"The Miniature World of Marvin and James" reviewed by the Horn Book

A lovely review of Elise Broach and Kelly Murphy's The Miniature World of Marvin and James, by The Horn Book:

"A new early chapter book series follows the friendship of beetle Marvin and human boy James of Masterpiece, 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

"The Miniature World of Marvin and James" reviewed by Publishers Weekly

A wonderful review of Elise Broach and Kelly Murphy's The Miniature World of Marvin and James, by Publishers Weekly:

"Broach and Murphy bring back James and his beetle best friend, Marvin-previously seen in 2008's acclaimed Masterpiece-in this first book in the Masterpiece Adventures series of chapter books. Their cross-species friendship is just right for a younger crowd, and so are the insecurities and frustrations Marvin is feeling as James prepares to go on a trip to the beach without him (...)

Murphy's pen-and-ink illustrations shift from glee to horror as she shows the bug-eyed beetles cannonballing into the soft pit of pencil shavings, only to have their escape route plugged by a pencil. Despite the simplicity of Broach's pared-down sentences, the story brims with both emotion and moments of quiet wisdom."

"The Miniature World of Marvin and James" reviewed by Kirkus

A glowing review of Elise Broach and Kelly Murphy's latest chapter book, The Miniature World of Marvin and James, by Kirkus:

"Murphy clearly revels in the Borrowers-style perspective of the beetles' miniature world: In their under-sink home, Marvin's drawing table is a die, and a propped-up birthday-cake candle dwarfs the family. The dramatic, blow-by-blow pencil-sharpener incident dominates the story, but it circles back to friendship. James really did miss Marvin after all, and a souvenir seashell (the perfect beetle hideout!) seals the deal.

This winsome series debut is both a sweet story of cross-species friendship and a sobering new way to look at pencil sharpeners."