Insects

Prolific science writer Simon offers a clear, concise exploration of insects and their characteristics, accompanied by crisp nature photographs taken from stock sources. After providing some eye-opening details about insects’ history on the planet and their current numbers—“about 200 million insects for every human on Earth”—he dives into the qualities that distinguish various orders, such as Coleoptera (beetles), Orthoptera (which includes crickets and grasshoppers), and Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies). It’s chock full of intriguing details (“There are so many insects that just listing each kind would take thousands upon thousands of book pages”) that will fascinate future entomologists. Ages 6–10. Agent: Wendy Schmalz, Wendy Schmalz Agency. (July)