As a disclaimer, I only read the excerpt for this one.

I found myself zoning out every couple words at this one. The writing style just wasn't for me, it didn't really keep me engaged at all.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this middle grade novel.

I tried so hard to like this one, I really did. So hard in fact, that I picked it up three separate times after having twice abandoned it, but alas, this one was not for me. I often struggle with talking animals, and talking bugs was a real reach for me. Ultimately I think it will find it's audience, as there certainly some kids who love both bugs and animal narrators, but this one isn't for me or the students I trade book recommendations with.

This was a cute, enjoyable read about two children with very different views on insects -- one who hates them and one who loves them. The girl Eden finds that she can understand insects, and comes to the Institute for Lower Learning where insects teach how to coexist peacefully with humans. Her path crosses with that of August, the boy who is out to exterminate insects, and a delightful journey of friendship and understanding ensues. Highly recommend for elementary-aged readers and nature lovers!

I absolutely loved this book. I was expecting a short children's book with illustrations, but what I got was much more delightful: a unique full length book where insects and people communicate. I would categorize it as fantasy that can be enjoyed by both adults and children, like Alice in Wonderland and the Harry Potter series can be.

August, 9 years old, is one of the two main human characters. He is having a very bad day, and it's all because of bugs. August dearly loves to act and he is to be Papa Bear in a school play, but his performance is ruined when a cockroach in his bear suit runs up his sleeve. August fell back and while thrashing around getting his costume off, he broke the set. Instead of applause, he got ridicule.

I really felt for August. He wasn't having a particularly good experience in school as he struggled with school work and following directions, and was usually the last one to be chosen for games. August vowed revenge on all bugs. .

Eden is ten years old, likes to be independent, and her nature is to be a loner. Her favorite place is in an elm tree in the park, where she can't be seen. She is very organized, dressed and ready for school with everything she needs. Eden loves insects, loves to observe them. Eden was hiding in her tree one day when she saw a boy from a birthday party heading to break what he thought was another pinata full of goodies. It wasn't a pinata - it was a wasp nest full of baby wasps who were still larvae.

Eden puts the broken nest in her backpack to protect the babies from the sun and then the most amazing thing happens. The queen wasp hovers right in front of her face, and she and Eden began to understand each other through empathy and buzzing. Eden's buzzing was through her kazoo.

Many other kinds of insects are also characters in this book. I don't want to give to much away, but Eden is not the first to discover communication with insects. There is an Institute for Lower Learning where the lower refers to insects - a place where insects aren't just studied, they are faculty. This book is unique and a delight, and I recommend it to both adults and children.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books via NetGalley. It was my pleasure to read and review it.

DNF at 20%. (This is the first ever children's fiction I am DNFing!)

I loved the premise when I had requested this on Netgalley. It seemed to cover relevant themes. Plus, the title was amazing.

The plot focussed on nine-year-old August—a wannabe-actor and bug hater, and ten-year-old Eden—an introverted book lover and animal lover. Eden finds that she can communicate with wasps. August seems to be on a mission to destroy bugs. That’s all I read before giving up.

I enjoy middle-grade fiction, much more than YA, because it often focusses on important topics without getting too preachy and with loveable characters at the helm.

- In this book, though the characters seemed okay, the writing was very amateurish.

- August's arc was still decent but Eden's doesn't flow well. It becomes weird too abruptly.

- The plot reads at a much younger level than middle grade.

- I've had it up to HERE with idiotic puking scenes in children's fiction (or any other fiction, for that matter). No matter how strong the urge is to puke, there is at least a millisecond for us to turn away from the person in front of us. (Whether we are entirely successful or not is another matter.) I am so irritated by reading about characters throwing up on the shirt of the person standing in front of them! (Plus, I am yet to figure out how this happened when the said characters were seated at a lunch table!!)

Too bored to continue. As the adage goes, “Not every book is for every reader.” I hope this title finds its way into the right hands. Mine were just not meant for it.

2 stars for NetGalley purposes based on the content I read. Wont be rating it on other sites as it is a DNF.

My thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group, Nancy Paulsen Books, and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Big Dreams of Small Creatures”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out as expected.

Whimsical story which reminded me of Dr. Doolittle meets James and the Giant Peach. Appropriate for grade 3-6 libraries.