Ultimate Bug Book

Pamina moths, katydids, fireflies and treehoppers are just a few of the insects that appear in this tour de force of paper engineering. Each of the five splashy spreads is organized around a single insect-behavior theme, and features at least one (but more often two, or even three) gratifyingly complex, large-scale pop-up constructions. Snappy synopses of each topic are presented on large, brightly colored flaps which lift to reveal more specialized information, illustrations and a few bonus pop-ups. Numerous brief and snappily written entries detailing fascinating facts about flying, crawling, burrowing and creeping creatures pepper the pages. As if all this weren't enough, readers can, among other things, activate a sound chip to hear a cricket's chirp and reach inside a termite's nest for a closer look at the termite queen and her eggs. A rotating paper wheel cleverly conveys the flashing of a firefly's blinking abdomen, and a scratch and sniff panel provides an appropriately malodorous rendition of the stink bug's stink. The abundance of interactive gizmos, elaborate paper constructions and many engaging snippets of information make this a book to be pored over again and again. All ages. (Oct.)