Calvin and Pudge and the Boy Who Listened to Bugs

Friendship and kindness comes in all shapes and sizes. Even bugs and insects deserve respect

Some kids are loud.
Some kids are fast.
And some kids notice things no one else sees.
When a quiet new student named Arnold joins Calvin’s school, most kids don’t know what to make of him. While others race across the playground, Arnold kneels near the fence with a magnifying glass, listening to bugs and watching the tiny worlds beneath their feet.
Calvin—and his loyal beagle, Pudge—soon discover that Arnold isn’t strange at all. He’s observant. Thoughtful. And quietly brave in ways that matter.
As friendships form, misunderstandings arise, and the playground begins to change, Calvin learns powerful lessons about kindness, listening, standing up without shouting, and protecting things that can’t protect themselves.
This gentle, heart-centered story reminds readers that you don’t have to be the loudest voice to make a difference—and that sometimes the smallest lives teach the biggest lessons.