Fact Bug.

Lewis, J. Patrick.  Fact Bug.  (Poems)    Boyd's Mills/Word Song  2013 36p    $16.95  ISBN 978-1-59078-925-4  elem/ms  E-BN

This is a perfectly gross book that will pull in even the most science- and bug-averse reader.  The title is a play on words with referencing Facebook, as each insect is photographed with its ugliest, scariest face possible.  A poem describes each bug and its lifestyle, while pen-and-ink drawings crawl across the bottom and sides of each two-page spread. The ink drawings encourage readers to go beyond the text to answer questions.  Humor appears in the pen-and-ink drawings as well as the last few pages of the book, where each insect has a biography listing where it lives, its growth cycle, its predators, and what it eats, all written in a chatty humor-filled Facebook style.  Accompanying this biography is a photo of the insect in its natural habitat.  Two pages at the end of the text allow readers to test their knowledge as they are asked to identify the insects depicted in the pen-and-ink drawings.  A first resource to explore the lifestyles and habitats of various common insects that readers will encounter in their own community.  It’s also a perfect match for STEM initiatives.                 

Summary: A perfect combination of yucky photos, facts and drawings of insects that will merrily gross out readers.  The up-close photos of bug faces, a poem about their lifestyle, and  pen-and-ink drawings that add humor will challenge readers to look more closely. Gr 3+.    

Insects, Poetry                                       --Lois McNicol