by Yuval Zommer (Author)
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Bugs of many varieties--including some that are a stretch to call bugs--pepper the pages of this guidebook, which poses playful questions ("Does a dragonfly breathe fire?") that serve as lead-ins to more than 20 topics. Most spreads are devoted to specific creatures (beetles, ladybugs, termites); later pages explore how bugs grow, where they can be found, and some of the ecological roles they play. Airy digital illustrations with a collage-like feel lightly personify the bugs--earthworms have red smiles, and most of the bugs are, well, bug-eyed. Seek-and-find prompts invite eagle-eyed readers to identify bugs either by appearance or behavior ("Can you find... a spider hoping to catch a tasty meal?"). It's a handsome introduction to tiny, oft-overlooked creatures, though the inclusion of worms, spiders, and even snails make the title something of a misnomer. Ages 4-up. (Apr.)
Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Gr 2-4--Whimsically illustrated bugs with big eyes crawl, fly, dig, and swoop across the pages in great detail. The endpapers feature departing bees, and the title page challenges readers to find a blue fly 15 times. Beginning with a simple definition of what makes a bug a bug ("a particular kind of insect with sharp mouthparts to stab and suck up food"), the work goes on to use bold heading questions to introduce a relevant concept or quality (the question "Are all bugs the same?" prompts a look at the physical characteristics of snails, spiders, centipedes and millipedes, and worms). In most sections, kids are asked to spot a certain bug--encouraging them to develop their concentration skills. A "Did You Find" section provides the answers to the previous searches. There is a "Bug Words" page that defines specific terms in short sentences (for instance, "A bug smells and feels with feelers called antennae"). It should be taken into consideration that the book has a large trim size, which might make shelving difficult. VERDICT Reminiscent of Scholastic's "I Spy" series, this is an interactive book that will engage and entertain readers while they learn a few basic bug facts.--Tamara Saarinen, Pierce County Library, WA
Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.