Videos
Let’s Go On A Bug Hunt!
Have you ever gone on a bug hunt? It's like going to the zoo, only free, and the animals are smaller.
To celebrate National Insect Week and the publication of my new picture-book, Rex the Rhinoceros Beetle, I took the family out onto the South Downs for a bug hunt. We spotted lots of wonderful creatures and had a glorious afternoon. The Royal Entomological Society has some great free field guides you can download if you fancy a go yourself.
Why not see which invertebrates live in your part of the world?
Chapter One of Beetle Boy - Read by M. G. Leonard
Are you thinking of reading Beetle Boy as a bedtime story, or perhaps a class read. Let M. G. Leonard reads you the whole first chapter of Beetle Boy.
An Introduction to The Beetle Collector’s Handbook
Eccentric entomologist Monty G. Leonard introduces you to his book all about beetles. In this book there are over sixty species of beetle from all over the world, as well as tips for becoming a beetle collector, keeping a nature journal and protecting the habitats of these wonderful creatures. The book features beautiful illustrations by Carim Nahaboo and is published by Scholastic. Read by the author M. G. Leonard. and featuring her pets.
Chapter One of Battle of the Beetles
I get asked what it is like to record an audiobook, so when I went into the studio to record Battle of the Beetles, I propped up my phone and recorded myself reading Chapter One - Beetle Plague. A useful video for classrooms. To get the full effect of the audiobook please close your eyes whilst watching!!! Or you can head to iTunes, audible or any shop that sells audio CDs to get the whole book. Please forgive the poor audio and lighting, my phone is only a little media machine. The audiobook recording is far better quality. Featuring illustrations from the book by Karl James Mountford.
An Interview with M. G. Leonard
In 2017 M. G. Leonard was interviewed about writing stories by Cranleigh School. Learn how she starts a story, where she gets her ideas from and advice for young storytellers. A good short classroom video.
M. G. Leonard talks about her debut book Beetle Boy, and why she wanted to write about beetles.
M. G. Leonard goes to CPI printing press to see the first edition of Beetle Boy being printed and learn about the process of making a book.
M. G. Leonard meets designer Helen White to discuss the book cover for Beetle Boy.
Author M. G. Leonard meets with Laura from the People's Trust For Endangered Species to learn about how we can best support and protect Britain's biggest beetle, the endangered Stag Beetle.
Author of The Beetle Trilogy, M. G. Leonard introduces her second book, Beetle Queen, from her writing room at home.
M. G. Leonard made this short video documenting the joyous experience of seeing her third book Battle of the Beetles being printed at the factory. The third book completes the Beetle Trilogy and a decades worth of work. It was an amazing feeling seeing it on the factory line.
Meet Hector, my Rainbow Stag Beetle. He and I (M. G. Leonard) want you to read Beetle Boy so that you can discover how great beetles really are.