The Insect Book: A Basic Guide to the Collection and Care of Common Insects for Young Children

A guide to capturing, feeding, and identifying common insects.

Grade 3-5. This simply written, practical text describes the equipment needed; techniques for capturing specimens; and instructions for their housing and care. About two thirds of the book consists of a simplified field guide to 28 common insects, 18 of which are butterflies and moths. Each page focuses on identifying a particular insect's body structure, special markings, and coloring. A clear pen-and-ink drawing accompanies the description, while smaller sketches of what the invertebrate eats and where to find it appear at the bottom of the page. Safety warnings are liberally sprinkled throughout. While clearly written for the most part, there are some omissions. The term "metamorphosis" itself is never mentioned, and the four stages of development (egg, larva, pupa, adult) are not discussed in detail. Caterpillars are described but are not clearly identified in the text as "larvae" (this term is defined later in the glossary). The text erroneously states that when collecting a chrysalis one must handle it carefully so that the "larva" inside won't be crushed; the correct term for this stage is "pupa." An earwig's "pinchers" are said to be "at its mouth," however, they are located at the animal's abdomen. Despite the aforementioned flaws, The Insect Book will help fill a gap for younger readers yearning for uncuddly pets.?Karey Wehner, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 3^-5, younger with adult help. Zakowski's gift lies in her ability to write and illustrate directly and simply. In this beginner's guide, she first describes the supplies novice insect collectors will need and gives detailed instructions for turning a plastic jar into an insect's home. Remaining chapters discuss techniques for capturing and caring for insects, how to identify a variety of common ones, and how to determine the kind of moth or butterfly that a particular caterpillar will become. The black-and-white line drawings are simply executed yet detailed enough to allow children to make identifications easily. A section noting other books on the subject encourages visits to the library, and a glossary with pronunciations is appended. Children with a true interest in collecting and caring for insects will find this an invaluable resource. Lauren Peterson