HELLO BUGS, WHAT DO YOU DO?
by Loes Botman ; illustrated by Loes Botman
Close-up images of insects and other arthropods are accompanied by verbs that describe their actions.
On each of the 12 pages, a one-word caption at the bottom of each page answers the titular question. Bees “buzz,” butterflies “flutter,” hornets “sting,” ladybugs “fly,” and so on. Further word choices are particularly expressive, such as “scurry” (an ant), “scuttle” (a wood louse), and “hover” (a dragonfly). Against mottled backgrounds, Botman’s soft pastels provide highly detailed images of the insects and other creatures, but the gentleness of her line keeps each of the critters from looking creepy in close-up. Who knew a centipede (“wiggle”) could be radiant? As none of the creatures are identified, caregivers may be hard-pressed to name a few of the lesser-known species.
A lovely biology and vocabulary lesson rolled into one.
(Board book. 18 mos.-3)