SOME TERMITES WANT MORE FOR THEIR LIVES THAN TO JUST EAT YOUR HOUSE. While other termites were busy foraging for cellulose, Benny Buggles dreamed of becoming an artist. But worker termites had limited roles to play in the smalltown colony in Kansas, and making sculpture was not one of them. When his friend Twiggy mentions an audacious plan to escape out to California, Benny jumps at the chance. Arriving at the renowned art academy Auriana, Benny is welcomed as the prestigious institution's newest student and does his best to fit in, finding his rival in three-time Elimination champion James Maximilian, a snobbish termite who looks down on Benny as an untested newcomer pretending to the crown. The manipulative Tiffani Hardwood sees fame and fortune in each of the two promising rivals, playing both sides in the run-up to the biggest art competition of the year. Back home in Kansas, Cassie – working in Brood but harboring dreams of becoming a queen – never loses hope that Benny will return and they will be together again someday. But events soon take an unexpected turn for the worse, and Benny and his friends are tested as never before. Enduring both tragedy and triumph, Benny learns that – win or lose – the things that matter most in life aren't always what they seem, and one's place needn't be so very far away. Benny Buggles and the Termite Elimination is an inspirational story for both young adults and the young at heart. And who knows, it just might inspire a little softness in your local exterminator's heart as well.
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"An entertaining tale of youth and dreams, Benny Buggles is an inspirational pick for young readers." - Midwest Book Review
"Benny is my new hero. I loved the characters so much, I kept forgetting they were termites. They were adorable, and such a wonderful message." - Early Reviewer
"I absolutely fell in love with these characters! There were a lot of lessons to be learned, such as friendship and following your dreams." - Early Reviewer
"Benny Buggles was a quick read that held my attention. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next!" - Early Reviewer
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not a false note.,
This review is from: Benny Buggles (Paperback)
While doing the Saturday morning chores, I was listening to the radio. A program on dreams was on, and an author was asked if she wrote for children or for adults. She answered for both. Aren't all children's books read by adults first? All adults were children once.
Benny Buggles and the Termite Elimination is a parable, a perfectly told story without a false note. The level of vocabulary employed by William Just is not that of a child, and yet his story has been written free of lingering sadness nor building anger. Time is suspended, his target audience becoming our inner child. Benny Buggles's struggle to become an artist is ours and perhaps also that of the author Mr. Just, or should I say Bill? Once in a while you come upon that rare children's book that contains many levels of comprehension. Of even fewer adult books can that be said! Benny Buggles is that rare adult find where sexual identity and friendship go hand in hand peacefully, where the termites' duty is easily interwined with redemption within the family. Mr. Just has made many fine observations. It's about the termite's emotions and their reflections on life. If you are looking for a dissection of how termites live (do they have a king and queen?), this is not a scientific textbook. There is the occasional rough spot win the narrative where the reader would like to know more, would like to see, rather than imagine, but the parable's overarching logic carries him along without any regret. The real strength of this parable, as must be the case for all parables, is the author's voice. We hear clearly and it rocks us gently into this other universe. There are echos of an American Harry Potter here, such as when Benny moves to the West Coast art school Auriana, leaving behind the seemingly oppresive mid-western home state. Why not? Also the secondary characters are round and well understood.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific!,
This review is from: Benny Buggles (Paperback)
Benny is my new hero. I loved the characters so much, I kept forgetting they were termites. They were adorable, and such a wonderful message. Will there be another book?
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An inspirational pick for young readers,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Benny Buggles (Paperback)
There's more to aspire to in life than chomping on wood. "Benny Buggles and the Termite Elimination" tells the story of a termite with dreams by the name of Benny Buggles. Wanting to become an artist, he finds resistance, as no one expects him to be nothing more than every other termite in Kansas. An entertaining tale of youth and dreams, "Benny Buggles and the Termite Elimination" is an inspirational pick for young readers.
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