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Billy's Beetle
Billy has lost his beetle. Who will be the one to find it? Mick Inkpen's whimsical watercolors draw children into the quest with the concerned and curious crowd that rallies to help Billy. Children will eagerly join in the fun as Billy and his good-natured friends search for the lost beetle in this appealing tale. Full color.
26 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
30 people want to read
About the author
Mick Inkpen
383 books62 followersMick Inkpen is one of the most popular author/illustrators in the world. His books have sold over 4 million copies, and have been translated into over twenty different languages. His best-loved characters are probably Kipper and Wibbly Pig – who are both stars of their very own TV series!
He began his career as a graphic designer, and worked with another children’s author Nick Butterworth (of Percy the Park Keeper fame) on a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express. In 1989 The Blue Balloon was published to great acclaim, and established him as an important and original voice in children’s picture books. He and his wife, Debbie, also had children of their own by this point: “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”
Mick lives in Essex with his wife and two children.
He began his career as a graphic designer, declining a place to study English at Cambridge University. During this period he worked with Nick Butterworth, a fellow children’s author, from whom he learned design and typography. Together they developed a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express magazine, later to become a first series of children’s picture books. They also worked in children’s television.
In 1989 The Blue Balloon established him as a truly original voice in children’s picture books, by which time Mick and his wife Debbie had two children of their own. “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”
He began his career as a graphic designer, and worked with another children’s author Nick Butterworth (of Percy the Park Keeper fame) on a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express. In 1989 The Blue Balloon was published to great acclaim, and established him as an important and original voice in children’s picture books. He and his wife, Debbie, also had children of their own by this point: “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”
Mick lives in Essex with his wife and two children.
He began his career as a graphic designer, declining a place to study English at Cambridge University. During this period he worked with Nick Butterworth, a fellow children’s author, from whom he learned design and typography. Together they developed a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express magazine, later to become a first series of children’s picture books. They also worked in children’s television.
In 1989 The Blue Balloon established him as a truly original voice in children’s picture books, by which time Mick and his wife Debbie had two children of their own. “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 29, 2025
Yes indeed, were I to consider Mick Inkpen’s 1991 Billy’s Beetle as simply an entertaining little picture book story, the cumulative nature and effect of Inkpen’s text and accompanying images (of multiple animals and people trying to locate Billy’s lost or misplaced beetle and finding all kinds of fun but until the very last instance also not very insect-like objects both animate and inanimate) is exuberant, entertaining and delightfully silly. And as such (and in my humble opinion), Billy’s Beetle would probably also be very much a hit with young children, with the so-called picture book crowd as a read aloud and especially so in a group setting where for example the reader changing his or her voice for the different people and animals looking for Billy’s escaped and missing beetle could and likely would really make Billy’s Beetle even more engaging and full of entertainment (Billy, a little girl, a man walking his dog, a woman buying groceries, a polar bear, an elephant and so on and so on, there are lots of different individuals, and lots of potential voices).
However, even though I do think that in and of itself Billy’s Beetle is a delightful romp for younger children, personally, I in fact and truly really do not agree with Billy obviously having captured a beetle and then having put it in a matchbox, as yes, insects should not be made into pets and they certainly should not be kept in tiny matchboxes. And therefore, if I were actually reading Billy’s Beetle aloud to a young child or to a group of young children, I would before commencing with Mick Inkpen’s text also point out that if truth be told, Billy should not even have a beetle in a matchbox and that Billy is silly (as pointed out by Mick Inkpen) not because he has lost, he has misplaced his “pet” beetle but because he had captured a beetle and placed it into a small and stuffy matchbox in the first place (and that no matter how fun and silly, how entertaining the cumulative search for Billy’s beetle is textually and illustratively, the entire premise of Billy’s Beetle is in fact and in my humble opinion uncomfortably based on animal cruelty).
However, even though I do think that in and of itself Billy’s Beetle is a delightful romp for younger children, personally, I in fact and truly really do not agree with Billy obviously having captured a beetle and then having put it in a matchbox, as yes, insects should not be made into pets and they certainly should not be kept in tiny matchboxes. And therefore, if I were actually reading Billy’s Beetle aloud to a young child or to a group of young children, I would before commencing with Mick Inkpen’s text also point out that if truth be told, Billy should not even have a beetle in a matchbox and that Billy is silly (as pointed out by Mick Inkpen) not because he has lost, he has misplaced his “pet” beetle but because he had captured a beetle and placed it into a small and stuffy matchbox in the first place (and that no matter how fun and silly, how entertaining the cumulative search for Billy’s beetle is textually and illustratively, the entire premise of Billy’s Beetle is in fact and in my humble opinion uncomfortably based on animal cruelty).
January 2, 2019
A fun read-aloud that includes a "spot the beetle" game for the child (or indeed the adult). Billy keeps his pet beetle in a matchbox, but it got out and now he can't find it. A whole crowd of adults offer to help him search, but it's a friendly hedgehog who is best at locating the errant pet. Mick Inkpen's gentle illustrations and soft pastel colours make this a good nap time read.
October 19, 2021
I think it's a good book for reception's up to y5 I think it's got a little bit more pages and a little bit more writing but it's still quite a bit of a small book and I used to love this when I was younger I I will get my grandma or mum to come and read it with me every night before I went to bed it's nice but very funny is a detective book and we're trying to find Billy's beetle
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2019
A favourite author of mine, with lovely illustrations and an amusing story
June 5, 2025
Very silly cumulative story about a missing pet bug.
June 30, 2013
This classic by Mick Inkpen sees Billy enlisting the help of characters ranging from men in bowler hats, to polar bears on the hunt for his lost beetle.
The delightfully expressive illustrations mean that the text could be used to help children in Early Years Foundation Stage to look at pictures for clues as to how characters are feeling. The illustrations depict a range of emotions- from excitement to curiosity- and looking at the illustrations might provide a good opportunity to share new vocabulary.
Even I had fun searching each page to try and find Billy's beetle hiding on people's shoulders and backs. If this book had been read to a child once, they would be able to enjoy it independently again and again, even if they could not read the words. As such, I like this book as it encourages children to see the fun in books and encourages reading for pleasure.
The delightfully expressive illustrations mean that the text could be used to help children in Early Years Foundation Stage to look at pictures for clues as to how characters are feeling. The illustrations depict a range of emotions- from excitement to curiosity- and looking at the illustrations might provide a good opportunity to share new vocabulary.
Even I had fun searching each page to try and find Billy's beetle hiding on people's shoulders and backs. If this book had been read to a child once, they would be able to enjoy it independently again and again, even if they could not read the words. As such, I like this book as it encourages children to see the fun in books and encourages reading for pleasure.
February 26, 2008
I love when I find this book at the library because it truly makes me laugh. I love how random it is - and I love trying to find the beetle in all of the pictures. Great book!! :)
January 21, 2016
Such a mystery - where has the beetle gone? A little like finding Richard Scarry's Gold Bug in "Cars and Trucks and Things that Go."
Fun illustrations.
Fun illustrations.
September 19, 2016
One of my favourite books as a kid.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews