From Publishers Weekly
This slender and ultimately unsatisfying mystery concerns the insect inhabitants of Cottage Garden, chief among them Leon Leafwing, an earnest bug whose infatuation with a beautiful and inexplicably vanished butterfly fuels the plot. Led by more experienced adventurers, Leon sets out to rescue Mimi from her alleged kidnapper, the evil Emperor Moth. But after an entertaining ramble to the Dark Swamp--the book's high point in terms of suspense, following a slow start--Leon learns that the kidnapping was staged, the Emperor Moth merely invented,stet comma and the expedition mounted only to test his mettle for prospective membership in a sort of good-citizens' band. Though Leon recovers from his disappointment, the reader is left feeling let down and cheated. Chess's antic drawings--her eccentricity shines through even in black-and-white--are the highlight of this overly silly, insubstantial story, whose "mystery" evaporates before the end. Ages 6-12.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-- Soon after he meets Mimi--a gentle, gossamer-winged butterfly with whom he instantly falls in love--Leon Leafwing finds himself entangled in a web of insect intrigue. Her mysterious disappearance prompts the earnest young butterfly to visit Spider Kane--``traveling jazz musician playwright'' and brilliant detective. The sleuth surmises that Mimi has been snatched by the despicable Emperor Moth and proposes a mission for her rescue. With Spider's guidance and the help of some arthropod friends, Leon embarks on an adventure that tests his strength and courage. A suprise ending sets the stage for future expeditions. Using unpredictable plot twists, clever characterizations, and a melodramatic tone, Osborne weaves an amusing and suspenseful tale that echoes a Sherlock Holmes thriller. Subtly placed clues involve readers from the beginning, as do detailed descriptions of miniature furnishings and foods. Chess's black-and-white drawings capture the humor of the tale (it's hard not to snicker at Leon's four legs clad in checkered pants) and add to its appeal as a read-aloud. --Joy Fleishhacker, Brooklyn Children's Museum
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
