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This is a readable, high-interest book about Big Bugs for preschool children. While there are many books of this genre geared to older children in grades three and up, there is a dearth of good science books for preschool children. Seymour Simon has done a marvelous job of reaching the preschool audience with great photographs of “Big Bugs” and commentary that is appropriate, informative and engaging for a 3- to 5-year-old audience. An example of this age-appropriateness is in his information about a Praying Mantis:
“When a Mantis catches an insect, it feeds on it like a person eating an ear of corn.”
His wording is precise yet evocative for the young reader. In a book about Big Bugs, the photographs are accompanied in many instances with a diagrammatic silhouette of the insect showing its actual size. In other instances familiar creatures, often the insect’s prey, such as birds or frogs give the reader perspective on the size of the insect being portrayed.
Seymour Simon introduces the bugs covered in the book by identifying the characteristics of insects as well as identifying the non-insect animals we consider bugs, such as spiders and scorpions. The 14 “Big Bugs” covered in this book have two side-by-side pages allotted per bug. This layout features a full photograph (covering both pages) with accompanying text telling about the distinguishing and interesting features of this bug. The text is easy to read, set in contrasting color against a light or dark background or offset in a text-box. The large, clear photographs are striking; however, where the bug photograph covers both pages ,some of the photograph is lost in the center binding, a slight annoyance.
Big Bugs would be a welcome addition to any early childhood classroom where students are studying or interested in bugs – and what preschool child isn’t interested in bugs?
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Big Bugs (Seemore Readers)