Clarence Cochran, A Human Boy

When Clarence Cochran wakes up one evening, he's shocked. Where are his antennae and his beautiful wings? And what is this strange pair of shorts that he's wearing? Clarence has changed from a cockroach into a tiny human boy! The other cockroaches are disgusted. Only Clarence's mother understands. "Be who you are," she says. "You will do wonderful things." And when the entire roach community – happily living in the messy Gilmartin kitchen – is threatened with extermination, Clarence does, setting out on a dangerous journey to enlist the help of ten-year-old Mimi Gilmartin in a quest to save his family and friends.

Expressive drawings add visual punch to this funny, thoughtprovoking modern fable that shows how even the most hostile species can find a way to coexist.