Hey There, Stink Bug! by Leslie Bulion, illustrated by Leslie Evans Ages 9-12 48 pages Charlesbridge June 2006 Hardcover     From the turning, curling lines of the title poem, Leslie Bulion’s Hey There, Stink Bug! teases, dances, and invites readers young and old to explore the alien world in the underbrush. Those not lured in by Bulion’s playful poetry are sure to fall for Leslie Evans’ illustrations. Evans’ glamour portraits of insects in bright woodblock colors would be at home on a designer scarf or museum print; instead, they serve duty as humble guides, walking around the edges of Bulion’s busy, buggy garden. Readers old enough or patient enough to drag themselves away from Bulion’s charming wordplay and Evans’ captivating illustrations will find not only a useful guidebook to some basic insect facts, but also a no- nonsense poetry primer that could replace half a semester in most college courses. Hey There, Stink Bug! shows us what a buggy world we live in, and how wonderful that world can be. Fussy parents who want their children to stay out of the mud and away from the creepy-crawly forms of life would be well advised to avoid this book; after meeting the colorful creatures of Bulion's introductions, any child not in restraints will be turning over leaves and scouring the lawn to “take a closer look.”       web reviews   Sarah Meador/2006 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)