Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
About Insects: A Guide for Children
Illustrator: John Sill
Nonfiction Picture Book
For ages 5 to 8
Peachtree Publishers, 2003 ISBN: 978-1561452071
Insects have fascinated generations of children for hundreds of years. Many adults, remembering their own childhoods, can still recall how special it felt to watch ants build their nests, and how thrilling it was to have a butterfly land on their hand for the first time.
In this book Cathryn Sill introduces very young children to the world of insects. Using single sentences or just a few words on every other page, she helps children understand what makes insects unique, and her readers will come to see how well these extraordinary animals have adapted to life on Earth. They have manged to make their homes in all kinds of habitats, living off everything from the blood of animals, to the sap of plants, to the leaves of trees. Many insects can fly, some can swim, and they all have six pairs of legs.
Though the main section of this book is ideal for little children, there is also an afterword at the back of the book which explores insect life in more depth. This section will give older children just what they need to capture their interest. Here too readers will find further information about the insect species that are shown in the beautifully executed artwork, which can be found throughout the book. The artwork alone shows the reader a great deal about insect habitats and behaviors.
This is just one in a series of excellent guides written and illustrated by this husband and wife team.
