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Battle Bugs #1
The Lizard War
Never leave a bug behind-- collect all the Battle Bugs books!
Never leave a bug behind!
Bug Island is under attack! The lizard army is invading and the Battle Bugs are losing. Their only hope against the intruders is a strange creature they’ve never seen before--
a human being named Max.
Max doesn’t know how he ended up on Bug Island--but he does know the Battle Bugs need his help!
Never leave a bug behind!
Bug Island is under attack! The lizard army is invading and the Battle Bugs are losing. Their only hope against the intruders is a strange creature they’ve never seen before--
a human being named Max.
Max doesn’t know how he ended up on Bug Island--but he does know the Battle Bugs need his help!
128 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2015
31 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 29, 2015
This is a book that boys and girls who love bugs will enjoy reading. Bug Island is full of surprises. I like that the bugs featured in this book are not scary, creepy ones but cool, fun ones. Max is a good hero. Also he is relatable. Someone that the young readers will connect with and cheer for. The illustrations in this book are great. They add to the story and help make the world of Bug Island come alive. I was so into this book that even though it was short, it was still a fast read. I read it in one quick sitting. I started out reading this book because I wanted to check it out for my nephews but now even I can't wait to read the next books in this series and revisit Bug Island.
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October 10, 2015I would not call this book great literature. But boy is it exciting and engaging! Battle Bugs combines bugs, insects, and various other creepy crawlies in a war with lizards and reptiles. This would be a great book to hand to reluctant readers who are interested in insects or reptiles (although the reptiles are the villains). The plot is pretty straight forward despite the “mystery” of how Max got to the island and it’s full of suspense, quick saves and action.
Max is a cool kid that draws on his knowledge of insects to help them fight and win a battle. I like it when smarts are not something a kid has to be ashamed of. And I like it even more when a kid can totally geek out without shame.
I picked up a copy for a few dollars on Amazon because our second grade does a unit on insects and thought this might tie in nicely with that. I booktalked it to the third graders since it’s closer to their reading level right now and they’ve already asked for more in the series. So far three are out with the fourth coming out in the next couple weeks and the fifth due in January.
Max’s ethnicity is never mentioned in the book, at least not that I caught, and yet he’s drawn as black. I love that the pictures did not default him to white. I do wish he was on the cover, though.
Max is a cool kid that draws on his knowledge of insects to help them fight and win a battle. I like it when smarts are not something a kid has to be ashamed of. And I like it even more when a kid can totally geek out without shame.
I picked up a copy for a few dollars on Amazon because our second grade does a unit on insects and thought this might tie in nicely with that. I booktalked it to the third graders since it’s closer to their reading level right now and they’ve already asked for more in the series. So far three are out with the fourth coming out in the next couple weeks and the fifth due in January.
Max’s ethnicity is never mentioned in the book, at least not that I caught, and yet he’s drawn as black. I love that the pictures did not default him to white. I do wish he was on the cover, though.
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December 19, 2015Cute story!
Boys will DEFINITELY find this awesome.
Although I do love the intricacy of bugs, imagining them the size of buses is not my idea of fun....
Unfortunately that makes me a bit stereotypical as a girl :P hehe.
Regardless, it was a charming story, comparable to Bug's Life.
Boys will DEFINITELY find this awesome.
Although I do love the intricacy of bugs, imagining them the size of buses is not my idea of fun....
Unfortunately that makes me a bit stereotypical as a girl :P hehe.
Regardless, it was a charming story, comparable to Bug's Life.
February 7, 2018
An action-packed adventure story for kids who love bugs. There are a few places where the story gets "teachy", as Max, the main character, is a bug nerd:
"A line from his latest copy of Bugs Weekly magazine popped into his head. 'The first effect of the deadliest scorpion sting is intense, unbearable pain.'"
"A trap door spider, Max realized with a gulp. Bugs Weekly had featured them in a venomous species special. 'Fast, aggressive, and full of deadly venom,' it had said, 'with powerful jaws and sharp fangs, which they use to stab downward into their prey. They can also run extremely fast.'"
What nine-year-old kid remembers verbatim lines from a magazine? Is it necessary that the reader must know every detail? When the main character is the size of a flea, seeing a spider as big as a dinosaur is scary enough without even thinking about venom and how fast it can run. Just a few instances like that throughout the book, which was annoying to me and slowed down the action, but might not matter to a kid who's curious about bugs, or is caught up in the drama of the story.
"A line from his latest copy of Bugs Weekly magazine popped into his head. 'The first effect of the deadliest scorpion sting is intense, unbearable pain.'"
"A trap door spider, Max realized with a gulp. Bugs Weekly had featured them in a venomous species special. 'Fast, aggressive, and full of deadly venom,' it had said, 'with powerful jaws and sharp fangs, which they use to stab downward into their prey. They can also run extremely fast.'"
What nine-year-old kid remembers verbatim lines from a magazine? Is it necessary that the reader must know every detail? When the main character is the size of a flea, seeing a spider as big as a dinosaur is scary enough without even thinking about venom and how fast it can run. Just a few instances like that throughout the book, which was annoying to me and slowed down the action, but might not matter to a kid who's curious about bugs, or is caught up in the drama of the story.
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January 5, 2022the book is about this guy that is in School and found a magical thing that shrinks him to bug size and is now trying to help bugs defeat a lizard team war.
i think that some people will like it if you are into bugs and lizards.
it was a little sad because in one of the pages the leader of the lizards knocked a gecko into the river.
i learned that lizards eat a lot of bugs.
I think it was interesting but I would not want to read it again because I just don't like reading books over and over again.
No I do not want to read the same books by the same author because the art style what's not the best. but in other case is I would.
my favorite part is when all of the bees swoop down to Sting the lizards on a bridge.
i think that some people will like it if you are into bugs and lizards.
it was a little sad because in one of the pages the leader of the lizards knocked a gecko into the river.
i learned that lizards eat a lot of bugs.
I think it was interesting but I would not want to read it again because I just don't like reading books over and over again.
No I do not want to read the same books by the same author because the art style what's not the best. but in other case is I would.
my favorite part is when all of the bees swoop down to Sting the lizards on a bridge.
September 18, 2022
The first set of chapter books that my pre-reading son really enjoys me reading aloud to him. There is an illustration just often enough to augment his imagination. He loves snakes and reptiles and so the facts he gets to learn about in the book, as well as the little boy in this book going on adventures really appeals to him. Nice to see some of your less cute and furry creatures featured in a book!
February 2, 2025
I read this with my son who loves bugs. It resembles other young reader stories like Magic Treehouse, Dinosaur Cove, and Key Hunters in aspects of the storyline and learning something in each book. In this series, I noticed immediate action in the first chapters that continues throughout the story.
September 12, 2018
This MTH knock-off is a hit with my Kindergartner. He wishes there were a few more pictures, but a dynamic reader (such as moi) combined with continual bug-filled action keeps him on the edge of his pillow.
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February 23, 2021Who was your favorite character (and why)? max bc he was wearing a cool shirt
What surprised you? that in 1 page they came out of nowhere and started fighting
Would you change the ending? Why/why not? no because it was a good book
What surprised you? that in 1 page they came out of nowhere and started fighting
Would you change the ending? Why/why not? no because it was a good book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2017
Fast and entertaining read for those that love bugs and books that are quick and easy to get through!!
October 23, 2019
My 9 year old and I enjoyed reading this one together. It's full of adventure and teaches a little about insects. Pretty cool.
September 15, 2020
Its a really good book for young kids. I loved the book and there are many more books in the series!
October 25, 2020
Quick read, simple story, yet it contains a lot of action and adventure. Probably a good book for kids just learning to read chapter books.
July 12, 2023
I really liked it.
February 25, 2025
My 7 year old grandson loves this series.
February 20, 2017
I liked this book because I like scorpions. I also liked this book because I like lizards.
December 30, 2023
This was a great read aloud for my 2nd grade class, especially the boys…bugs, insects, spiders Et al in a battle royal. A great way to teach an Entomology lesson on the down low…
November 28, 2015
Summary: Max takes an amazing trip to Bug Island, the only catch is that he is the same size as the bugs. He escapes being eaten and then helps a scorpion fight off a lizard attack. He convinces the scorpion that he can help the bugs using his big brain, so the scorpion takes him to the bugs’ headquarters. He learns how Bug Island was connected to the Lizard Land after a volcano fused the lands together. Now the bugs only hope for survival from the lizards is to cross a river to the other side. The flying bugs could do it easily but the others cannot. Max plans an ant bridge which could support the lightest bugs. On the other side, some of the bugs ate through a tree so that it could fall across the river. The bigger bugs crossed the tree bridge. Then just before the lizards could get them, they pushed the tree into the river and it floated away. Now the bugs were safe, but Max was still their size. As they talked about how he got to be their size, they realized he had been looking at a map of their island through a magnifying glass. All he had to do was reverse the process and he was back to his normal size.
http://julianaleewriter.com/the-cybil...
http://julianaleewriter.com/the-cybil...
July 10, 2015
I loved this book so much, I read it four times in two days!
This is an adventure story of a boy called Max, who suddenly finds himself in Bug Island. He fights the lizards on the side of the bugs in The Lizard War. The bugs are fighting a battle against their predators, the amphibians and reptiles.
I really loved the character Spike, the scorpion. He is funny and very brave too. He stands up to a scary lizard that is several times his size in the beginning of the book. In the later part of the book, Spike takes charge and faces General Komodo. Those were my favorite parts of the book. I liked all the other main characters in the book too – they were all really fun!
The illustrations in this book are okay. I did not really like how the bugs and Max are drawn. The eyes of the bugs make them look scary and weird! I really wish Max and the bugs were drawn to look a little friendlier. The lizards are drawn just fine – they look evil and scary, which is how they should be.
The story itself is great! I love the adventures Max has, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series “Battle Bugs – The Spider Seige”!
Reviewed by Dhruv K. age 6, North Texas Mensa
This is an adventure story of a boy called Max, who suddenly finds himself in Bug Island. He fights the lizards on the side of the bugs in The Lizard War. The bugs are fighting a battle against their predators, the amphibians and reptiles.
I really loved the character Spike, the scorpion. He is funny and very brave too. He stands up to a scary lizard that is several times his size in the beginning of the book. In the later part of the book, Spike takes charge and faces General Komodo. Those were my favorite parts of the book. I liked all the other main characters in the book too – they were all really fun!
The illustrations in this book are okay. I did not really like how the bugs and Max are drawn. The eyes of the bugs make them look scary and weird! I really wish Max and the bugs were drawn to look a little friendlier. The lizards are drawn just fine – they look evil and scary, which is how they should be.
The story itself is great! I love the adventures Max has, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series “Battle Bugs – The Spider Seige”!
Reviewed by Dhruv K. age 6, North Texas Mensa
May 6, 2015
Battle Bugs: The Lizard War by Jack Patton
This is an account of a war between bugs and lizards from the point of view of an eight or nine year boy.
Max loves bugs. Like many boys of eight or nine, he finds pleasure in things that offend parents or siblings. In Max's case, his mom is supportive of his love of bugs. Working in an auction house, Max's mom often brings Max things that haven't sold. One of the things ends up transporting him to Bug Island.
On Bug Island Max is befriended by the bugs whose very existence is being threatened by an invasion of lizards. The book demonstrates acceptance of difference in the variety of bugs Max encounters. It also shows courage in the face of adversity. The book is a low intensity adventure that doesn't appear to have any aspects that would offend a parent. It also appears to be the start of a series. It is a Scholastic paperback which indicates it will be a success due to its backing by Scholastic and their close ties with schools and book fairs.
Web sites: none found
This is an account of a war between bugs and lizards from the point of view of an eight or nine year boy.
Max loves bugs. Like many boys of eight or nine, he finds pleasure in things that offend parents or siblings. In Max's case, his mom is supportive of his love of bugs. Working in an auction house, Max's mom often brings Max things that haven't sold. One of the things ends up transporting him to Bug Island.
On Bug Island Max is befriended by the bugs whose very existence is being threatened by an invasion of lizards. The book demonstrates acceptance of difference in the variety of bugs Max encounters. It also shows courage in the face of adversity. The book is a low intensity adventure that doesn't appear to have any aspects that would offend a parent. It also appears to be the start of a series. It is a Scholastic paperback which indicates it will be a success due to its backing by Scholastic and their close ties with schools and book fairs.
Web sites: none found
October 10, 2015
I thought this book was very, 'out of the human thinking brain,' as Jack Patton uses bugs and its relationship with a human could be like if they communicate. When Jack Patton created this book Jack Patton himself was stuck in this scenery imagining of how he got into this situation and how he is going to get out of this situation and the conflict in the middle whilst he is there. I think this is book is very good and I think many young primary pupils would love to read these types of books.
August 3, 2015
A good second and third grade new series. Gets quickly into it and keeps the characters clear and the plot moving along. I've got some scientific quibbles but that's me being overly nerdy in a book where the kid magically shrinks and appears on a remote island populated by insects.
May 31, 2015
Wyatt had fun reading the battle bugs book and there was a talking scorpion. There was a human being talking scorpion.
January 13, 2016
If you like bugs...
September 22, 2015
A great series for those who like Magic Treehouse!
January 18, 2016
My daughter loved it! Looking forward to reading the whole series.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews