Marvin and the Moths

July 11, 2016
Babymouse illustrator Holm and Follett met in middle school, and this alternately goofy and suspenseful story introduces Marvin Watson, whose own middle school experience is off to a poor start. He splits his gym shorts in front of his class on his first day, his parents are distracted by their new baby, and Marvin’s rich and popular cousin, Little Stevie, mocks his every move. After Marvin’s parents move him up to the unfinished attic so Baby Harry can have Marvin’s room, vials from one of Marvin’s science experiments mysteriously empty overnight, leading Marvin to discover three enormous and talkative moths—Artistotle, Abraham, and Ahab. Marvin makes a few human friends in addition to the moths, but interludes between chapters reveal a Shakespeare-quoting killer draining the blood of local animals. As that mystery deepens, the laughs come often, thanks to the banter among the moths and the oddball, pork-centric setting of Butcherville, home to the famous Pork Loaf Log Roll and streets “like swanky Loin Lane and the unfortunately titled Butt Boulevard.” Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary Management.

The narrator of the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Ram�n de Ocampo, applies his hallmark enthusiasm to Marvin Watson's introduction to middle school in his pork-obsessed town, Butcherville. Listeners will cringe and laugh out loud in equal measure as Marvin is subjected to the horrors of middle school, where he's befriended only by outcasts and taunted by his cousin, Stevie. At home, he's relegated to the attic bedroom by his new baby brother. When Marvin teams up with Fatima and Lee for a science presentation, listeners will be breathless from laughter. De Ocampo's best creations are the giant moths who've taken up residence in Marvin's attic--they watch baseball--and the Shakespeare-quoting spider that is stalking the town. This production is truly a tour de force. M.F.T. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine