A simple, rhyming text and large, clear illustrations will make this thoughtfully designed volume a popular choice for preschool and early-elementary classrooms studying insects. The storyline follows a little boy and his cat on a trip outside as they search for bugs to photograph or sketch. The text touches on methods of movement, habitat, behavior and camouflage, as well as naming several different kinds of insects. The last bugs shown are ladybugs, and—dressed in a ladybug costume—the boy’s baby sister provides the punch line. The endpapers show the boy’s photos and sketches mounted on notebook pages with additional information printed below each one. The volume’s large size and Halpern’s bold illustrations with thick black outlines and simple designs make this an excellent choice for reading to a school-age group, but younger preschoolers will also enjoy this as an introduction to the world of insects. (Picture book. 3-6)
