Super Bug Encyclopedia

Produced in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, this addition to the Super Encyclopedia series spotlights 100 insects, which appear in vibrant photographs, 3-D models, and detailed illustrations. Individual species are grouped into five sections (“Animal Athletes,” “Fearsome Hunters,” “Tiny Terrors,” etc.) based on behavioral or anatomical traits. Cross sections of animals’ habitats, diagrams, and video game–esque sidebars almost create the sense of exploring a website. The magnified images of the bugs offer startling, up-close looks at their antennae, exoskeletons, pincers, and more, and the vivid descriptions (“A pair of hugely powerful toothed jaws slice through the prey’s tough armor, before the [green tiger] beetle smothers its meal in digestive juices to soften the flesh”) offer an equally intimate view of their behavior. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)