Synergy: Celebrating Insects

INSECTS are small invertebrates. These arthropods usually have six legs and one or two pairs of wings. They also have a well-defined head, thorax, and abdomen. Although they are sometimes considered pests, they serve essential roles in nature.

To understand a concept, it’s useful to read a cluster of books related to a theme. Explore these recently published books for young people:

WHAT’S INSIDE A CATERPILLAR COCOON? written by Rachel Ignotofsky answers commonly asked questions about moths and butterflies. This beautifully illustrated picture book brings the insect world alive for young readers. ARC courtesy of Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

PLEASE DON’T BITE ME!: INSECTS THAT BUZZ, BITE, AND STING written by Jazzy Pakpour and illustrated by Owen Davey examines pesky insects including lice, mosquitoes, wasps, cockroaches, bedbugs, and fleas and the reasons they’re often misunderstood. Children will enjoy the simple, attractive illustrations and interesting scientific facts. ARC courtesy of Flying Eye Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

CATERPILLARS: WHAT WILL I BE WHEN I GET TO BE ME? written by Kevin McCloskey is part of the Giggle and Learn series. Combining scientific information with a fun approach, learners explore the life cycle of moths and butterflies along with their important role as pollinators. Of particular note is the picture book’s use of speech bubbles and other sequential art techniques in storytelling. ARC courtesy of TOON Books, an imprint of Astra Publishing House.

IT IS TIME: THE LIFE OF A CATERPILLAR by Lizzy Rockwell is a science book for beginning readers. Exploring the life cycle of a butterfly, the book uses short sentences and key terms to introduce the science concepts through an engaging story. ARC courtesy of Holiday House.

EYEWITNESS INSECT from DK is a highly-illustrated reference book exploring a wide range of insects. This newly updated DK Eyewitness Book provides information about anatomy, behavior, habitats, and compares related creatures. ARC courtesy of DK.

Synergy: Insects

Insects are small arthropods with six legs. Generally, insects have one or two pairs of wings. These small invertebrate animals have segmented bodies, jointed legs, and external skeletons. They are sometimes referred to as bugs.

Read the recently published nonfiction book, then learn more at the website:

BUZZKILL: A WILD WANDER THROUGH THE WEIRD AND THREATENED WORLD OF BUGS by Brenna Maloney and illustrated by Dave Mottram is an informational picture book exploring the world of insects. Children will enjoy the humorous, conversational approach to the important role insects play in our lives. Of particularly note are the many fascinating examples and colorful illustrations sure to engage young readers. ARC courtesy of Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan.

INSECTS from DK Findout! provides photographs and information about a wide range of insects including ants, beetles, butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, damselflies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and crickets. In addition, readers learn about types of insects, useful insects, and more. A quiz provides the chance for readers to test their knowledge.

To visit the website, go to https://www.dkfindout.com/us/animals-and-nature/insects/.

Synergy: Endangered Insects

When people think of endangered species, insects are often overlooked. From bees and butterflies to beetles, many species of insects are becoming endangered or extinct. The disappearance of species can have a serious impact on ecosystems.

Read the recently published middle grade book on this topic, then learn more at the website:

BUGS IN DANGER by Mark Kurlansky is a work of nonfiction that examines vanishing bees, butterflies, and beetles. This fascinating middle grade book focuses on the decline of species in recent years. The book concludes with a bibliography and index.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service lists dozens of insect species that are endangered. Readers can read about specific beetles, butterflies, damselflies, dragonflies, flies, moths, skippers, stoneflies, and bees.

Visit the Environmental Conservation Online System at https://bit.ly/3c7UWnm.

ARC courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Book Review: Do Doodlebugs Doodle?

DO DOODLEBUGS DOODLE by Corinne Demas and Artemis Roehrig is a humorous information book exploring the names of insects.

This attractive picture book asks silly questions about bugs with funny names such as dragonflies, horseflies, and stink bugs. Although the questions are humorous, the answers are rooted in accurate and fascinating scientific fact. The book concludes with a review of the insects discussed.

Librarians will find this book to be a popular addition to the science collection. The predictable format makes the book a fun read-aloud for preschool and primary grade children. Create a game asking children to identify real and fake insect names.

Published on April 5, 2018 by Persnickety Press. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: BugGuide

BUGGUIDE is a website focusing on insects, spiders, and related creatures.

This online community of naturalists shares information about creatures originating in the US and Canada. The website provides identification, images, and information. Users can click on a guide of interest or request help with identifying a specimen. A forum provides opportunities for interaction.

Librarians will find this website a useful tool for science students. Whether identifying creatures or discussing the benefits of niche, online communities, this science-based website is a useful resource.

To visit the website, go to https://bugguide.net.

Digital Spotlight: Ph.H. Gosse Collection

The P. H. GOSSE Digital Collection contains color drawings of insects.

Contents: The digital collection contains 49 color drawings of butterflies, caterpillars, moths, beetles, dragonflies, and other insects.

Classroom Connections: Involve students in selecting a drawing to use in a science project. Ask them to label the image and research the insect.

To visit the collection, go to http://diglib.auburn.edu/collections/phgosse/.

Book Review: Insects

INSECTS: THE MOST FUN BUG BOOK EVER by Sneed B. Collard is a nicely organized informational book exploring the science of bugs.

Although presented in a picture book format, this work of nonfiction is a well-research science book featuring a conversational narrative, detailed explanations, and age-appropriate humor. The high-quality close-up photographs and useful sidebar notes add to the visual appeal.

Organized into very short chapters, the book contains a table of contents and index that are easy for children to use. In addition, the author provides a learn more section, information about insect names, and a glossary.

Although many bug books already fill library shelves, librarians will find this book to be a worthwhile addition. Short chapters focusing on key concepts such as defense and chemical communication make it particularly useful for student research projects.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.sneedbcollardiii.com/.

Published by Charlesbridge, an imprint of Random House on March 21, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: We Are Growing!

WE ARE GROWING! by Laurie Keller is a hilarious beginning reader about a patch of grass.

As a group of grass, weeds, and insect characters discuss their growth, they’re unaware that a mower is about to change their lives.

Librarians will find that children immediately relate to the goofy characters and situation. Teachers will enjoy the fun word play and possibilities for vocabulary connections. In addition, this book is the 2017 winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel award.

To learn more about Mo Willems, go to http://www.mowillems.com/
To learn more about Laurie Keller, go to http://www.lauriekeller.com/

Published by Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Hachette on September 20, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Gary's Garden

GARY’S GARDEN by Gary Northfield is a humorous graphic book for children featuring the fascinating creatures that live in the backyard.

From worms and caterpillars to birds and spiders, Gary’s backyard is filled with interesting animals, insects, and other critters. Each short chapter tells an engaging short story featuring new and different creatures.

The book’s sequential art and comic format will appeal to both younger as well as older children. The silly stories and goofy characters will keep even reluctant readers engaged.

Librarians will find this book to be very popular with a broad spectrum of children. The book concludes with dozens of character cards featuring the book’s characters. Use these cards to encourage children to write their own short, illustrated stories.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.garynorthfield.com/.

Published by David Fickling Books, an imprint of Scholastic on June 28, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Now You See Them, Now You Don't

NOW YOU SEE THEM, NOW YOU DON’T by David L. Harrison is an amazing informational picture book featuring poems about animal camouflage.

Featuring nineteen different creatures organized into five categories, each poem highlights interesting facts about the behavior and habitat of a sea creature, reptile, amphibian, mammal, insect or bird. Laroche’s fascinating cut-paper illustrations bring the habitats to life for young readers.

Librarians will appreciate the endnotes that include details about the creatures featured in each poem. Great as a read-aloud activity, this book is excellent for STEAM projects that combine science and art. Involve you in learning about a creature and creating their own poem and artwork.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.davidlharrison.com/.

To learn more about the illustrator, go to http://www.gileslaroche.com/.

Published by Charlesbridge on February 16, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

App Review: Plum's Photo Hunt

PLUM’S PHOTO HUNT is an engaging nature photo app for children from PBS Kids.

Part of the Plumb Landing environmental science PBS program, the app sends youth on missions outdoors to photograph interesting things in nature including weather, plants, and insects.

Aimed at children 6 through 9, app users are presented with three options: photo missions, photobombs, and field journal.

The Photo Missions area begins with instructions that are both text and read aloud. Youth choose from over a dozen missions such as looking for patterns and shadows in nature or seeking out animal habitats or unusual weather. The app activates the device camera allowing youth to take a photo of the requested nature element. Users can choose to save the photos.

The Photobombs section allows users to take photos with one of dozens of characters in the foreground. For instance, for a garden scene a child might select a character holding a watering can or if the student is photographing an insect a character holding a magnifying glass might be used. Youth can share their photos for possible use at the Plum Landing website.

The Field Journal allows children to save photos and text together to create an electronic field journal. Youth use photos they’ve taken within the program and add text. Additional pages can easily be added.

A parent button provides information for adults.

This easy-to-use app would be great for classroom science activities. However, keep in mind that separate user accounts aren’t generated so all the images are stored together on a single device.

To learn more about the PBS program, go to Plum Landing athttp://pbskids.org/plumlanding/.

To see the Plum Landing Picture Sharing areas, go tohttp://pbskids.org/plumlanding/pictures/.

To download the app, go to http://pbskids.org/apps/plums-photo-hunt.html.

Tech Review: Expedition: Insects

EXPEDITION: INSECTS by the Smithsonian Science Education Center is an ebook exploring the exciting world of insects.

From deadly hornets to stealthy stink bugs, young readers will enjoy learning about six different types of insects in their natural habitats from around the world. Designed for grades 3 through 5, interesting text and colorful images will appeal to science students. In addition to insect facts, the informational text also provides suggestions for ways that youth can observe nature.

Short video clips, interactive images, sounds, and links to key terms will maintain students interest and promote scientific understandings. Animated maps help children connect world geography to their exploration of insect habitats and an interactive sketchbook encourages young artists.

The iBook interface divides that book into eight chapters investigating the blue morpho butterfly, Asian giant hornet, Malaysian walking leaf, African dung beetle, brown marmorated stink bug, and firefly. Students can add highlights and notes using the built-in note taking features.

The accompanying project website includes downloads such as sketchbook pages and informational pages.

Those without access to the iBook format can still read a full-color PDF version of the book.

Go to the project website at http://www.ssec.si.edu/books/expedition/insects.

Download the iBook at https://itunes.apple.com/…/b…/expedition-insects/id912242496

Read a PDF version of the book at http://www.ssec.si.edu/Media/SSEC/PDFs/ExpeditionInsects.pdf.