Max loves insects of all kinds, and his bedroom is festooned with a spider clock, rubber bugs, and a couple of real walking stick insects. When his mother gets him an old copy of The Complete Encyclopedia of Arthropods, which even comes with a magnifying glass in a pocket, he's thrilled. Delving into the book, he notices a map with Lizard Island and Bug Island. When he looks more closely with the magnifying glass, he gets a tingly feeling and finds himself on Bug Island. He meets Spike, a scorpion who is going to take him back to Barton, the leader of the bugs, and Max is worried that Spike will eat him or sting him. When he helps Spike defend himself from a lizard, using his knowledge of the lizard's weakest point, Spike is impressed. Barton is, too, especially since a volcano has created a bridge between the two islands, and General Komodo and his lizard army are attacking the bugs. Max assesses the situation, and using his knowledge of the capabilities of each bug, comes up with a plan to evacuate when it's clear that the bugs can't defeat the lizards.