Beetle Bop

Starred review from July 23, 2007
Beetles come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors, and Fleming (In the Small, Small Pond
) gives an exuberant shout-out to a slew of them in this eye-catching catalogue of backyard nature. Befitting the book’s title, Fleming’s verse dances across the pages—“Brown beetles,/green beetles,/not-often-seen beetles”—accented by changing font, color, and even direction in the layout of text. But young readers will especially want to pore over her bursting-with-color, dyed-paper-pulp compositions. As they do, they will glean information about beetle behavior (crashing into porch lightbulbs, gnawing on leaves or bark) and the beetle’s place in the larger food chain (being lapped up by a salamander’s tongue or snatched in a bird’s beak). Part boisterous read-aloud, part field guide for entomology enthusiasts, this arresting volume has something for everybuggy. Ages 3-7.

August 1, 2007
PreS-Gr 2-Brightly colored beetles, created by pouring cotton fiber through hand-cut stencils, crawl and fly across large spreads. From ladybugs to lightning bugs, children will quickly be caught up in the bopping rhythm as the text flits and flies, buzzes and hums among the "Striped beetles, /spotted beetles, /all-over-dotted beetles." The type design and placement of the text are an integral part of the lush illustrations, and the balance between fun and fact will awaken youngsters' curiosity. This perfect mix of art, science, and rhyme is a great addition to library collections and excellent for promoting literacy development."Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2007
As in her Caldecott Honor Book, In a Small, Small Pond (1993), Fleming creates a vibrant, exciting portrait of often-overlooked creatures. Here she uses expertly crafted fiber collage to celebrate beetles, and both words and picturesvibrate with the relentless energy of her subject. The rhyming couplets call out descriptions of beetles with the pounding rhythm of a chant: Striped beetles, spotted beetles, all-over-dotted beetles. The beautiful images, colored in bright, saturated shades shot through with electric jolts of neon, magnify the places where beetles hideunder leaves, inside pavement cracksdrawing young children into the secret insect world where predators sometimes lurk. The final spread shows the beetles activity as a wild, joyful dance, which may inspire preschoolers to try out a creepy-crawly boogie of their own. Agreat choicefora restless crowd demanding a high-voltage read-aloud.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)