Big Surprise in the Bug Tank (Easy-to-Read, Dial) by Ruth Horowitz

by Ruth Horowitz

Readers first met Sam and Leo on the trail of a runaway roach in Breakout at the Bug Lab, "a book where everything is just right" (School Library Journal, starred review). This time the brothers' giant roaches aren't running, they're multiplying! Can nutty ideas, a bug bet, and a little science solve the population explosion? Both bug fans and the bug-squeamish will have a rousing good time with this funny, clever, action-packed tale that's just right for encouraging independent reading.

Genres: Animals, Childrens, Fiction

Hardcover

First published March 17, 2005

About the author

I have worked as a librarian in a Catholic girls’ high school, raised two children, run for public office, taught Torah at a Hebrew school and served the causes of truth and grammar as a contributing editor at Vermont’s alternative weekly newspaper, Seven Days. I grew up in Montclair, New Jersey, and also spent part of my childhood in Paris. Since then I’ve lived in Los Angeles and Burlington, Vermont. I now live with my husband and write full time in Rhode Island. I recently completed a novel for adults.

Reviews

[Pamela Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Sam and Leo ask their entomologist Mom for two giant cockroaches as pets, they don't realize they've picked a male and female until their pet start having babies! But who wants baby roaches??

[Aleece · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam and Leo love visiting their mom at work. She works in a bug lab and they decide that they each want a roach to take home as pets. Pretty soon they have babies and in order to not have so many roaches they need to come up with a plan to get rid of them. They try selling them, they try surprising people with them, finally they go to the local library and give them away as prizes but that doesn’t work either so eventually they figure out which ones are the male and which ones are the female roaches, they separate them and then give some to the library that kids can come in and take care of them.

[Carolyn Ferguson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was fun but not really for me. I really don't like bugs so it was hard for me to picture the roaches and not feeling strange.

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super loved this book!

[Readergirl77 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize this book was about pet roaches until Nathan started reading it to us last night...ew...heebie jeebies. But, he seemed to enjoy reading it.

[Sarah Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for boys!