The Bug Bandits
The Museum Is Her Home. Her Mission Is to Save It.
Will be published approx. on 3. December 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
240 pages
978-0-310-18129-3 (ISBN)
Description
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, now available in softcover!
2026-2027 Tome Society Book Award Winner
A 2026 MIDDLE-GRADE FAVORITE, Children's Book Council
Home Alone meets A Night in the Museum in this clever middle-grade heist story by USA Today bestselling author Jenni L. Walsh. When a science-loving girl and her friends overhear a plot to rob her dad's insectarium, they embark on a mission to stop the burglary of the museum's rarest insects. Inspired by true events, this STEM-based adventure is perfect for fans of hijinks and mysteries.
Without a mom and with her dad busy running the museum, Liberty Jacobs was practically raised by the tarantulas, leopard geckos, and rare butterflies of the Walnut Street Insectarium. She loves being the resident "Bug Girl," but unless Liberty and her dad can snag a big investor, they'll lose the museum, their home, and the funding Liberty needs to launch her dream business: a butterfly release program called Life & Liberty.
The investor meeting is a week away, but there's a big problem: Liberty has reason to suspect there's going to be a "buglary" of the museum's rarest animals. But the police don't believe her, and with Dad out of town for an insect convention, it's up to Liberty and her friends (and her vast knowledge of bug defense mechanisms) to thwart the thieves and save the museum.
The Bug Bandits is:
perfect for readers ages 8 and up who love mystery and suspense
an empowering story of adventure, friendship, and courage
ideal for fans of Blue Balliett, James Ponti, and Deron Hicks
"The trio draws inspiration from Home Alone, and the story offers plenty of suspects to consider... The young crime stoppers' escapades will hold readers' interest." --Kirkus Reviews
2026-2027 Tome Society Book Award Winner
A 2026 MIDDLE-GRADE FAVORITE, Children's Book Council
Home Alone meets A Night in the Museum in this clever middle-grade heist story by USA Today bestselling author Jenni L. Walsh. When a science-loving girl and her friends overhear a plot to rob her dad's insectarium, they embark on a mission to stop the burglary of the museum's rarest insects. Inspired by true events, this STEM-based adventure is perfect for fans of hijinks and mysteries.
Without a mom and with her dad busy running the museum, Liberty Jacobs was practically raised by the tarantulas, leopard geckos, and rare butterflies of the Walnut Street Insectarium. She loves being the resident "Bug Girl," but unless Liberty and her dad can snag a big investor, they'll lose the museum, their home, and the funding Liberty needs to launch her dream business: a butterfly release program called Life & Liberty.
The investor meeting is a week away, but there's a big problem: Liberty has reason to suspect there's going to be a "buglary" of the museum's rarest animals. But the police don't believe her, and with Dad out of town for an insect convention, it's up to Liberty and her friends (and her vast knowledge of bug defense mechanisms) to thwart the thieves and save the museum.
The Bug Bandits is:
perfect for readers ages 8 and up who love mystery and suspense
an empowering story of adventure, friendship, and courage
ideal for fans of Blue Balliett, James Ponti, and Deron Hicks
"The trio draws inspiration from Home Alone, and the story offers plenty of suspects to consider... The young crime stoppers' escapades will hold readers' interest." --Kirkus Reviews
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Zondervan
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 8 to 12 years
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 213 mm
Width: 139 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-310-18129-3 (9780310181293)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Jenni L. Walsh worked for a decade enticing readers as an award-winning advertising copywriter before becoming an author. Her passion lies in transporting readers to another world, be it in historical or contemporary settings. She is a proud graduate of Villanova University, and lives in the Philadelphia suburbs with her husband, daughter, son, and various pets.
Jenni is the USA TODAY bestselling author of historical novels Becoming Bonnie, Side by Side, A Betting Woman, The Call of the Wrens, Unsinkable, and Ace, Marvel, Spy. She also writes books for children, including the nonfiction She Dared series and historical novels Hettie and the London Blitz, I Am Defiance, By the Light of Fireflies, Over and Out, and Operation: Happy. To learn more about Jenni and her books, please visit jennilwalsh.com or @jennilwalsh on social media.
Jenni is the USA TODAY bestselling author of historical novels Becoming Bonnie, Side by Side, A Betting Woman, The Call of the Wrens, Unsinkable, and Ace, Marvel, Spy. She also writes books for children, including the nonfiction She Dared series and historical novels Hettie and the London Blitz, I Am Defiance, By the Light of Fireflies, Over and Out, and Operation: Happy. To learn more about Jenni and her books, please visit jennilwalsh.com or @jennilwalsh on social media.