The Big Book of Bugs

Bugs of many varieties—including some that are a stretch to call bugs—pepper the pages of this guidebook, which poses playful questions (“Does a dragonfly breathe fire?”) that serve as lead-ins to more than 20 topics. Most spreads are devoted to specific creatures (beetles, ladybugs, termites); later pages explore how bugs grow, where they can be found, and some of the ecological roles they play. Airy digital illustrations with a collage-like feel lightly personify the bugs—earthworms have red smiles, and most of the bugs are, well, bug-eyed. Seek-and-find prompts invite eagle-eyed readers to identify bugs either by appearance or behavior (“Can you find... a spider hoping to catch a tasty meal?”). It’s a handsome introduction to tiny, oft-overlooked creatures, though the inclusion of worms, spiders, and even snails make the title something of a misnomer. Ages 4–up. (Apr.)