The Miniature World of Marvin & James

A new early chapter book series follows the friendship of beetle Marvin and human James (Masterpiece) for a younger audience. The sentences are shorter and the illustrations more prominent, but the amiable tone and relatable characters are the same. New readers will be rewarded by this page-turning adventure, written throughout with emotional authenticity and ending with a satisfying conclusion.

Perfect for readers who are new to chapter books. The five chapters feature short, simply structured sentences. Ample illustrations, appearing on every page, break up the engaging text. A charming second outing for the characters of Elise Broach and Kelly Murphy’s Masterpiece. Kids who have had that book read to them will be pleased to be reunited with Marvin and James. Those who are new to the characters will look forward to moving on to the longer Masterpiece and learning how the boy and beetle first met. Tension builds after Marvin and his cousin Elaine enter the “funny black box.” At first, they are having a blast, diving in to the “little pieces of wood” (“‘What is this thing?’ Marvin asks. ‘I don’t know,’ Elaine says, ‘but isn’t it the best?’”); then they become trapped. Readers also will enjoy knowing, long before Marvin and Elaine realize it, that the cousins are inside a pencil sharpener. Murphy’s artwork—especially the scenes that take place inside the sharpener—is a delight. Varied perspectives and the sepia tone lend a 3-D feel and make the images pop off the page. James is on vacation for much of the story, and Marvin worries that James is not missing him. The reaffirmation of their friendship, upon James’s return, is touching: “Marvin’s heart swells. James wished he had been at the beach! Even with his new friends, he had still been thinking about Marvin.”

A new early chapter book series follows the friendship of beetle Marvin and human boy James of Masterpiece (rev. 11/08), for a younger audience. The sentences are shorter and the illustrations more prominent, but the amiable tone and the relatable characters (even the beetles) are just the same. Marvin helps James pack a suitcase for the boy's week-long trip to the beach. With James away, Marvin and his cousin Elaine have some adventures inside the house. A nice tension is created as Marvin and Elaine gleefully dive into some wood shavings to play in what the child reader will recognize as a (dangerous-to-beetles) electric pencil sharpener. New readers will be rewarded for the effort by this page-turning adventure, which is written throughout with emotional authenticity and illustrated with lively pen-and-ink illustrations in a brown and gray palette, ending with a very satisfying conclusion. susan dove lempke