Bug Diaries: Halloween Bug-a-Boo!

Name: Bug Diaries: Halloween Bug-a-Boo!
Item: Bug Diaries: Halloween Bug-a-Boo!
Rating: 3
Author: Emily Ashby

TV review by

Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media

Bug Diaries: Halloween Bug-a-Boo! TV Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 5+

(i)

Friendship stands out in book characters' sweet tale.

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Kids say

age 3+

Based on 1 review

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Bug Diaries: Halloween Bug-a-Boo! TV Special: Scene #1

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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

Educational Value

Intended to entertain rather than to educate, but the characters shed light on basic facts about their species, such as that spiders spin webs and flies have multiple eyes.

Positive Messages

Friendship is a reciprocal relationship; sometimes it requires you to make a sacrifice for someone else, and sometimes it’s their turn to help you. Respect for differences is important and teaches compassion. Self-expression allows your needs to be heard and helps others respond to them. One scene shows that Worm has two mothers.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Each of the three friends has distinctly different personality traits that contribute something valuable like assertiveness, loyalty, and determination to the group. As the story evolves and things don’t go quite as planned for them, they also demonstrate that they can adapt to change.

Violence & Scariness

Some mild scares like spooky sounds and the telling of a haunting story.

Sexy Stuff

Language

Consumerism

This holiday special is part of the Bug Diaries show, which are inspired by a series of Doreen Cronin books.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Halloween Bug-a-Boo! is a holiday special from the Bug Diaries series and follows Spider, Fly, and Worm as they get ready for a fun night of trick-or-treating and other festive activities. These best friends are a wonderful example of the kind of support and help those special people (or bugs) in our lives can be, and viewers will see numerous examples of kindness and compassion in their interactions. The story touches on the kinds of mild scares that are fun around Halloween, but nothing of real concern arises for the show’s young viewers. Content reinforces basic facts about the characters' species, such as the fact that spiders can spin webs that look like Halloween decorations.

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Teen, 13 years old Written byButterFlyAway April 10, 2021

age 3+

So Cute!

This show is such an amazing choice for toddlers. My little brother absolutely loved it!

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What's the story?

In BUG DIARIES: HALLOWEEN BUG-A-BOO!, the spooky holiday arrives, and bug friends Fly (voiced by Abigail Harrison), Worm (Nilah Rivera), and Spider (Logan Smith) are excited about it for different reasons. Worm is hopeful that this will be the year his costume is really scary, but Spider, who scares people on a daily basis, wants a costume that does just the opposite. For Fly, the holiday is all about gathering as much candy as possible, and she’s determined to break her record from last year. When the three friends head out for trick-or-treating, nothing goes exactly as planned, but the holiday holds some surprises for each of them anyway.

Is it any good?

If this cute holiday special is any indication, Halloween traditions in the insect world are more similar to those of humans than you might expect. Worm’s fretting over what to wear is a relatable woe (who hasn’t felt the grip of disappointment over a parent’s choice of costume?), and Fly’s single-minded candy goal is an every-kid thing. There’s a spooky neighborhood mystery, an unfortunate costume catastrophe, and a handful of other memorable goings-on worthy of the characters’ inevitable diary entries.

Fly, Worm, and Spider are what friendship is all about, and their time together always demonstrates some important truths about what it means to be -- and to have -- a friend. These three are all in for each other; when one has her sights set on something, they all pitch in to make it happen. And when one has feelings he needs to talk about, the others listen, empathize, and propose solutions. Halloween Bug-a-Boo! is a sweet seasonal treat for the characters’ young fans and their respective grown-ups.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about their own Halloween traditions. Kids: What are your favorite things to do around this holiday? How do traditions help us make and recall memories?
How does Fly embody perseverance in Halloween Bug-a-Boo!? What makes that a valuable character strength? Who do you know whose ability to persevere is something you've seen in action? Does it inspire you?
Kids: Have you read (or had read to you) the books that inspired the Bug Diaries series? If so, what do you like about how they were adapted for the screen? What other book adaptations have you seen that you enjoy?