Cockroaches

February 15, 2013
Grades K-3 In need of a good shudder? Then join a young reader who is checking out the Creepy Creatures series. If there's a pest you don't wish to see, this big, bright, vividmaybe too vivid?!series has got it, using clear white backgrounds to showcase uncomfortably magnified photos, while the simple, educational text is artfully arranged around the page (occasionally swooping around the creatures themselves). Cockroaches begins with a dismaying scenario: Suddenly, you step on something crunchy. Once you're done shivering, you'll learn about the 4,000 varieties of roach and how they can hold their breath to crawl up drains into bathtubs. Still reading? Well, how about a full-page shot of a tarantula supping on a cockroach? Each title features info on varieties, predators, and sizes, and the back matter includes a craft to make the titular animal out of household materials. Hooray?(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)