Rebecca Petruck
THE BOOKS
BOY BITES BUG
ISBN: 1-4197-2141-0; MIDDLE GRADE
Will didn’t plan to eat a stink bug. But when his friend Darryl called new kid Eloy Herrera a racial slur, Will did it as a diversion. Now Will is Bug Boy, and everyone is cracking up inventing insect meals for him like French flies, bee-ritos, and maggot-aroni and fleas.
Turns out eating bugs for food is a real thing, called entomophagy. Deciding that means he can use a class project to feed everyone grasshoppers, Will bargains for Eloy’s help in exchange for helping him with wrestling, but their growing friendship only ticks off Darryl more.
Will may have bitten off more than he can chew as crickets, earthworm jerky—even a scorpion—end up on his plate, but insects are the least of his problems. When things with Darryl and Eloy heat up, Will wrestles with questions of loyalty, honor—and that maybe not all friendships are worth fighting for.
RESOUCES + DISCOUNT CODES HERE!
STARRED Review from Booklist! "...a tale that is funny, perceptive, and timely in more ways than one."
Kirkus Reviews says, "...successfully weaves together such important themes as bias, solidarity, and coming to recognize one's own privilege and prejudice, delivering them in a plot that is so very middle school (bugs! sports!)... An admirable feat that entertains even as it instructs."
School Library Journal says, "...the straightforward and uncluttered style will please lovers of the 'Wimpy Kid' series. VERDICT A sure bet for reluctant readers."
Louisiana Young Readers Choice Nominee 2020-2021
Minnesota Youth Reading Awards Nominee 2021-2022
Also available in paperback.
IndieBound: Find an indpendent bookseller near you!
ABRAMS/Amulet: Home base!
STEERING TOWARD NORMAL
ISBN: 1-4197-0732-9; EAN: 9781419707322; MIDDLE GRADE
Eighth grade is set to be a good year for Diggy Lawson: he’s chosen a great calf to compete at the Minnesota State Fair, he’ll see a lot of the girl he secretly likes at 4-H, and he and his dad Pop have big plans for April Fool’s Day. But everything changes when classmate Wayne Graf’s mother dies, which brings to light that Pop is Wayne’s father, too. Suddenly, Diggy has a half-brother who moves in and messes up his life. Wayne threatens Diggy’s chances to win Grand Champion, horns in on his girl, and rattles his easy relationship with Pop.
Despite his high hopes, eighth grade quickly turns into Diggy’s worst year ever, filled with jealousy, fighting, and several incidents involving cow poop. But as the boys care for their calves, pull pranks, and watch too many B movies, they learn what it means to be brothers and how weird the concept of family can be as they slowly steer toward a new kind of normal.
DOWNLOADABLES for Steering Toward Normal
*Teacher's Guide: Written by two amazing National Board Certified Teachers (Seriously, this guide is 80 pages of mix-and-match fun activities, meaningful questions, useful teaching tools, and Common Core-aligned, too!)
*Book Trailer: Created by teachers and students for teachers and students (goes great with the Teacher's Guide!)