TITLE: THE BEETLE BOOK
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Steve Jenkins
PUBLICATION INFO: Houghton Mifflin, April 2012
ISBN: 978-0-547-68084-2
SOURCE: Library
INTENDED AUDIENCE: 4 and up, though this is more appropriate for elementary-school students
GENRE: picture book (nonfiction)
OPENING and SYNOPSIS: “Line up every kind of plant and animal on Earth … and one of every four will be a beetle.”
Beloved author/illustrator Steve Jenkins crafts an encyclopedic book about beetles.
THEMES/TOPICS: science, beetles, bugs/insects
WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: Steve Jenkins’s illustrations reveal the beauty and diversity of the humble beetle. Unlike many of his other books, there is no narrative line, and he does not rely on layered text. This is a book to be savored, one spread at a time rather than read all at once.
RESOURCES/ACTIVITIES:
- Come spring time, try hatching your own beetles — ladybug beetles to be exact.
- PBS Kids has this beetle-drawing activity.
- This dung beetle lesson plan encourages kids to eat that dung and roll that dung (Milk Duds). Gross!
- The Web has a host of ladybug crafts.
- There are several sites with a collection of bug-focused activities. Check out A to Z Homes Cool Homeschooling.
Every Friday bloggers review “Perfect Picture Books.” Find a complete list of book reviews organized by topic, genre and blogger at author Susanna Leonard Hill’s site.
Kirsten W. Larson 
How interesting! I love the opening it reall draws you in. How many pbs do you see about beetles.
Not many! That’s why I love Steve Jenkins.
What an unusual opening! Sounds like a great book for kids who love to collect or study insects. Great choice for boys.
This book definitely would appeal to boys. It’s beautifully illustrated.
This is an awesome book! I love Steve Jenkins. My son did love this one. And yes we do collect insects.
Insects are awesome. We have a friend who loves to visit out house just for the plethora of pill bugs. We have them all over the backyard.
Wow, the opening is intriguing and a fact I did not know! This would go well with Lee Bennet Hopkins’ anthology Nasty Bugs.
Oh, sounds fun! Apparently they think there are 1 million beetle species. That’s a lot of bugs!
eek! You guessed it, I’m not great around insects, in fact anything that is tiny, has more than two legs, and moves…lol. But I can see kids would love this and your links, especially boys. The cover is very eye catching.
I’m ok with bugs as long as they are harmless. Show me a centipede or a black widow, and I’m outta there.
This book makes me itch.
Ha, ha. But there are no mosquitos in it. 🙂
Oh yeah, this is a real gem!
Gem reminds me of Jenkins’s colors. There are so many jewel tones.
Beetles scare me. They’re too creepy crawly and the ones on this book look like they have those big pinchers! But I recently came across a story on the internet about a lady who does artwork with beetles. Jennifer Angus. Pretty wild stuff.
Hmmmm, I’ll have to check her out.
It’s entirely possible that I don’t feel sufficiently appreciative of beetles… 🙂 I should probably read this book! Does a ladybug count as a beetle? I do like them! I’m sure lots of kids will find this fascinating – thanks so much for adding it to our list!
Ladybugs totally count. They make beetles much more accessible.
I love science books like this!
Barbara
Grade ONEderful
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I know. I also love Alexandra Siy’s bug book.
I think the NY Times just listed this as a best illustrated book. We’ve currently got this book on hold at the library and waiting our turn. I think my son is going to love it! Thank you for doing a write-up about it. It makes me look forward to reading it all the more.
I am pretty sure you are right about that honor. I think I saw it somewhere too. The jewel tones Jenkins uses makes these bugs beautiful. Enjoy it!
What a gorgeous cover! His books are so amazing and captivating. Great review!
Steve Jenkins is hands-down one of my favorite author/illustrators of children’s nonfiction.
Wow! Great choice! I think it is good to have books that tell people bugs are sometimes helpful to us. Does this one have that message?
Jenkins definitely talks about how helpful bugs are. I know I always think twice before killing one…even a spider. If it’s not poisonous, I tend to keep it around.
Looks like a great bug book. The cover invites further investigation.
Very clever, Sandi! I have to admit, I love books that make bugs a little more lovable.