13 Ways to Eat a Fly - Hardcover

Heavenrich, Sue

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1580898904 ISBN 13: 9781580898904

Publisher: Charlesbridge, 2021

Synopsis

Thirteen flies become tasty snacks in this clever reverse counting book about subtraction, predators, and prey.

Science meets subtraction in this fresh and funny STEM picture book with plenty of ewww factor to please young readers. A swarm of thirteen flies buzzes along, losing one member to each predator along the way. Whether the unfortunate insects are zapped or wrapped, liquefied or zombified, the science is real--and hilariously gross. Includes a guide to eating bugs, complete with nutritional information for a single serving of flies.

About this title

About the Author

Sue Heavenrich has eaten flies--small ones and mostly by accident. She has also done research on ants, bees, and spiders, and taught cockroaches how to run mazes. After earning her MS in biology and teaching high-school science, Sue began writing about science and nature in magazines, newspapers, and blogs. She is the author of several books, including Diet for a Changing Planet: Food for Thought, a book for teens about how to save the world by eating bugs, weeds, and invasive species.

David Clark is the illustrator of many books for children, including Never Insult a Killer Zucchini; What's for Dinner? Quirky, Squirmy Poems from the Animal World; and the Just Like Us! series. He is also the illustrator and co-creator of the syndicated comic strip Barney & Clyde.

Reviews

K-Gr 3-Thirteen short, rhyming answers are given to this question: How do birds, fish, mammals, and insects capture and eat flies? Some of these feeding methods are described as "zapped," "wrapped," and "underground." Each of these tactics is explained in a descriptive paragraph of two or three sentences that centers on a specific animal and how it eats flies. For example, a garden spider captures a fly in its web, injects its prey with poison, and then wraps it in silk so that it resembles a burrito. Each paragraph is accompanied by a large illustration or two. These colorful illustrations are clear, but often humorously exaggerated. The text concludes that flies are a major food source for many animals. Educators could use this book for multiple lessons. The rhyming "ways" to eat a fly could be adopted for choral reading, with some of the factual information also included. Children could discuss how different animals capture and eat flies as food. VERDICT A lighthearted nonfiction picture book that could easily be used with young children in different ways.-Myra Zarnowski, City Univ. of New Yorkα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Charlesbridge
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1580898904
• ISBN 13: 9781580898904
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Clark David
• Number of pages: 32