Bug Boy

by Carol Sonenklar

Bring on the spiders, stinkbugs, and grasshoppers. Charlie Kaplan, "Bug Boy," thinks bugs are the best and is always on a Bug Alert for crawly creatures. But when he receives the Amazing Bug-A-View in the mail, Charlie thinks it's a joke. Then he notices that the Amazing Bug-A-View says, See the world from a bug's-eye view! Before you can say bug off, Charlie turns into a...!

Library Binding

First published April 15, 1997

Reviews

[Ensiform · Rating 2 out of 5]

Charlie Kaplan, known as Bug Boy due to his deep interest in bugs, gets what he thinks is a joke gift: a cheap-looking cardboard "Bug-a-View." But he finds to his excitement that when he looks through the viewer at a bug, he becomes that insect! There follow a few adventures as insects, including one in which someone nearly throws out his viewer before he can change back from a fly. Despite his reluctance to use the viewer after this, there is a final mission to become his own pet spider in order to find a missing valuable bombardier beetle from the collection of a friendly visiting entomologist. I read this to my class as part of the "magical transformation" theme. It's decent, with some humor and some real-life educational bits about bugs. I thought it could have used a few more bug-sized thrills. There's no real suspense, and the odd authorial choice to emphasize schoolyard drama over magical fun. My audience thought it was nice but not great.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

FotL Chanute

Kind of SF, kind of STEM. MC is bright and also thoughtful & empathetic. But still only a third-grader, which means the adventures are funny, as the cover implies. If you're interested, and if your library has not yet weeded it, check it out.

[Shanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A boy gets a device which allows him to transform into the shape of various bugs. The parts where he's a bug are interesting. The boy himself is somewhat unkind and unlikable.

[Becca Dewey]

When someone anonymously give bug lover Charlie a device called the Amazing Bug-A-View, he uses it to transform himself into a spider, grasshopper, and fly.

[Brynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

THIs book I read in about 25 min, but it was still great AT A BUGS EYE VIEW!

[Deborah Harris]

AR Quiz No. 30635 EN Fiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: MG - BL: 4.3 - AR Pts: 2.0
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP, VP