Bug Sandwich

A bug-bitten boy believes revenge is a dish best served between two slices of bread in this raucous examination of the world of backyard insects. Running and hiding—even underwater or in outer space—doesn’t stop the steady buzz of bites and stings plaguing this picture book’s protagonist, so the boy decides he’ll sink his teeth into his tormentors via his own recipe for a bug sandwich (“You bite me, and I’m gonna have to bite you back”). But as he gathers the flying, crawling, buzzing ingredients in a jar, he notices each insect’s special qualities, from ants’ superstrength to bees’ intricate hive-building. A sandwich slap-together follows, but just as he’s about to chow down, the boy pauses to listen to the bugs’ arguments for a reprieve. Boldly hued, animation-style artwork from Smith (You’re Missing It!) stylistically blends patterns and electric hues. Speech bubbles stemming from the protagonist, portrayed with light skin and vibrant orange hair, and from various insects provide funny asides alongside upbeat text. Kinetic scenes of the boy’s bug-catching adventures, the bugs’ intricate coloration, and notes of mild gross-out humor should prove appealing to insect admirers and detractors alike. Ages 3–7. (May)