MISS BENSON'S BEETLE by Rachel Joyce (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry) is the top pick for the November 2020 Library Reads selections. I, too, am highly recommending this wonderful piece of writing filled with memorable, likeable characters. Fans of humorous but observant historical fiction like Dear Mrs. Bird or works by Helen Simonson are sure to enjoy this new title. In 1950, Miss Benson is teaching at an all girl’s school in England and one day just chucks it all in to go off to the South Pacific and New Caledonia (map provided) to find the golden beetle that her Father told her about decades ago. She interviews a few possible assistants for the expedition and ends up having to “make do” with Edith Pretty a total scatterbrain, but extremely loyal young woman. Over the course of their adventure (battling storms, ineffectual bureaucracy, unwanted attention and much more), the two develop a deep and lasting friendship. MISS BENSON'S BEETLE received a starred review from Library Journal (“a delightful book … sure to be a hit with book clubs”) and Publishers Weekly. Questions and topics for discussion are included in the print copy and I am looking forward to listening to the variety of accents on the audio version, too.
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