Book Review: Books about Bugs!

Bugs Up Close

Author: Diane Swanson
Photographs by: Paul Davidson
Publisher: Kids Can Press, Limited

This is a great introductory book to bugs for kids. When I was younger I would run, screaming and kicking if an icky bug got too close to me. Yes, despite spending endless summer days outside, I was such a typical girl when it came to bugs. But if I had this great picture book, I might have taken the time to observe bugs more closely. The book is full of great up-close photos of all kinds of bugs, like bees, Daddy Long-Legs, spiders, wasps, and grasshoppers. It even explains the different parts of the body, mouth-parts, how different kinds of bugs eat, survive and reproduce.

B& N Synopsis

In real life, this katydid would be about the size of a raisin, but through Paul Davidson's powerful camera lens, you get to see it super-sized. What else will you see in Bugs Up Close? A fly magnified to the size of a man's shoe, the lenses in a dragonfly's eyes, the hair on a bee's legs and much more. Plus bug-lover Diane Swanson will tell you about the buggy bits, such as antennae, wings and weapons, that help make insects the most numerous and widespread animals on Earth.

Did you know?: Some insects molt more than 50 times, shedding their exoskeletons as they grow. A grasshopper can travel a distance 15 times its body length in one leap. Some small flies flap their wings 1000 times a second. Many insects smell with their antennae, and some taste with their feet. A single egg laid by some species of wasps may produce up to 1000 new wasps. Bugs Up Close features common North American insects, such as mosquitoes and ladybugs. The index of insects and superb close-ups will help learn about the bugs in your neighborhood.

Don’t Squash That Bug!
Author: Natalie Rompella
Publisher: Lobster Press

I recommend this book for young students and early readers in grades pre-K-2. It is mostly a picture book with snippets of information about bugs, their natural history and behavior. It is also a perfect outdoor activity book for the nature walks, outdoor adventures or nature hours. What makes this book so great is that it introduces young readers and adults alike to the twelve orders of insects. This is definitely a must-have book for your aspiring entomologist.

B&N Synopsis

This fun book introduces young readers to the insect world, presenting fundamental information alongside interesting, little-known facts. Bold, bright, and packed with colorful photos, fascinating sidebars, a helpful glossary, and tips for where to find bugs, this a must-have for curious backyard explorers. Once kids discover how amazing insects can be, they'll go from squashing bugs to studying them up close! Content evaluated by Zack Lemann, Staff Entomologist with the Audubon Nature Institute, and Steve Sullivan, curator of the Chicago Academy of Sciences and Notebaert Nature Museum.