, that Andy in Beetles, Lightly Toasted is so picky an eater that he forces friends and neighbours to taste his insect cuisine creations but refuses to do so himself, while this is of course both funny and entertaining, it is also for me personally majorly frustrating, as I have had far too many issues with entitled and constantly complaining eaters over the decades).
But sadly and finally, even though Beetles, Lightly Toasted has been generally a decently enjoyable and entertaining personal reading experience (and yes, totally aside from how akin much of Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s featured text is to Thomas Rockwell), that in Beetles, Lightly Toasted the one "token" African American family is textually described and shown by Naylor using (and in particular for 1989) some majorly annoying and bordering on the unacceptable stereotypes is truly majorly rubbing me the wrong proverbial way, with the family supposedly having skin the colour of gravy, running a soul food restaurant and so on and so on. And albeit the interracial friendship between Andy and Sam is obviously well-intentioned by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and also serves as a positive element in Beetles, Lightly Toasted, Sam as a character and especially if compared to Andy is annoyingly one-dimensional and rather a strange collage of annoying clichés (and honestly, this is pretty impossible to either ignore or to make light of in Beetles, Lightly Toasted and in particular if and when it comes from the pen of a noted and celebrated children's author such as Phyllis Reynolds Naylor).
Now as far as Beetles, Lighlty Toasted rates as a story in and of itself, and although the opening chapters do feel a bit narrationally slow and dragging, well, as soon as Andy decides to base his essay for the newspaper contest on cooking and taste testing diverse insect including recipes with regard to conservation in mind, the narrative pace of Beetles, Lightly Toasted certainly does pick up quite notch, and Andy as a protagonist also then becomes increasingly likeable and relatable as a character (although yes, that Andy in Beetles, Lightly Toasted is so picky an eater that he forces friends and neighbours to taste his insect cuisine creations but refuses to do so himself, while this is of course both funny and entertaining, it is also for me personally majorly frustrating, as I have had far too many issues with entitled and constantly complaining eaters over the decades).
But sadly and finally, even though Beetles, Lightly Toasted has been generally a decently enjoyable and entertaining personal reading experience (and yes, totally aside from how akin much of Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s featured text is to Thomas Rockwell), that in Beetles, Lightly Toasted the one "token" African American family is textually described and shown by Naylor using (and in particular for 1989) some majorly annoying and bordering on the unacceptable stereotypes is truly majorly rubbing me the wrong proverbial way, with the family supposedly having skin the colour of gravy, running a soul food restaurant and so on and so on. And albeit the interracial friendship between Andy and Sam is obviously well-intentioned by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and also serves as a positive element in Beetles, Lightly Toasted, Sam as a character and especially if compared to Andy is annoyingly one-dimensional and rather a strange collage of annoying clichés (and honestly, this is pretty impossible to either ignore or to make light of in Beetles, Lightly Toasted and in particular if and when it comes from the pen of a noted and celebrated children's author such as Phyllis Reynolds Naylor).
April 8, 2020
This is one of the few books I have read this year that I wished I could give 6 stars. The author really went into details and painted a vivid image of the Andy's story. I really enjoyed it. However, this is definitely a book for fifth grade and up. Some of the interactions any not be appropriate for younger children.
May 26, 2025
This should be first in a series. I'd love to have a chance to forgive the aunt for wanting the Soul Food restaurant to fail, as she accused the family from St. Louis as being 'foreigners' and as likely to fail as the Chinese and others on that site. I'd like to get to know Lois better, too. And Jake, for that matter.
What I really wish is that Andy had realized that his recipes are actually pretty good. And for adults to make them sometimes.
I like the exercise from the teacher for imagination. Andy thought of 14 things to do with a brick. I'll have to try that next time I have trouble sleeping.
What I really wish is that Andy had realized that his recipes are actually pretty good. And for adults to make them sometimes.
I like the exercise from the teacher for imagination. Andy thought of 14 things to do with a brick. I'll have to try that next time I have trouble sleeping.
July 29, 2009
Andy and his fifth-grade classmates are psyched about an essay contest sponsored by the local newspaper. The prize is fifty bucks, a pin that says imagination, and recognition by the newspaper. Andy, an extremely finicky eater who won't touch certain foods just because he doesn't like the sound of such words as okra or because the concept of a pie made from sweet potatoes freaks him out, decides to write his essay about how people can eat beetles, grubs, and worms in order to save on grocery expenses. In order to write this essay, he has to prepare a few recipes that include these ingredients, and he can't very well taste the resulting dishes himself, so he lets his family and classmates try them instead, without their knowing what they're eating.
I disagree with one GoodReads reviewer who calls this a simple story. While the plot is quite linear and even predictable, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor populates her book with interesting characters, tricky group dynamics, and the kinds of details that betray a serious appreciation for rural life. In telling her silly story, Naylor doesn't let her characters off easily when it comes to the meaningful questions that occur to Andy and his classmates. Why does Andy have such difficulty getting along with his same-aged cousin Jack? Is there an element of racism in his Aunt's apparent dislike for the soul-food restaurant owned by the family of Andy's best friend Sam? In a community whose members are dependent upon each other for their survival, what kinds of behaviors are tolerated and what kinds of behaviors are unacceptable? How are the values of these farming families different from the values of urban families, such as Sam's?
The author doesn't dwell on these questions, but she does present them and she allows her characters to inhabit them for brief moments before moving on with the story, creating a rich 130 pages that will reward thoughtful readers. There's much to discuss here for parents and teachers guiding kids through the reading.
I read Shiloh , the Newbery-Medal-winning novel by the same author, last year. While that novel is definitely more ambitious in its dealing with social issues, I found its resolution somewhat disappointing. Perhaps the weight of that gold medallion on the book's jacket added to my expectations, but whatever the reason, Beetles, Lightly Toasted is sort of the opposite: a seemingly silly story with a surprising depth and a resolution that had me laughing out loud.
I definitely prefer this one.
I disagree with one GoodReads reviewer who calls this a simple story. While the plot is quite linear and even predictable, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor populates her book with interesting characters, tricky group dynamics, and the kinds of details that betray a serious appreciation for rural life. In telling her silly story, Naylor doesn't let her characters off easily when it comes to the meaningful questions that occur to Andy and his classmates. Why does Andy have such difficulty getting along with his same-aged cousin Jack? Is there an element of racism in his Aunt's apparent dislike for the soul-food restaurant owned by the family of Andy's best friend Sam? In a community whose members are dependent upon each other for their survival, what kinds of behaviors are tolerated and what kinds of behaviors are unacceptable? How are the values of these farming families different from the values of urban families, such as Sam's?
The author doesn't dwell on these questions, but she does present them and she allows her characters to inhabit them for brief moments before moving on with the story, creating a rich 130 pages that will reward thoughtful readers. There's much to discuss here for parents and teachers guiding kids through the reading.
I read Shiloh , the Newbery-Medal-winning novel by the same author, last year. While that novel is definitely more ambitious in its dealing with social issues, I found its resolution somewhat disappointing. Perhaps the weight of that gold medallion on the book's jacket added to my expectations, but whatever the reason, Beetles, Lightly Toasted is sort of the opposite: a seemingly silly story with a surprising depth and a resolution that had me laughing out loud.
I definitely prefer this one.
April 1, 2025
Read this with my kids ( I read this as a kid). The beginning is slow but once the fun starts, it’s gross and silly just as I recalled.
April 17, 2015
Only fifth-graders at Andy’s school in rural Iowa have a chance to enter the Roger B. Sunderman memorial essay contest. The writer of the essay that displays the most imagination and inventiveness wins a $50.00 prize, plus the winner’s picture in the paper. Andy is very excited about entering the contest until he learns the topic entrants are required to write about--conservation. Andy is bummed about the seemingly droll topic and almost bows out, until he learns his cousin--and rival--Jack plans to enter. Andy is worried that his essay would never be as good as his cousin’s, until a beetle crossing his path gives Andy some inspiration. Andy soon thinks of how beetles, as well as worms and pupae, can help conserve the nation’s food supply.
Fans of How to Eat Fried Worms will also like this very humorous novel. Andy’s family and friends unwittingly prove his point that toasted beetles taste good in brownies, and that fried worms taste just like applesauce. Andy also soon realizes that he may have more in common with Jack than he thinks. Good booktalk choice for 4-6th graders in the genre of “creepy crawlies.”
Fans of How to Eat Fried Worms will also like this very humorous novel. Andy’s family and friends unwittingly prove his point that toasted beetles taste good in brownies, and that fried worms taste just like applesauce. Andy also soon realizes that he may have more in common with Jack than he thinks. Good booktalk choice for 4-6th graders in the genre of “creepy crawlies.”
September 7, 2015
This book was a little old for my 1st grader - some of the situations (like getting revenge), character traits, and vocab were a bit advanced, but the story line itself was very entertaining. This was a book I read as a kid and it had an impact on me which is why I decided to hunt it down and buy a copy. My son really enjoyed the subject matter and we learned some interesting ways to eat insects. This book will always make me wonder how deep-fried applesauce-fed worms would taste. Ha!
December 28, 2008
Definitely a fun concept, but I had a hard time believing that all the kids would get so excited about an essay contest.
July 24, 2020
Might not want to read this to the kids if they’re the kind who’ll run with it. I’ve been shooting down attempts to harvest beetles and nightcrawlers in my garden, and pretty adamantly declaring that I will not put anything in the brownies brownies.
That said, it’s a fun read, enjoyed by both my rising first and third graders. There are a few problematic depictions of cooking as women’s work – not atypical for a rural Iowa farm town in the ‘80s, but definitely something that prompted some discussion because of the assumed gender roles. Likewise, the fact that Sam and Travers and their families are essentially the only Black characters in the whole book, and until they give up the secret of their recipe for biscuits, Aunt Wanda thinks of them as “foreigners.” The author handles that deftly, by having the older boys poke fun at her for thinking anyone from outside the town is a foreigner, but still something to be aware of and discuss with young readers.
That said, it’s a fun read, enjoyed by both my rising first and third graders. There are a few problematic depictions of cooking as women’s work – not atypical for a rural Iowa farm town in the ‘80s, but definitely something that prompted some discussion because of the assumed gender roles. Likewise, the fact that Sam and Travers and their families are essentially the only Black characters in the whole book, and until they give up the secret of their recipe for biscuits, Aunt Wanda thinks of them as “foreigners.” The author handles that deftly, by having the older boys poke fun at her for thinking anyone from outside the town is a foreigner, but still something to be aware of and discuss with young readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2021
3.5 stars - my kids enjoyed this one and it grossed us all out suitably and was a fun and different type of book than our usual read alouds. I was annoyed by the main kid and his bad attitudes and made sure my kids knew he had a bad attitude.
August 12, 2022
I really liked this book as a kid! As an adult reading it to my kids, I found it surprisingly calm. Usually I liked more excitement in my books, but I guess eating bugs was enough for me. It's well-written and cheerful, and my kids enjoyed it.
April 22, 2020
I kept my copy from childhood but haven’t read it since then, so I decided to give it a try. Definitely still a funny and interesting book!
October 20, 2020
This is lile a bug version of how to eat fried worms
October 5, 2021
Very fun! Might be a bad influence for younger kids to put things in other people's food without them knowing...
December 22, 2021
Check out my book review of "Beetles, Lightly Toasted" here!
https://www.wethinkersthree.com/post/...
https://www.wethinkersthree.com/post/...
October 28, 2023
This is a book I remembered reading as a kid, and just read it together with my 10 year old. Still enjoyed it. Great book for a 5th grader!
December 6, 2016
One of my favourite books as a youth. Still as great as I remember.
September 16, 2008
This book is about a boy named Andy Moller who tries to do the most degusting thing to be in the local newspaper.He wants to win to win the essay contest so he can get fifty dollars.He use beetles and he toasts them.He will do what ever it takes,but when it comes to his family and friends he will stop.
November 10, 2008
This book is about this boy who enters a contest about using your imagination. The winner who wins gets their picture in the newspaper. The boy, Andy, always wanted to be in the newspaper, since everyone in his family has except for him. But Andy's way for imagination is making delicios food out of beetles, worms, and ants!
March 6, 2009
Don't let the title turn you off. This was a great book for any geek kid, instilling very solid scientific ideals. In retrospect it was probably terribly formulaic, but I loved it. Thanks to What's The Name of That Book??? group for helping me find it.
August 30, 2008
Simple, entertaining story.
September 18, 2009
The first Phyllis Reynolds Naylor book that I read, and a favorite of mine as a kid - it's still one that I like to suggest sometimes when I get 4th/5th grade Readers Advisory questions.
December 25, 2009
it was an excelent book to read it was a little disturbing when he put bugs in all the food
July 25, 2010
I might have liked it more if it didn't gross me out so much and the movie based on this book (at least I thik it is) is awesome and the book was pretty good too minus the disgusting beetles =P
April 16, 2012
Good read aloud for 6th graders.
June 22, 2012
Another old favorite I'm rereading with the kids. The 8-year-old enjoyed it much more than the 6-year-old, but we all got a kick out of it. :)
April 23, 2013
Definately a good rural read as it focuses on a small farming community and the creativity some fifth grade boys have for a contest.
Read
January 21, 2011I LOVED IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews