Some books demand to be shared – the stories are just too good, the facts just too amazing. Buzzkill is one of those wild rides, full of mind-blowing information – a person has 650 muscles, a caterpillar has 4,000; there is an insect that hitchhikes on the face of a butterfly; the cheetah has nothing on the tiger beetle, which can run so fast it temporarily goes blind. The chapter on the hows and whys of metamorphosis will never leave you, ditto the one on all the murders solved by insect involvement. But despite her enthusiastic and irreverent tone, Maloney doesn’t just list wacky facts – she makes a compelling case for the crucial importance of bugs in our ecosystem and includes a whole chapter that encourages readers to do their part and get involved in learning about, appreciating and protecting the insects upon which our life on earth depends. Backmater includes multiple organizations and citizen scientist links, a suggested reading list and selected sources.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s for the ARC of this!

This conversational, snarky, fun to read insect book was good for all ages of insect lover. While it says it’s for ages 10-14, I think a strong younger reader (or one being read to) could definitely tackle this, but it didn’t read as particularly young either and an older teen or adult could easily read it and not notice it was a YA book. I’ve read a couple non-fiction books about insects and extinction lately and this had a good mix of facts I was familiar with, new ideas, and anecdotes.

Buzzkill: A Wild Wander Through the Weird and Threatened World of Bugs, written by Brenna Maloney and illustrated by Dave Mottram, is currently scheduled for release on October 11 2022. The praying mantis is the only animal on Earth with one ear, and it’s in the middle of its chest. Aphids are born pregnant. Moths can’t fly during an earthquake. If you didn’t know these things, you soon will. Packed full of jaw-dropping facts, Buzzkill presents the big picture on bugs. You might think ew, gross. Insects are icky. Or scary. Or dangerous. They can be. But there’s so much more you need to know. Insects play a critical role on our planet, from sustenance to pollination to medicines and more. Brenna Maloney tackles both the wacky and weird, as well as threats to insects and their habitats, their possible extinction, and ways that everyday people, like you, can prevent their decline.

Buzzkill is very well written. The author has a conversational tone, with some sardonic humor through out the book, to keep readers engaged and interested. I do think that this book would be best suited for the middle school and older crowd, but younger readers that are interested in the topic will likely enjoy the read as well. I have read up a bit on creepy crawlies, and I have to admit that even though some of the facts in the book were things I knew, I still learned a great deal of information, and more importantly was able to put what I already knew and what I just learned into a larger context for a bigger picture. I loved the occasional illustrations in the book, and I thought they were charming and fun. I only wish that some of the more unusual insects had illustrations as well rather than suggestions to go Google them on my own. Some readers will not have a phone or computer handy to do that while they are reading for a variety of reasons. That being said, I greatly enjoyed the read and think a number of children, teens, and yes adults will find an education and entertainment from this read.

Buzzkill is an entertaining and informative read that will teach every reader a little something about insects.

My phobia of bugs has always been with me and I still get shivers thinking about them crawling on me or buzzing near my ears.
I love learning about nature and science and I have passed this love onto my 10 year old also.
He loves to learn and I hoped this book would be a fun summer reading addition. It turned out it was the best book for both of us!!
Loaded with information and pictures, this was a great tool to help us identify many creepy things. He gained solid basic biology knowledge and I gained less fear.

Win-Win for all!!

Summer is starting in the northern hemisphere, so all the creepy crawlies are making an appearance. While I'm still the first one to do everything in my power to smash every mosquito on the planet, I have to say that Buzzkill by Brenna Maloney has given me a new appreciation for our six-legged friends.

Buzzkill is aimed at a middle grade/high school audience, but people of all ages can enjoy Maloney's writing style and the fascinating world she describes. After all, there wouldn't be much of a world without insects!

QotD: Do you have a favorite insect? I love bees.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and @netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Pub Date: October 11, 2022