Boy Bites Bug

Will has had the same best friends since forever.  They live in a small Minnesota town, so there aren't a lot of new kids, and Will, Simon, and Darryl have always done everything together. 

When Darryl makes a racially charged remark to the new kid, Eloy Herrera, Will is shocked.  He tries to distract and diffuse the situation by eating a stink bug.  No one said it was a good idea.  It does distract everyone, but he also gets sprayed in the mouth by a stink bug.

Will is sure his life is over, but in a strange twist of fate eating a bug actually makes him popular.  Everyone else may think it's the greatest joke ever, but Darryl isn't happy.  The situation intensifies when Will decides to take the bug-eating further with a class presentation.  He makes a deal with Eloy.  Eloy's dad, the chef at Will's favorite restaurant, will prepare some grasshoppers for Will to serve his classmates, and Will will give Eloy help to join the wrestling team. 

It's still not an instant friendship as Will has to confront his own feelings about Darryl and his frustrations with Eloy who doesn't always welcome Will's version of help. 

In all his research for the class presentation, Will learns that people actually eat all kinds of insects on purpose.  They are a good source of protein and good for the environment.  Is Will becoming a bug eater for real?

Rebecca Petruck's new book allows her protagonist to examine his own biases about Hispanic people and have genuine change of character.  It has all the shifting friendships of middle school with the ickiness of eating insects.  Recommended.