Books like 'Beetle Boy'
Readers who enjoyed Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary fantasy action / adventure mystery animals humor children friendship family bullying
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Neverseen by Shannon Messenger
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsSophie Foster is on the run—but at least she's not alone.Her closest friends from the Lost Cities have gone with her to join the Black Swan. They still have doubts about the shadowy organization, but the only way to find answers is to start working with them. And as they settle into their new lives, they uncover secrets far bigger than anything they’d imagined... -
Exile by Shannon Messenger
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsSophie Foster thought she was safe. Settled into her home at Havenfield, surrounded by friends, and using her unique telepathic abilities to train Silveny--the first female alicorn ever seen in the Lost Cities--her life finally seems to be coming together. But Sophie's kidnappers are still out there... -
Dark Days by Derek Landy
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsMeet Skulduggery Pleasant: detective, sorcerer, warrior.Oh yes. And dead.Skulduggery Pleasant is gone, sucked into a parallel dimension overrun by the Faceless Ones. If his bones haven’t already been turned to dust, chances are he’s insane, driven out of his mind by the horror of the ancient gods. There is no official, Sanctuary-approved rescue mission. There is no official plan to save him...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age crime friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook -
City of the Dead by James Ponti
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn this fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies go codebreaking in Cairo in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls.Codename Kathmandu, better known as Kat, loves logic and order, has a favorite eight-digit number, and can spot a pattern from a mile away...Categorized as:
children friendship family crime law-enforcement middle-grade mystery action-adventure -
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Forbidden City by James Ponti
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn this third “thrilling” (Kirkus Reviews) installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies help a fellow agent in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls...Categorized as:
children friendship family law-enforcement crime middle-grade mystery action-adventure -
The Faceless Ones by Derek Landy
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsThe third bone-breaking, belly-busting adventure in the series that puts the “funny” back in, um, funny series...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age crime friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook -
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsBefore there was a Mysterious Benedict Society, there was simply a boy named Nicholas Benedict. Meet the boy who started it all....Nine-year-old Nicholas Benedict has more problems than most children his age. Not only is he an orphan with an unfortunate nose, but he also has narcolepsy, a condition that gives him terrible nightmares and makes him fall asleep at the worst possible moments...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure -
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsChildrenYou must not comeSTOPDangerousThe Mysterious Benedict Society is back with a new mission: to go on a mind-bending international scavenger hunt designed to engage their individual talents. As they search for all the clues and riddles Mr...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook -
The Candymakers by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFour children have been chosen to compete in a national competition to find the tastiest confection in the country...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook -
Resurrection by Derek Landy
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe skeleton detective is coming back to life...again! It's the tenth, triumphant novel in the Skulduggery Pleasant series, and it will rearrange your world.Skulduggery and Valkyrie are back in the tenth instalment in the best-selling Skulduggery Pleasant series - an incredible and unexpected treat for the legions of fans around the world...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age crime friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook -
The Last Present by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsDon't miss the latest entry in the incredible Willow Falls series by Wendy Mass!Amanda and Leo have a history with birthdays. Now their friend's little sister, Grace, has fallen into a strange frozen state on her birthday, and Amanda and Leo must travel in time in order to fix whatever's wrong. As they journey back to each of Grace's birthdays, they start seeing all sorts of patterns . . -
The Falcon's Feather by Trudi Trueit
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCruz, Sailor, and Emmett, along with their new ally Bryndis, embark on their first globe-trotting mission aboard the ship Orion. Cruz jumps right back into school and starts using the latest technology in submersible underwater dives, but is soon reminded of the dangers of exploration when his equipment fails and he almost drowns...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement outdoors action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
Ghost of Truth by Alice Winters
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHiroWhen I first realized that I could see the dead, I never imagined that it would allow me to help save the lives of others and pull me into Detective Maddox Booker’s path. Through my ability, ghosts have become some of my greatest friends and allies.But now, someone’s dead and his ghost is gone... -
Magic and Other Misdemeanors by Michael Buckley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsSabrina and Daphne Grimm are ready to tackle their own case: who is stealing the magical possesions of the most powerful Everafters in town? With Granny distracted by Mayor Heart's campaign against human residents, the girl detectives appear to be on their own...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age crime family friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure -
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The Inside Story by Michael Buckley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsAfter the shocking ending of The Everafter War, this book picks up with Sabrina, Daphne, and Puck stuck in the Book of Everafter, where all the fairy tales are stored and enchanted characters can change their destinies. The girls (and Puck) must chase the Master through a series of stories, where they’re willing to change what they need in order to save their baby brother...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook -
Thea Stilton and the Legend of the Fire Flowers by Thea Stilton
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsJoin Thea Stilton and the Thea Sisters in this adventure packed with mystery and friendship!The Thea Sisters are in Hawaii to compete in an international hula festival. The mouselets are having a great time -- until they learn that the festival is located on the side of a volcano that is about to erupt! No one else seems know about the danger...Categorized as:
animals children friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure anthropomorphism book -
Hawk by Nikki Landis
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHawk's storyHAWK is a full-length, standalone bad boy romance and the third book in the Devil’s Murder MC featuring take-charge bikers who adore and fiercely protect their women. HAWK has no cheating, no cliffhanger, plenty of heat, and a guaranteed HEA along with a slight paranormal twist... -
Big Trouble in the Big Apple by Thea Stilton, Tea Stilton
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGeronimo's adventurous sister Thea narrates this fabulous adventure that's packed with action, mystery, and friendship! The Thea Sisters are off to New York City for another fabumouse adventure! Nicky has been training to run the Big Apple Marathon, and her friends are there to support her. While in the city, they all visit Pamela's family and have a delicious dinner at the family's pizzeria...Categorized as:
animals children friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure book children-books -
This Book Is Not Good for You by Pseudonymous Bosch
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsBetween the pages of this book lies the secret to the best-tasting chocolate in all the world. I promise, your taste buds will tingle. Your palette will sing! Oh no, have I accidentally tempted you to read this book? I will warn you, however, the most delicious things are never good for you.. -
Once Upon a Crime by Michael Buckley
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsSabrina and Daphne's adventures continue in their hometown of New York City as they bring Puck to Faerie to cure the wounds. With the help of Granny Relda, the girls must figure out who killed Puck's father, King Oberon, while navigating the warring factions of Everafters that make their homes in every neighbourhood of New York City...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age crime family friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure -
The Unusual Suspects by Michael Buckley
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsOrphaned sisters Sabrina and Daphne are sent to live with their mysterious grandmother. The girls start school, and Daphne is lucky to get Snow White for a teacher, but Sabrina is stuck with mean Mr Grumpner and a class of mildly psychotic sixth graders. When Mr Grumpner is murdered, the sisters must discover which Everafter is responsible...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship humor law-enforcement 21st-century action-adventure -
Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsAna Dakkar is a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, a five-year high school that graduates the best marine scientists, naval warriors, navigators, and underwater explorers in the world. Ana's parents died while on a scientific expedition two years ago, and the only family's she's got left is her older brother, Dev, also a student at HP...Categorized as:
animals children coming-of-age family friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure -
A Mind Full of Murder by Derek Landy
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA bone-shaking new trilogy begins – the latest adventure in the bestselling Skulduggery Pleasant seriesSIX YEARS AGO, THE UNIVERSE ENDED.When it restarted, blinking back into existence, it brought with it a darkness that remains hidden from the mortal population.A week ago – fuelled by unimaginable hatred and unstoppable rage – a masked sorcerer killed one of those mortals. Then he killed another... -
13 Gifts by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWendy Mass turns to another magical birthday: 13!When Tara, a self-proclaimed shrinking violet, steals the school mascot, a goat, in order to make some friends with the popular crowd and gets caught, she gets herself in a heap of trouble... -
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Shatterproof by Roland Smith
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsAfter pulling some spectacular heists, Amy and Dan have become two of Interpol's most wanted criminals. So when Vesper One orders them to steal the world's largest diamond, they know they're facing life in prison...or worse. But with the Cahill hostages still in peril, Amy and Dan have no choice but to launch a mission that leads them to an ancient city full of dangerous secrets...Categorized as:
children crime family friendship humor law-enforcement action-adventure ancient-civilization -
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsA New York Times BestsellerKyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library... -
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages by Trenton Lee Stewart, Eric Pollins
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsThe brilliant and beloved gang from the New York Times bestselling series is back! Since The Mysterious Benedict Society debuted twelve years ago, the series has become a modern classic, drawing comparisons to J.K. Rowling and Roald Dahl and selling over three million copies. Some time has passed since the inimitable quartet of Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance have had a mission together... -
Under a Blue Moon by Steve Higgs
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis is a prequel to the Blue Moon series. It tells about Tempest Michaels' first day as a paranormal detective... -
The Widow's Broom by Chris Van Allsburg
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsA widow finds herself in possession of an extraordinary broom left by a witch who fell into the widow's garden... -
Smells Like Treasure by Suzanne Selfors
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen Homer Pudding receives a mysterious note emblazoned with the letters L.O.S.T., he knows the moment he has been waiting for has arrived. It is time to meet the society of Legends, Objects, Secrets, and Treasures, take his Uncle's place, and become a true adventurer. With his best friend, Dog, at his side, everything seems to be going as planned..Categorized as:
animals children humor law-enforcement action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
The Creakers by Tom Fletcher
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsAt night, this mischievous bunch peeks out from under your bed. When you hear that creak . . . creak . . . THE CREAKERS are there! Discover a hilarious and eerie middle-grade story by a UK star...Categorized as:
children friendship humor action-adventure audiobook book children-books contemporary -
A Tangle of Gold by Jaclyn Moriarty
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHis visit turned out to be ridiculously brief. Madeleine and Elliot barely talked before word came that he and his father would be bundled back to Cello. On the train platform, Elliot didn’t snap out of the distant fog he seemed to be in. And Madeleine’s nose bled—again!—just as she tried to say good-bye. Now she’s mortified, heartbroken, lost—and completely cut off from Cello... -
The Second Story by Neil Patrick Harris
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGrowing up in an orphanage, Leila was bullied for being different. But she turned her hardship into skill by becoming an escape artist—a valuable trait when belonging to a group of magical best friends. When a famous psychic comes to town, however, Leila and her pals won't be able to escape the big mystery heading their way... -
The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsCharlie feels like she's always coming in last. From her Mom's new job to her sister's life at college, everything seems more important than Charlie. Then one day while ice fishing, Charlie makes a discovery that will change everything . . . in the form of a floppy fish offering to grant a wish in exchange for freedom...Categorized as:
animals children coming-of-age family friendship action-adventure book children-books -
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The Mysterious Benedict Society: Mr. Benedict's Book of Perplexing Puzzles, Elusive Enigmas, and Curious Conundrums by Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis exclusive companion book to the bestselling Mysterious Benedict Society series is a mind-bending collection that will put YOU to the test! With full-color artwork throughout, this companion features ingenious new puzzles, riddles, and brainteasers compiled by Mr. Benedict himself, with the help of Reynie, Kate, Sticky, Constance, and other Society associates...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement action-adventure book children-books contemporary fiction -
The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAn extraordinary story about a family of runaways who take up residence in a small town, and the outcast boy who finds his voice and his people.In the dead of night, a truck arrives in Slaughterville, a small town curiously named after its windowless slaughterhouse...Categorized as:
family children friendship bullying coming-of-age law-enforcement middle-grade mystery -
Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 70 ratingsAfter the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her... -
Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsA dog laments his fate at obedience school through a series of hilarious letters home.When Ike LaRue is "imprisoned" at the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy, he tries everything to get sent home -- from weepy letters to his owner to illness. In reality, Brotweiler is more like camp than prison, but still, Ike's not cut out for life without Mrs. LaRue... -
"Shouldn't You Be in School?" by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIs Lemony Snicket a detective or a smoke detector? Do you smell smoke? Young apprentice Lemony Snicket is investigating a case of arson but soon finds himself enveloped in the ever-increasing mystery that haunts the town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea... -
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWith perfect pacing, the multi-award-winning, New York Times best-selling team of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen dig down for a deadpan tale full of visual humor.Sam and Dave are on a mission. A mission to find something spectacular. So they dig a hole. And they keep digging. And they find . . . nothing. Yet the day turns out to be pretty spectacular after all... -
The Darkness Dwellers by Kirsten Miller
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDon’t miss Strike three!First they ventured deep under New York to save the city itself.Then things got personal as the Irregulars ventured into a haunted mansion in Chinatown to uncover an evil twin...Categorized as:
children crime friendship law-enforcement action-adventure book contemporary espionage -
The Light Jar by Lisa Thompson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA story of fear and hope, loneliness and friendship -- full of the heart, engaging characters, and propulsive, page-turning mystery that made The Goldfish Boy so beloved.Nate and his mother are running away. Fleeing from an emotionally abusive situation, they hide out in an abandoned cottage in the middle of a forest. Though it's old and run-down, at least it's a place of their own...Categorized as:
children family friendship law-enforcement abuse action-adventure book children-books -
The Sign of the Seahorse by Graeme Base
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBeginning at the Seahorse Cafe, social hub of the Old Reef, this novel takes the reader on a journey, from the doomed coral gardens of Reeftown, to a wreck and an underwater junkyard, across the expanse of the Withered Plain... -
What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible by Ross Welford
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA surprising, stunningly beautiful, and funny novel about a girl who turns invisible and, in the process, discovers who she really is, from the author of TIME TRAVELING WITH A HAMSTER Twelve-year-old Ethel Leatherhead only meant to cure her acne, not turn herself invisible. But that's exactly what happens when she combines herbs bought on the Internet with time spent in a secondhand tanning bed... -
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Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTuesday McGillycuddy and her beloved dog, Baxterr, discover that Tuesday's mother—the famous author Serendipity Smith—has gone missing, they set out on a magical adventure. In their quest to find Serendipity, they discover the mysterious and unpredictable place that stories come from...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
The Book Smugglers by Anna James
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFourth in the modern-classic and bestselling bookwandering series for ages eight to twelve that celebrates all that is best in life: books, adventure, friendship – and cake.Milo lives on board the Sesquipedalian, or “Quip” – a magical train that uses the power of imagination to travel through both Story and the real world... -
"Why Is This Night Different from All Other Nights?" by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTrain travel! Murder! Librarians! A Series Finale!On all other nights, the train departs from Stain'd Station and travels to the city without stopping. But not tonight. You might ask, why is this night different from all other nights? But that's the wrong question...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age crime family humor law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook -
The Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury, Suzy Jackson
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsLength: 8 hrs and 18 minsHumor, heart, and a symphony of magic take center stage in this middle-grade fantasy, perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil series.Amelia Jones has always dreamed of attending the Mystwick School of Musicraft, where the world’s most promising musicians learn to create magic...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family friendship law-enforcement action-adventure audiobook -
When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsI should have asked the question "How could someone who was missing be in two places at once?" Instead, I asked the wrong question -- four wrong questions, more or less. This is the account of the second.In the fading town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea, young apprentice Lemony Snicket has a new case to solve when he and his chaperone are hired to find a missing girl... -
The 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith, Martin Jarvis
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsWhen the Dearly's Dalmatians have their first litter of puppies - fifteen in all - everyone is delighted...Categorized as:
animals children family humor kidnapping law-enforcement 20th-century action-adventure
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