Boy Bites Bug by Rebecca Petruck

[conuly]

I said I'd do some book reviews, and here I am, reviewing a book!

It's always easiest for me to talk on and on about the negatives rather than the positives, so we'll start with the positives: This is a very readable book. The characters are realistically written, the serious parts of the plot weren't overdone, and while it wasn't the most hilarious middle grade novel I've ever read it did have good, humorous moments. If your kid(s) happen to enjoy contemporary realistic fiction, go for it.

Now the negatives: On the one hand, we have the story of how one friend ends up drifting away from the other because the other friend is a jerk. This is a popular story in middle grade, and this time it's racism flavored. On the other hand, we have the story about how a kid makes a new friend, does lots of research on eating bugs, and promotes it in his school for the notoriety. Also, he learns he has some implicit bias to take care of, though the book never uses that term.

I'm not saying these stories can't mesh, but I'm not terribly certain that they were well meshed in this book. Even though the plotlines seemed to be intertwined, and certainly one would not have happened without the other, the effect was almost of two different stories.

Secondly, to be honest, I'm a bit bored with the framing of "don't be racist!" stories from the not-a-bigot white kid's point of view. I know there's still a need for those books, and certainly a market for them, but I'm just... kinda over it.

But, again, I'm not the target audience! What's old hat and a bit tired to me won't be so overdone to them.

Crossposted to books.

Comments

[archersangel]

Didn't realize there was a moderation queue there.

there wasn't before. i guess it's because so many are posting now.

[conuly]

That's not my fault.

[archersangel]

sorry. i didn't mean to imply that it was. just stating a fact.

[conuly]

:)

I think we both know I'm the cause of the influx. It's okay.

[glinda]

I think it's only if you're posting for the first time? The first time I posted there it sat in the moderation queue overnight, but subsequently they've appeared straight away. I presume to let them check that you're posting book reviews not spam, then they tick the box so you don't get queued anymore.

[conuly]

Fingers crossed that thsi is the case.

[archangelbeth]

It seemed to be how it worked for me, too! First one moderated. Subsequent not.

[gingicat]

What’s the name of the book?

[conuly]

Boy Bites Bug. It's the title of this post too :)

[gingicat]

If the title had been Boy Bites Bug by Rebecca Petruck, I would have caught that. :p

[conuly]

...fair. Will edit when I wake up.