BUGS AND BUGSICLES

Cold winter weather challenges animals. Using examples from eight species—praying mantis, field cricket, dragonfly, ladybug, honeybee, pavement ant, monarch butterfly, arctic woolly bear—Hansen explains different strategies insects use to survive. Some hide, others lay eggs; a few migrate and some can even freeze. Wildlife painter Kray’s glorious double-page acrylic illustrations show the animals in context, including minute detail. Readers can see the tiny projections on the legs of field crickets, spines on the backs of ants and each hair where the insect has fuzz, even on honeybee legs. In an appealing conversational tone, the author includes information about life cycles, preferred habitats and living arrangements. She presents each insect as an individual, not quite personified but occasionally with improbable intention in their behavior. “Pavement ant can’t imagine life without other ants.” As her note suggests, what animals do in winter is a common childhood question. This is the first title for young readers in 25 years to offer an answer. Two easy ice experiments add a hands-on dimension. A splendid addition to the science shelf. (additional reading, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 5-9)