Insects

June 6, 2016
Prolific science writer Simon offers a clear, concise exploration of insects and their characteristics, accompanied by crisp nature photographs taken from stock sources. After providing some eye-opening details about insects’ history on the planet and their current numbers—“about 200 million insects for every human on Earth”—he dives into the qualities that distinguish various orders, such as Coleoptera (beetles), Orthoptera (which includes crickets and grasshoppers), and Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies). It’s chock full of intriguing details (“There are so many insects that just listing each kind would take thousands upon thousands of book pages”) that will fascinate future entomologists. Ages 6–10. Agent: Wendy Schmalz, Wendy Schmalz Agency.

May 1, 2016
A photo essay invites young readers to explore the world of insects.Master science writer Simon knows how to craft nonfiction, choosing interesting topics, appropriate examples, and just the right level of information for elementary school readers. His newest title is no exception. Well-organized, lucid descriptions include the characteristics of insects, their body parts, life stages, size, numbers, history, and sensory equipment. He goes into further detail about five common orders: Coleoptera (beetles), Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets), Hymenoptera (bees and wasps), Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), and Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies). He describes other insects that stand out--strangest, most beautiful, fastest, heaviest, longest, and smallest--and concludes with the importance of insects in the world. Carefully chosen and beautifully reproduced photographs (most from Shutterstock) appear on each page. Vocabulary that might be unfamiliar is printed in boldface and defined in a glossary. Alas, in this otherwise splendid introduction, the author says "Butterflies and moths are similar in these ways: ...Larvae form cocoons during the pupa stage before they emerge as adults." This is not true of most butterflies, which protect themselves as pupae with chrysalises. Scientists and teachers have been working to correct this common misconception, and young readers who know something about insects will recognize the mistake. (Indeed, the caption on the facing page says, "Butterfly emerges from chrysalis."Informative and appealing--but flawed. (index, websites) (Nonfiction. 6-10)

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May 15, 2016
Grades 2-4 Simon opens this attractive introduction to insects by explaining in a kid-friendly way how people commonly misidentify these animals. Referencing the scientific classification system, he clarifies why it's correct to refer to some insects (but not all) as bugs and why spiders aren't insects at all. After discussing insect metamorphosis, senses, numbers, and history, he introduces familiar members of a number of orders, from beetles, bees, wasps, and ants to butterflies and moths. A section of interesting factoids describes the Goliath beetle as about the weight of a good-sized hamburger. Each double-page spread includes one or more well-chosen color photographs, which are notable for their clarity, composition, and usefulness in illustrating points mentioned in the adjacent text. Like other Simon books, this one is readily identifiable by its large, square format, excellent photos, and large-print text. And like his other recent volumes, it includes a glossary, an index, and a brief list of online resources. Handsome and useful, here's a solid addition to science collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)