Super Bugs

April 11, 2016
Meadows (Piggies in Pajamas) and Mayer (Hide and Sheep) envision tiny creatures engaged in big, heroic actions as red-caped bugs assist insects in need. In an opening note, Meadows explains that “not all insects are ‘true bugs’ in the scientific sense” (true bugs include cicadas, aphids, and bedbugs), but her heroes aren’t picky, saving roaches, bumblebees, and more. While true bugs have beaklike mouthparts used for piercing and sucking, Mayer opts for cuteness with his roundheaded, big-eyed bugs: one wears a safety patrol sash made from a blade of grass as it helps a parade of insects cross the street; another swoops in to save a grasshopper from a falling tomato (“Insect shopper, green grasshopper./ Save her from a whopper bopper”). Bouncy rhymes carry readers forward swiftly, though the repetitive chorus isn’t all that punchy (“Antennae up, eyes down./ Buzzing all around the town./ Super Bugs, Super Bugs,/ mighty, mighty Super Bugs!”). Still, many readers will be happy to lose themselves in the rich autumnal colors and retro, Mighty Mouse–style antics of Mayer’s gouache paintings. Ages 3–5. Author’s agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio.

April 1, 2016
A simple, rhyming text describes one day in the life of bugs with enormous eyes and red capes as they save many other insects from harm. Orange front endpapers and green rear endpapers sport yellow, comical outlines of various bugs with such facts as "ANTS carry many times their own weight!" (This ant raises a dumbbell.) Fine print on the copyright page explains that "true bugs" have a proboscis and also gives technical information about the colorful artwork. The art rarely shows proboscises, but then again, it shows such things as roaches playing baseball. The first double-page spread reveals three heroic bugs in capes and begins a litany that repeats in between other verses throughout: "Antennae up, eyes down. / Buzzing all around the town. / Super Bugs, Super Bugs, / mighty, mighty Super Bugs!" The rescues include saving a stinkbug from falling, pulling ants and termites from a fire, and pushing a grasshopper away from a "whopper bopper"--a large tomato. In addition to the repeated chorus, there are other catchy phrases, such as, "Beetles cheer, never fear." After a long day of heroics, colors fade to twilight tones and fireflies blink goodnight--too quick a conversion after many pages of vibrant color and intense activity. Moreover, the comical cuteness both does away with two of the insects' limbs and makes it hard to distinguish stinkbug from cricket from roach, leading to critter fatigue. Not captivating but fun for some. (Picture book. 3-5)

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June 1, 2016

PreS-K-Emergent readers will enjoy the colorful illustrations and lyrical refrain in this rhyming picture book. The text is simple and focuses on how the super bugs are able to protect various insects from harm. Whether they are rescuing mosquitoes from a frog's quick tongue or saving a grasshopper from a giant falling tomato, the superheroes are always able to swoop in and put things right. "Antennae up, eyes down./Buzzing all around the town./Super Bugs, Super Bugs, /mighty, mighty Super Bugs!" This book is a nice addition to a classroom library to use when introducing insects and other bugs in nature. The larger-than-life gouache illustrations of the bugs' adventures allow children to see the hidden world of the forest and will pique their interest in what happens beneath our feet. VERDICT A quality book to use with very young and emergent readers. Sure to appeal to superhero fans, too.-April Sanders, Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2016
Preschool-K Who knew being a bug was so fraught with peril? Three miniature superheroes buzz about town from dawn till dusk, saving insects from all manner of danger. Sticky frog tongues, fires, and giant human feet are all in a day's work for the altruistic trio, but even Super Bugs need to rest, and, as the stars and fireflies come out, the heroes tuck into bed for some well-deserved sleep. With simple rhyming text and oodles of adorable, huge-eyed insects, this charming tale offers a visual feast for young readers. Mayer's distinct illustrative style is the real standout here, offering busy pages brimming with quirky characters and amusing details. Originally painted in miniature, the illustrations are digitally enlarged for print, but nothing is lost in translation. Painted with gouache, the colors are saturated with an almost luminescent quality at times, and the slightly muted hues and doe-eyed creatures are strongly reminiscent of vintage cartoons. Equally appropriate for an energetic storytime or a quiet solo perusal, this offers high visual appeal with a fun, upbeat sensibility.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)