The Bug Club

by Elise Gravel (Author)

The Bug Club
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Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
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Join acclaimed author Elise Gravel on a dazzling and revelatory tour of the insect world!

In The Bug Club, Elise Gravel shares all of her favourite and most interesting facts about these marvelous creatures, some of which are so unique and strange, you could almost imagine them living in outer space!

Most people know that spiders have eight eyes, but what about the caterpillar? These little critters have them beat with a whopping twelve! Did you know mosquitoes are attracted to smelly feet? That the honey bee has hair on her eyeballs? That butterfly feet double as noses? And grasshoppers have ears on their bellies? These are just some of the many things about bugs that make them endlessly enchanting. Elise's inquisitiveness and charm pop off the page as she takes us on a walk through her mind--and the awe-inspiring natural wonders that exist right outside our doorsteps.

If you're curious what the inside of a slug looks like, The Bug Club has got you covered. Not only does Elise answer these burning questions, but she draws it all beautifully and brightly in her signature cartoony style.

The followup to her award-winning The Mushroom Fan Club, where Elise shares her delightful and family friendly mushroom-hunting adventures, The Bug Club offers more activities and fun for the whole family. This time, the treasure is hiding just below a rock or that pile of fresh fall leaves.

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School Library Journal

Starred Review
Gr 2-5–The author/illustrator of the popular “Disgusting Critters” series explains exactly why she loves bugs so much. Spreads include profiles of individual insects, collections of fun facts, and appealing cartoon illustrations. The conversational, intentionally childlike text strikes a lovely balance between humor and information. A page on the giraffe weevil begins: “I had to draw this insect because, seriously, have you ever seen any cuter critter?” Gravel admits early on that, “I don’t draw very realistic insects,” but the cartoonish images show key features where needed. More important, they inject just the right amount of personality and wit, with insect comments added in word balloons. For example, while text focuses on the scorpion fly’s “scary” appearance and unusual courting behavior, the illustration depicts a happy insect who says, “Well, I’m cute INSIDE.” Gravel shares her enthusiasm in ways that invite readers to join in. She notes that her cool drawing of the inside of a snail (who exclaims, “Hey! Don’t look inside of me! That’s private!”) was the result of a kid’s question and her own follow-up research. Final pages include some musings about bugs in space, fun drawings of “imaginary bugs,” and tips on how kids can observe on their own.
VERDICT Combining facts, humor, and inspiration, this is a quirky and highly engaging work that will speak to readers, even the bug averse.
Reviewed by Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville P.L., OR , Aug 20, 2021
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with Permission

Elise Gravel
Elise Gravel is an award-winning author/illustrator from Quebec. She was the winner of the 2013 Governor General's Award for Children's Illustration in French, and is well-known in Quebec for her original, wacky picture books. She has published a number of books with US publisher Blue Apple and is currently working on a graphic novel for Roaring Brook Press. Having completed her studies in graphic design, Elise found herself quickly swept up into the glamorous world of illustration. Her old design habits drive her to work a little text here and there into her drawings and she loves to handle the design of her assignments from start to finish. She is inspired by social causes and is likes projects that can handle a good dose of eccentricity.
Classification
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ISBN-13
9781770464155
Lexile Measure
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Guided Reading Level
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Publisher
Drawn & Quarterly
Publication date
August 10, 2021
Series
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BISAC categories
JUV008000 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | General
JUV029010 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | Environment
Library of Congress categories
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