Masterpiece

I was looking around for a book to read aloud that would appeal to both my kids (age 8 and 5). This one is about a young, lonely boy names James who befriends a beetle who lives in his NYC apartment named Marvin. Together they get involved in an art heist. The story is a tad dry and slow-moving and without much conflict. All in all I felt the story to be unremarkable. But both my kids kept wanting me to read more when I was ready to say good night. So that's good.