Boy Bites Bug

by Rebecca Petruck

Will didn’t plan to eat a stinkbug. But when his friend Darryl called new kid Eloy Herrera a racial slur, Will did it as a diversion. Now Will is Bug Boy, and everyone is cracking up inventing insect meals for him, like French  flies  and  maggot -aroni and   fleas .

Turns out eating bugs for food is a real thing, called entomophagy . Deciding that means he can use a class project to feed everyone grasshoppers, Will bargains for Eloy’s help in exchange for helping him with wrestling, but their growing friendship only ticks off Darryl more.

Will may have bitten off more than he can chew as crickets, earthworm jerky—even a scorpion—end up on his plate, but insects are the least of his problems. When things with Darryl and Eloy heat up, Will wrestles with questions of loyalty, honor—and that maybe not all friendships are worth fighting for.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Sports, Humor, Friendship, Childrens, Fiction

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 8, 2018

About the author

Rebecca Petruck is the author of BOY BITES BUG and STEERING TOWARD NORMAL, both with ABRAMS/Amulet.

BUG received a starred review from ABA Booklist, who said it’s "...funny, perceptive, and topical in more ways than one." It was a Louisiana and Minnesota youth reading award nominee.

STEERING was an American Booksellers Association New Voices selection as well as a Kids Indie Next List title.

She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from UNC Wilmington. She has been a mentor for SCBWI Carolinas, Pitch Wars, and Writing in the Margins.

Visit Rebecca at http://rebeccapetruck.com.

Reviews

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will and Darryl have been friends for a long time, but then Darryl says something nasty to Eloy, the new kid at school, and Will doesn’t like this at all. To show he doesn’t appreciate the remark, Will eats a stinkbug. It's an impulse reaction and Will thinks his popular days are gone after doing something that might be considered stupid. However, when he arrives at school he's being given the name Bug Boy and he’s actually more popular than he used to be. Eloy tells him bugs can taste deliciously when prepared well. His father is the chef of Will’s favorite restaurant and this makes Will curious. He declares himself an entomophagist and makes it his mission to inspire others to eat bugs too and a class project is his first attempt.

Will needs Eloy’s help to make his plan succeed and in exchange he’ll teach Eloy everything he knows about wrestling. Eloy wants to join the school team and Will has been wrestling for years. Unfortunately it makes Darryl angry that Will spends a lot of time with Eloy. Will he be able to keep both of his friends or does he have to choose? And can Will’s newfound passion for bugs unite them or will it only make things worse?

Boy Bites Bugs is a fantastic fascinating story. I loved Will. He isn’t afraid to be himself and follows his instincts. When he makes a mistake he apologizes and he’s a loyal friend. He messes up, but he also makes things right if they go wrong. He’s a great main character and I loved his interest in bugs, it’s truly inspirational. I enjoyed reading about his adventures with the creatures, they're intriguing, hilarious and surprising and the way Will handles things often made me laugh out loud. He might be struggling with an abundance of bugs, friendship dilemmas and insecurities about wrestling, but he never gives up and keeps trying. I really liked his story and read it with a big smile on my face.

Rebecca Petruck has an amazing captivating writing style that drew me in straight away. I loved her vivid descriptions, she makes everything she writes about come to life in a terrific dynamic way. She clearly understands her main characters and their feelings and fabulously explores each layer of the problems they’re dealing with. This makes Boy Bites Bug entertaining, charming and a lot of fun with a great level of depth and plenty of wisdom. I highly recommend this wonderful book.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, don't be fooled by the title or the cover. Even though insects do get eaten in this story, it's not a story about eating bugs. This is a story about navigating middle school friendship and wrestling. Will, Simon, Darryl, and new kid Eloy are 7th graders at Triton Middle School, a school so small; the elementary, middle & high schools are in the same buildings and students are bused in from three surrounding communities. Will, Simon and Darryl have been friends forever. When Darryl calls new kid Eloy a name, Will defends him. Then Will and Eloy join the wrestling team and become teammates. How will defending Eloy and joining the wrestling team change Will's friendship with Simon and Darryl. Can he be friends with all 3 boys? What about Eloy? Does he want to be friends with Will?
Kids in small town rural Minnesota will love this! It's set in Dodge Center, MN which is a real town about halfway between Owatonna and Rochester. Triton is a real school. There are mentions of 4-H, farming, showing cattle, hunting, and the Mayo Clinic. This is also the perfect book to share with anyone who says there are no sports books about wrestling or those wanting a story that includes 4-H.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Petruck has such a knack for balancing the weightiness of her plot themes (In this case a boy making a racist comment) with humorous moments. Will knows what Darryl said is wrong and struggles with how to deal with it. Will's friendship with Simon and Darryl is a part of who he is. Initially, he reacts by eating a bug, but he's also upset by what Darryl said. At the same time, he's also concerned about hurting Darryl's feelings. The story really hits those middle-grade feelings of wanting to fit in while also wanting to be true to your friends or loyal. Knowing they have your back and wanting to reciprocate. Simon provides much of the comic relief and tries to keep the peace between Will and Darryl. He seemed to be concerned that Will is pulling away from Darryl over his actions, but also disagree's with what Darryl did. It's an interesting look at how these boys friendships change with many questions for the reader to ponder. Like "Shouldn't a real friend not make you feel crappy for trying to be a decent person? And shouldn't they want to be decent too?" Also whether it's ok for two friends to call each other "dorks or jerks? " Or is that just perpetuating the same behavior? The story illustrates the challenges when people outgrow each other or the impacts when two friends beliefs and ideas aren't the same anymore.

By nature, I'm not usually a squeamish person. There is that one time that I picked up a dried up earthworm thinking it was a piece of string and almost slipped on the stairs, but that was because I was expecting to have a piece of string in my hand the whole thing just took me by surprise. Petruck does make entomophagy or using insects as a source of food sound intriguing. Incorporating Will's presentation to the class into the story really highlights how livestock is becoming a strain on the environment, how other cultures already have their own form of edible insects and the important role that insects can play as an alternative food source. The details were very interesting to read and really makes you think about the kind of impact that humans are having on the environment. Plus it also makes for some amusing moments when a box of crickets escapes and they try to round them up.

Aside from entomophagy, Boy Bites Bug also touches on wrestling. Will and Eloy are going to try out for the wrestling team. Initially, Will makes a few assumptions about Eloy and his culture and is threatened by how Eloy is more muscular then he is. But in the end, Will apologizes and tries to do better each time. They're both nervous about being the youngest two on the team and develop a lovely friendship. There are many details about them practicing for their first match, the importance of cleaning the mats, performing skin checks and even some of their workout routines, giving me a new appreciation for the sport. Overall this was a truly thought-provoking book with a very positive message of following your gut. If you're the adventurous type there are even recipes to try from The Eat-a-Bug Cookbook, by David Gordon at the end of the book.

* I received an ARC paperback from the publisher as a part of a giveaway sponsored by Amulet Books in exchange for an honest review*

[Jessica Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca Petruck has done it again. She did it with STEERING TOWARD NORMAL and she's done it with BOY BITES BUG--male friendships, sibling relationships, and authentic voices that ring so true that you'd swear these boys live down the street from you. Yes, there are plenty of bugs in this book, but it's the heart that won me over (though I might have to try some of the handy buggy recipes she put in the back). Love the aspect of the book that speaks to environmental responsibility, and adored the brief mentions of Diggy from STEERING TOWARD NORMAL.

[Sharon Pegram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will Nolan's bug-eating adventure strikes a great balance between being a funny school story and exploring more serious challenges that friendships can encounter, both old and new ones. It's timely without getting the least bit preachy and enormously entertaining to read.

[Christine Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hysterical middle grade book about a boy who eats a stinkbug😲 How can you not read this?

[Rajiv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Netgalley in providing me an e-ARC of the book.

I enjoyed reading “Boy Bites Bug” for many reasons. Firstly, I really liked Will as the main protagonist. He makes impulsive decisions, but he learns from his mistakes, like when he accidentally says something offensive to Eloy. He learns to be brave by standing up for his friends and doing the right thing. In short, the author has portrayed Will as a realistic kid growing up. Eloy and his family were also good as support characters. However, Simon was my favorite character in the novel, as he was hilarious and silly. The author has touched on the issue of racism, and also brought something new to the table by introducing entomophagy.

I think it is a very interesting topic that has not been touched on middle grade genre before (or I have not come across it yet). Considering that our population is increasing and we have limited resources, entomophagy is a good way of exploring insects as a food alternative, and the author provides important information and resources at the end to learn more. Even though I still get queasy by the thought of eating bugs, after reading this book, I was curious to try it if I ever got the chance. The book also covers wrestling, which I thought was a great idea to encourage male readers to read this book.

Probably the only thing that could have been better was resolving Will and Darryl’s friendship. I did not feel like there was any closure to their arguments. Considering that they have been friends for so long, I felt that they would have worked out their differences. Even though I knew their friendship wouldn’t be as strong anymore, I was hoping there would be a conversation between them to try resolving it.

Overall, I enjoyed reading “Boy Bites Bug” and would give it a rating of 4/5 stars.

[Laretta · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Petruck successfully weaves such important themes as bias, solidarity, and coming to recognize one’s own privilege and prejudice together, delivering them in a plot that is so very middle school (bugs! sports!) that it will hopefully appeal to a broad audience who might not otherwise choose to read about these crucial topics.

An admirable feat that entertains even as it instructs." Kirkus

[Tena Edlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rainbow Challenge: Green

I chose this book for the green cover, but I enjoyed it for itself. I liked the parts about wrestling, entomophagy, and standing up for people who need a voice. I don't know that I'll ever make any of the recipes at the end of the book, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued. Definitely a unique book in the realistic fiction genre for young people.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 10yo son and I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'll include both my thoughts and my son's.

10yo: "I enjoyed this book because of the sense of humor and many of the characters. I know I've felt very uncomfortable in school when slurs have been used, and I think this book teaches you how to stand up to that. It also teaches you to not make assumptions about people from different cultures. I like the jokes especially that Simon made. I would recommend this book to 5th or 6th graders. And it teaches you, like in the synopsis, that not all friendships are worth fighting for."

I found this book to be a great book to read with my son. We read it together, which gave us a lot of time to talk about the content and the implications of what happened as the plot unfolded. I do think that kids would be fine to read it alone, but for my neurodiverse son, I knew he would need some of the extra support detangling some of the complex social situations. I appreciated the book's tackling of the very real and relatable challenges associated with middle school and what happens when someone you grew up with, someone who has been a friend since day 1 of elementary, says or does something that no longer aligns with who you are and who you are growing into being. The book offers authentic and empathetic insight into how squirrely those feelings are and helps readers to understand what it really means to value diversity. The book tempers the emotional with down right humorous scenes with a good balance, without ever making light or making fun. More importantly, it tackles why some jokes aren't funny when they come at the expense of someone's identity. Also, having read Steering Toward Normal, Petruck's first book, it was also nice to see the town from another family's perspective and see familiar and loved characters make cameos.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story has a very interesting way of teaching kids to be thoughtful about how they view others, as well as thinking about how to deal with a friend who begins crossing lines. In this case, the main character Will must tackle (wresting pun intended?) the fact that one of his best friends, Darryl, is behaving like a prejudiced person and doesn’t seem willing to change. Will has to decide what’s really important to him and what he won’t tolerate. At the beginning, he decides to cut tension between his “best friend” and the new kid Eloy by popping a stinkbug in his mouth, earning him accidental admiration at school the following days and weeks, for being “bug boy.” “What will he eat next??” He decides to go with it, eventually eating cooked grasshoppers in front of class. This only makes his ex-best friend act out more.

This is set against a middle school backdrop, with Will being on the wrestling team. The newer kid at school, Eloy, was the target of Darryl’s racially charged insult, and Will feels responsible for fixing that issue. Will and Eloy become buddies, and with Eloy joining the wrestling team, it gives them more time to get to know each other. But still, Will finds himself uncertain of his own motives at times. He has to examine his own preconceived ideas. This would open up a wonderful discussion with children in the home or a school setting - or anywhere they feel like they can open up. Sometimes friends grow apart, and sometimes mean people just won’t accept that they’re wrong. Kids should consider what they might do in similar situations.

I loved the cricket catastrophe at Will’s house, and the funny names of bug-related food the kids came up with. Like: bee-ritos, ant-chovy pizza, and moth-olate cake.

[Kadie Hayward Mullins · Rating 4 out of 5]

@kidlitexchange #partner – I can only think of a handful of middle grade and young adult novels positively portraying male-to-male friendships. Finding one that does so while also delicately addressing the complicated nature of identity (the ones we’re born into and the ones we create) was a wonderful treat. @rebecca_petruck brilliantly captured the awkward dynamic of growing up and sometimes out of life-long friendships, learning how to take ownership of our mistakes, and making the best of unpleasant situations.

Will, driven by friend Daryl’s use of a racial slur directed at Eloy, another classmate, decides to divert attention eating a stinkbug earning himself the title of ‘bug boy.’ This heat of the moment reaction and the school’s response to it sparks a deep interest in entomophagy (the practice of eating bugs). Petruck does a fabulous job of weaving fascinating nonfiction material related to this important and interesting topic into a fast-paced and fun read complete with wrestling, fart jokes, and some subtle coming of age undertones manageable for even young middle grade readers.

This would be a great parent-child read along or solo read for 8-12 year old kids, especially boys, but I have to admit – I have fun reading it solo as an adult! It doesn’t feel too heavy handed or hokey, despite the heavy themes. I’ll be ordering a copy of my 12-year-old niece to read this summer (complete with scorpion and cricket lollipops!).

Join Will on his journey from Bug Boy to Bug King as he learns to be a better friend and an advocate for something he cares about. Out this May!

Thank you to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lively, engaging middle grade novel. Rebecca Petruck weaves together themes of boys' friendships, family relationships, and prejudice, together my personal favorite: entomophagy, the practice of eating insects. Seventh-grader Will is faced with a personal crisis when his lifelong friend Darryl uses a racial slur against a new boy in the class, Eloy. He struggles to deal with his feelings about Darryl and his own inadvertent insensitivity to Eloy and his cultural background. The story weaves in plenty of humor as another friend, Simon, goes for laughs with high jinks amid the boys' shifting alliances. Petruck does a good job portraying the friendships both old and new, as well as relationships between Will and his sister and the boys' families. She also conveys a realistic sense of the culture of a school wrestling team. And of course, she provides a fun introduction to the serious subject of entomophagy (which, full disclosure, I've spent years researching myself). Importantly, it's not just about the "ick" factor, but also about the true environmental and health benefits that eating insects offers the world.

I love that Petruck wrote nonfiction back matter for this novel, including a helpful guide to eating insects with important safety pointers, recipes, and other resources. I also really enjoyed the author's note about her path to publication, e.g., sensitivity readers, bug-eating research (and cooking experiments), and interviews with middle school wrestlers. This is a book well worth reading, for kids of all ages (the publisher says 8 and up).

Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book -- all opinions are my own.

[Juliana Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca Petruck has written a phenomenally hilarious book in BOY BITES BUG! In it, one of Will's very best friends uses a racial slur against another student--this steam rolls into a desperate moment in which Will eats a stinkbug, setting into motion a class project of eating bugs and the creation of new, wonderful friendships.

Petruck covers a weighty subject with care, and more importantly, with appropriate humor. She delves into Will's head, seemingly to understand exactly how a boy Will's age would feel and handle a deeply uncomfortable subject. The friendships she has written feel authentic and real, changing and growing and confronting issues among themselves in a heartfelt, true way. I found myself re-reading multiple scenes between Will and his friends, purely to laugh at their antics and feel the heart woven into their escapades.

This will be a fantastic read for a *wide* age-range of kids. I absolutely don't see this appealing to just boys with the male main character and male friendships. I can see girls laughing their heads off and enjoying the realness of the conflict Will feels. I can also see this being a GREAT read aloud book for a teacher to use with their students or a parent with their kid(s). There are so many opportunities for discussion!

Lastly, it's obvious Petruck did her research on this one. There's no way someone could write bugs so delightfully grotesque unless they'd delved heavily into the subject matter. The amount of times I said "EWWW UGH!" out loud while reading was a treat!

[Elna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The synopsis makes it sound hokey, and it is, a little, but entomophagy is close to my heart so I had to give it a try.

And I was pleasantly surprised! Rebecca Petruck aptly realized that, while there are many "friendship" books for girls, there was a dearth of books on the same subject for boys. And while I don't believe in "boy" and "girl" books, it's true that kids prefer to read about people similar to them, and female friendships are different from male ones.

Will's dedication to Darryl, even when he's clearly in the wrong, is admirable, as is his skill to self-police (even though I'm not sure how realistic it is that he'd be constantly expecting Eloy to be less like them? I've never had this experience, though, being Mexican myself [and my uncle's name is Eloy!], so I can buy that it might be a thing for kids to realize that they expect people of different backgrounds to act differently). His friendship with Simon and eventually Eloy is realistic and warm, and his enthusiasm for his science project is great.

It's definitely true that entomophagy is a very foreign subject for Americans, and that Will needed to make it approachable in any way he could, though I can see Eloy's frustration as well. The characters were well thought out, as were the conflicts. Very much recommended to middle schoolers.

[Justine Ridder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book actually made me want to gag at multiple points during it. Did you know that eating bugs for food is a real thing? It's called entomophagy. Will decides to eat a live stink bug to distract the class from the fact that one of his best friends, Darryl, just called one of their new classmates, Eloy, a racial slur. Will becomes "Bug Boy" after this. He becomes almost a celebrity in the school. Will decides to take this up a few notches by trying to feed his class crickets after a class project. Will and Eloy slowly become friends, but hinders Will and Darryl's friendship. Will has to figure out if all friendships (no matter how long) are worth fighting for. Will also is learning to not stereotype people based on what they look like.

Another aspect of this book that made it unique was Will love wrestling. Eloy has never wrestled before but signed up for the school's team. Will has been helping Eloy in return for helping him with his school project.

"...Darryl hadn't simply called Eloy 'some name'; he'd given him crap about who he was. Will, Darryl, and Simon called one another dorks and jerks and idiots all the time, but it wasn't the same, and Will knew it." p. 72

"Everything Will explains in his class presentation is true. The global population will grow significantly in the next several decades and food resources are already strained. Many insects are wonderful sources of protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates, minerals like calcium and iron, and vitamins like B1 and B2. But, 'Eek-bugs!'" (Epilogue)

[Catey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart, sweet book about 7th-grader Will Nolan learning to navigate a new friendship that impacts several areas of his life that have been constant, even taken for granted. Petruck deals with heavy issues like racism, cultural ignorance and bullying with a light hand that never feels preachy or scolding. The stakes feel high even though the core of the story is pretty "quiet," about old and new friendships and Will's struggle between being funny and making jokes out of things he cares about. I loved these boys, and I really don't usually love middle school boys, fictional or otherwise. Great parent characters, great plot pacing, plus a truly fantastic big sister/little brother sibling pair. I'd recommend this to anyone, but especially middle-school-ish readers looking for a funny story with just the right amount of depth.

[Karin Lefranc · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read BOY BITES BUG with my 10-year-old son, and we both loved it. The boys voices are spot and packed with lots of delicious boy humor. The story begins with a racial slur and to deflect from what's happening, the main character Will ends up eating a stinkbug. But we get more than a good story here, we also learn that eating bugs is actually a thing called entomophagy, and it's good for the planet and good for you! You'll have no trouble devouring this tasty story, and when you're done, you might be inspired to order some chocolate-covered ants or try one of the real bug recipes at the end of the book!

[Caitlyn]

#partner Thank you @kidlitexchange for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. This is a realistic story about a white boy in rural Minnesota who is not sure what to do when one of his best friends makes a racist comment to a new student. Will learns many lessons about cultural appropriation and what it means to be an ally. He makes many mistakes and digs himself into deep holes, finally coming to terms with how he was a “bonehead,” and overcomes his own preconceived notions about what it means to be Mexican-American. All of this is set with an entertaining backdrop of bug eating and being part of the wrestling team. #bookstagram #kidlitexchange

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will purchase this one for my library. The bug pranks kept the story going and am glad to have a book about wrestling that isn't just all about the sport. There is a good blend of sports, friendship drama, and family. Just a little slow in parts as the author goes on a bit too much with descriptions of how Will acted incorrectly and his angst over it. Felt a bit like a lecture in those parts to me. Kids may not pick up on it.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think is book is an excellent example of how to tackle a couple of potentially heavy subjects in a light, honest, engaging way. It was nice to see a character realize he can use a wrong way to try to do the right thing, and it was nice to see him not try to use good intentions as an excuse to be a bonehead.

[Debbie Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will is a middle schooler in a small town in Minnesota. He lives with his supportive and protective family (mom, dad, big sister) and has good friends. There's a new boy in town and when one of his oldest friends uses a racial slur against the new boy, Will takes offense and tries to stand up for the new boy. He ends up eating a stink bug and gaining some notoriety around that event and tries to make friends with the new boy. What's great about this story is how Eloy, the new boy, constantly calls out Will for his racial insensitivity -I think a lot of kids will see themselves as Will, the kid who's trying to do the right thing and ends up making things worse. I thought it was a great story and I can't wait to see how the kids like it.

[J.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you pick up a book just at the right time. In Boy Bites Bug, Rebecca Petruck explores toxic masculinity, racism, and friendship in a way that will appeal to everyone from reluctant readers to parents looking to make sense of current events. And it’s full of delightfully geeky and gross bug science, too—an added bonus.

[Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fun, engaging book with a cool gross-factor, but not too gross for squeamish readers. There are also really thoughtful relationships and character growth. Friendships and racial issues are explored. I read this aloud to my kids and we all enjoyed it a lot!

[Mary Anne Matys · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book about Minnesota 7th graders. The line that stuck with me is from a Mom. “It doesn’t matter what people think.”
Making assumptions about people just because they are different is something everyone can relate to.

[Rebecca Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was a lot I loved about Boy Bites Bug--that it started with a legal warning about the recipes included. Kids, don’t try making chocolate-covered ants or wax worm cookies without consulting your parents! And there were so many laugh-out-loud moments!

But the book is not just about laughs. There is real heart in the struggles Will has with how to be loyal to old friends and new ones, and as he wrestles with how his mistakes have hurt those around him. The story has a quick pace and characters the seem ready to step off the pages. It’s a great book for middle schools interested in bugs, wrestling, or just dealing with friendships as they and the people around them grow up and change. Highly recommended!

Love young adult and middle grade books? We have loads of reviews on thewingedpen.com!

[Oceantide74 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and a fun read. I really liked the character of Will. I have to admit since my home has too many stink bug visitors, the picture of them on the pages made my skin crawl! Bad bug!!

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will eats a stinkbug and Petruck describes it in all it's graphic detail. Not on purpose, more of a diversionary tactic. Let's start at the beginning. Will, Simon, and Darryl have been friends since early elementary. Darryl makes a racist comment about Eloy, a new kid who is Hispanic. It's awkward. There's a stinkbug. It's all Will can think of to divert attention from Darryl and Eloy. It's gross.

This is a wonderful book that depicts wrestling, food, eating bugs, and racism in realistic ways. The characters are flawed, but grow. The plot is interesting. An excellent read.

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's the best way to diffuse a tense situation? Eat a stink bug? Seriously?!?!

[Louise Galveston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had great expectations for BOY BITES BUG and was not disappointed. I’m a big fan of Rebecca’s after reading her fabulous debut, STEERING TOWARD NORMAL, and the subject of bug eating sounded like a story after my own middle-grade heart.

In Will Nolan, Rebecca creates a “boneheaded” but very relatable main character. When one of his best friends makes a couple of racist remarks to new kid, Eloy, Will impulsively eats a stinkbug as a diversion, earning the reputation around town of Bug Boy. Will wrestles (literally) and internally throughout the book. He wants to be a good friend, yet wants to keep his newfound coolness. He doesn’t want to be racist, yet often finds himself with preconceived ideas. He wants to get revenge for an over-the-top prank, but can’t bring himself to wound his former friend. This is all written so skillfully that I found myself having several self-examination sessions of my own. And yet the book doesn’t feel lecture-y or didactic.

Fun is sprinkled throughout this book like ants on a sundae (yes, that’s a thing!) There are countless moments of hysterical mayhem, gripping wrestling sequences, and gloriously-described grossness that will keep kids flipping pages. On the subject of description, Rebecca is a master of detail; readers will visualize every curled antennae and taste each bug on their own tongues, crunchy exoskeletons and all. And I can practically guarantee that along with Will, readers will come to believe that eating bugs is beneficial (so long as they are grown for consumption and properly cooked-there are even recipes in the appendix!)

Of special note are the wonderful familial relationships in Will’s orbit. Rebecca has woven plenty of real-life tension into them, but they are refreshingly heartwarming, without too much mush. BOY BITES BUGS earns two thumbs and both big toes up. Absolute middle-grade gold!