The glorious start to a middle grade trilogy about a brilliant boy, his loyal friends, and some amazingly intelligent beetles that's perfect for Roald Dahl fans! Darkus Cuttle's dad mysteriously goes missing from his job as Director of Science at the Natural History Museum. Vanished without a trace! From a locked room! So Darkus moves in with his eccentric Uncle Max and next door to Humphrey and Pickering, two lunatic cousins with an enormous beetle infestation. Darkus soon discovers that the beetles are anything but ordinary. They're an amazing, intelligent, super species and they're in danger of being exterminated. It's up to Darkus and his friends to save the beetles. But they're up against an even more terrifying villain -- mad scientist of fashion, haute couture villainess Lucretia Cutter. Lucretia has an alarming interest in insects and dastardly plans for the bugs. She won't let anyone or anything stop her, including Darkus's dad, who she has locked up in her dungeons! The beetles and kids join forces to rescue Mr. Cuttle and thwart Lucretia. Praise for Beetle Boy : * "Debut novelist Leonard gives readers a rare glimpse into the world of insects, mixing adventure, mystery, and science to create a story that's much more than just a novel about bugs. Even the most squeamish will be charmed." -- Publishers Weekly , starred review"Leonard unravels the madcap plot in sporadic bursts of frenzied action and humor. Overall, a charming and (at times) affecting romp through beetle land." -- Kirkus Reviews "Fans of madcap adventures and anthropomorphised sidekicks will enjoy this fast-paced series opener." -- Booklist "Engaging . . . The story moves quickly, and the characters are both wacky and entertaining." -- School Library Journal "If I didn't already devote most of my waking hours to beetles, reading this book would make me want to . . . " --Max Barclay, Coleoptera Collections Manager, Natural History Museum, London"M.G. Leonard does a fantastic job weaving a page turning mystery with cool facts about science and bugs . . . If you love Roald Dahl, Lemony Snickett, or even 101 Dalmatians you are truly going to enjoy this book." -- YA and Kids Books Central (online) "Leonard's rich storytelling channels the spirit of classic children's fiction with a wholly original slant . . . It's a cracking mystery adventure, with plenty of Roald Dahl-esque humor to engage readers . . . A truly exciting debut." -- The Bookseller (UK) "A detective story with a twist, this is an exciting and original story that will appeal equally to boys and girls and -- if I'm anything to go by -- to any adult who loves a cracking story. Prepare for the Battle of the Beetles!" -- The Bookbag (online) $16.99 US / $20.99 CAN A mysterious disappearance Darkus Cuttle's dad is missing. Vanished from a locked room! Darkus moves in with his eccentric Uncle Max and next door to Humphrey and Pickering, two horrible cousins with an enormou $16.99 US / $20.99 CAN A mysterious disappearance Darkus Cuttle's dad is missing. Vanished from a locked room! Darkus moves in with his eccentric Uncle Max and next door to Humphrey and Pickering, two horrible cousins with an enormou M.G. Leonard is senior digital media producer at the National Theatre of Great Britain, where she creates podcasts and documentaries about making theater. Beetle Boy , her debut novel and book one of The Beetle Trilogy, was a Publishers Weekly and New York Public Library Best Book of the Year. She lives in Brighton, England, with her family. You can visit her online at www.mgleonard.com and follow her on Twitter at @MGLnrd. From BEETLE BOY:Looking up from underneath, Darkus could see the features of the beetle’s face. He couldn’t have said why but it looked somehow...friendly. Its bulbous eyes glistened like blackberries, and it was holding its mouth open as if it was trying to smile. Although the beetle appeared to be pitch black from above, underneath it had orange hair sticking out of the gaps between its shell--Darkus had a feeling that wasn't the right word--and body. It was almost cute. And then he realized: this was the creature from Uncle Max’s window, the day he’d moved in. The six legs, the horn, the size--it all fit."I've see you before, haven't I?"As if to answer his question, the beetle began crawling up Darkus’s arm."What are you up to?" Darkus asked, intrigued now.The beetle crawled along to his elbow and up to his shoulder."Hey, where are you going?" He laughed. He was beginning to like this insect.Turning to face forward, the beetle hunkered down on Darkus's shoulder, exactly where a pirate would have put a parrot.