Bonkers about Beetles (About Animals)

Davey offers a fact-filled, strikingly illustrated introduction to beetles (an addition to the About Animals series). Working in a dramatic graphic style, Davey renders the beetle subjects with crisp, geometric precision, while representing the exquisite range of colors and patterns to be found among the roughly 400,000 known species. Sections with playful headings (such as "Born This Way") explore topics including beetle life cycles and metamorphosis, while infographics convey details about beetle anatomy, biology, and behavior: one chart demonstrates fireflies' flight and flash patterns. Elsewhere, images focus on the beauty and ecological resilience of particular species: a longhorn beetle shows how its blotchy black, gold, and orange markings allow it to camouflage itself against tree bark. Davey offers a dazzling exploration of some of Earth's most diverse, ubiquitous--not to mention, kaleidoscopic--insects. Ages 5-9. (June)

Gr 2-5--Davey introduces readers to the vast variety of beetle species. Beetles inhabit all types of environments, including our own homes, and live on every continent except Antarctica. Davey describes the beetle's life cycle and identifies all their parts, their food sources, and their defense tactics including camouflage, and explains the importance of beetles for a healthy ecosystem. The text chronicles that beetles are found in several mythologies, as well Egyptian art. With more than 400,000 difference species of beetles, Davey points out that not all of them have been given common names, so the Latin names are often used with the illustrations. The author concludes the volume with an illustration of a bug hotel that readers can build to help creepy-crawlies flourish and survive the winter months. Davey's illustrations are dynamic; the beetles take center stage with the text appearing in a small font. VERDICT A welcome addition to STEM collections--the mixing of science and art is an added bonus.--Patricia Ann Owens, formerly at Illinois Eastern Community College, Mt. Carmel