Cricket in the Thicket

February 27, 2017
Murray assembles nearly 30 poems about familiar insects, sometimes educational (“I carry little pods of air/ beneath each shiny wing,” she writes about a water bug), sometimes providing an insect’s-eye view of life (“I am not loved, not loved at all,” sighs a cockroach, “I’m not like any other”). The balance of the poems are third-person descriptive: “Whizzing and whirling/ in fabulous flight./ Whooshing like rockets/ to tell us ‘good night.’ ” Perhaps to amplify the comedy, a few poems assume that insects bother humans—understandable regarding the mosquito, more surprising in the case of the bumblebee: “Rumble, rumble, Bumblebee./ Don’t you know you’re bugging me?” To even the score, Murray also lobbies for unloved insects: “Let’s Hear It for Dung Beetle!” Sweet’s (Some Writer!) illustrations—with their graceful lines, luminous colors, and sly wit—delight throughout, offering delicious moments as a fly contemplates a tableful of Wayne Thibaud–like cakes and a walking stick stands among delicate twigs. Additional information about each insect is supplied on each page and in closing notes. Ages 6–10. Illustrator’s agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House.

March 1, 2017
Each of over 25 different "bugs" receives its own short, titled, whimsical poem, an accompanying collage, and a few sentences of factual information.Almost every insect or arachnid commonly known to most Americans is included in this lighthearted treasury. Each poem highlights some aspect of its subject, whether its appearance, its behavior, or, as in the cockroach, its reputation: "I am not loved, not loved at all. / I'm not like any other. / But surely someone cares for me. / I think it is my MOTHER." Although facts about the cockroach accompanying the poem and in the endnotes give some reasons to like the creature, it is odd that, after mentioning its association with "poor housekeeping," there is no mention of the bug's actually obsessive cleanliness. In general, the poems are clever and humorous, and most of the rhythmic ones scan well. Some use elementary wordplay in the titles, as in "Par-tick-u-lar-ly Awesome" and "Mite-y Nice Advice." The fly poem is no match for the one by Ogden Nash, but "Grasshopper Green" rivals limericks by Edward Lear. Sweet's dependably eye-catching illustrations--infused with humor here--are an appropriate match. Care was given to balancing gender among those poems that use pronouns, and there is, incidentally, a note devoted to the fact that female ladybugs are nearly indistinguishable from male ladybugs. Happy-go-lucky fun with words, collage, and a smattering of facts about bugs. (Picture book/poetry. 5-9)

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April 1, 2017
Gr 3-5-Bouncy little poems skitter across the illustrated pages as Murray celebrates bugs, from walking sticks to dung beetles. Her fruit flies -stage an invasion and vanish like snow,- her mosquitoes are -ready and eager,- and her grasshoppers are -built with precision and speed.- Sweet's graceful, cartoony watercolors capture the essence of the rhymes. Each poem is accompanied by a discreet fact box, while three additional pages of data lurk in the back of the book. This title is not as distinguished as, say, Paul Fleischman's Newbery winner Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices or Douglas Florian's handsome Insectlopedia: Poems and Paintings, but it stands delicately on multiple feet, chirpy as a cricket. VERDICT Sprightly, simple, and with a nice soupcon of information; a fine choice for large poetry collections.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2017
Grades 1-3 This smart collection of more than 30 poems about bugs offers surprising facts about common insects. A welcome balance of lilting poetry and informational text boxes set to Sweet's eye-catching collage illustrations, Murray's narrative is designed to reach a broad range of young readers. While weaving factual tidbits into her verses, Murray incorporates a little bit of everything, including couplets, visual poetry, tongue twisters, alliteration, puns, and riddles, such as, Just imagine, / if you could, / a creepy crawler / crunching wood, and Pray tell us, Mr. Mantis, / do you pray or simply prey? Short informational text boxes bolster the playful verse with facts about each poem's subject; for example, There are more ants in the world than any other insect, and Surprise! That ladybug may actually be maleit's hard to tell. Sweet's signature illustrations, full of cartoonish renditions of the bugs and enhanced with humorous details, pops of bright watercolor washes, and cut-paper elements, further enliven Murray's captivating rhymes. An approachable poetry collection on a genial topic, chock-full of visual delights.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)