The Girl Who Loves Bugs

Per an end note, Murray and Løvlie model their insect-loving protagonist on British entomologist Evelyn Cheesman (1881-1969) in this rhyming festival of buggy biodiversity. Pale-skinned young Evie brings an array of insects to the family picnic blanket, and when her parents, portrayed with differing skin tones, say it's time to clean house in preparation for visiting family, she decides to tote her catches home as well ("There are ants in her drawers/ and weevils in socks, / a family of pill bugs/ under the clock"). Predictably, the creepy-crawlies fail to stay put, and when extended family arrives the following day, the subsequent meal is disrupted by uninvited guests. Fortunately, catastrophe is averted when Evie finds an unexpected ally ready to encourage her "curious mind." Pastel hues gentles digital renderings, in which delicately drawn critters, many shown with googly eyes, amplify the exaggerated silliness of the plot in this earnest portrait of entomophilia. Back matter includes bug-related activities and a capsule biography of Cheesman. Ages 4-8. (Feb.)

PreS-Gr 1--Rhyming couplets relay the tale of blond, bespectacled Evie who is besotted with insects of all kinds and is well aware not everyone feels the same. After enjoying a picnic, the girl, her mothers, and brother head home to put everything shipshape as they are expecting company. Up to now, Evie has kept her "pets" outside, but decides it's time for her to move some of them into her room. Evie places her insects in particular areas in her bedroom and assumes they will stay put. But, of course, by the time her relatives arrive, the bugs are everywhere and most of her family members are aghast at the sight. "Evie just stands there, shock on her face, for the bugs, she sees, are ALL OVER THE PLACE." Surprisingly, Evie discovers a strong ally among the guests who helps her create a more appropriate home for the insects that will please both her and her family. The charming, meticulously detailed illustrations were rendered digitally and appear in various sizes from vignettes to spreads. One of Evie's mothers resembles the child, with light skin and hair, while the other has brown skin and hair, as does Evie's older brother. At the book's conclusion, readers are introduced to Evelyn Cheesman, a 20th-century entomologist, and learn how to encourage insects to visit their backyard for a safe haven. VERDICT A winner for all children with an interest and desire to care for the natural world.--Maryann H. Owen