Tag: ASL

Insects
Children's Book Recommendations

Insects

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Insects children’s book recommendation are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)

Cover for Log Life which has a fir tree growing from a nurse log. A mouse, snails, beetles, mushrooms are on the fallen log.

Log Life (Tiny Habitats) 

by Amy Hevron (Author, Illustrator)

Brief summary: This book is a narrative nonfiction that educates young readers about the life cycle of a giant fir tree that falls to the ground and transforms into a nurse log. As the log slowly decays in the forest, it becomes a source of nourishment for fungi, plants, insects, animals, and birds throughout the first year until it completely decomposes many decades later.

Comments: I had never heard of the term “nurse log” before and found it fascinating to learn about what happens to a fallen tree.

The illustrations were created using acrylic, marker, and pencil on Bristol board and then digitally collaged.

The back sections are More About Nurse-Log Habitats, Selected Sources, and Additional Reading.

Rating: 4.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Page from Log Life of different insects and birds living on the fir nurse log.

The Monarch insect is on the milkweed. A field of bright flowers with the butterfly at different stages.

Milkweed for Monarchs 

by Christine Van Zandt (Author), Alejandra Barajas (Illustrator)

Brief summary: There are two types of text teaching readers about monarch butterflies. There is a lyrical, rhyming text and informative text boxes on each page.

Monarchs migrate back north after it warms to lay eggs on milkweed plants. We learn the stages of the butterfly from egg to adult.

Comments: The back sections include the Author’s Note, Monarchs Need Our Help, How You Can Help, Fun Facts, The Senses, and Selected Bibliography.

Rating: 4/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A Stage 1 photo of a monarch butterfly laying eggs on a milkweed.
Version 1.0.0

Cover of The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants. There are different ants doing their duties which are explained inside the book.

The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants 

by Philip Bunting (Author)

Brief summary: The ant’s life cycle and fun facts are explained in this nonfiction book for kids. Each ant has a role in the colony.

Comments: Nonfiction texts often include helpful features that aid in understanding the information presented. These features may include charts, diagrams, captions, and labels.

I really enjoyed the puns and humorous language used in the text.

Rating: 3.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A book page of the ants creating a chain of themselves from on tree to the next in order for them to get across in the air.

Cover of Butterfly on the Wind of a girl waring white shirt and blue skirt signing butterfly creating a wind where several pink butterflies are flying around her.

Butterfly on the Wind 

by Adam Pottle (Author), Ziyue Chen (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Aurora is feeling nervous the day before her talent show. Sitting in her family’s garden, she practices hand-signing for the play she wrote. While she’s rehearsing, a butterfly lands on a flower and Aurora signs “butterfly,” creating a small wind. This little wind continues to other children around the world, who all start signing “butterfly” too, and the wind grows stronger. Will this wind help Aurora on the day of her talent show?

Comments: An Author’s Note and an ASL chart are in the back.

Rating: 3/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A blond hair girl with glasses is looking at various insect species while outside in the garden.

The Girl Who Loves Bugs 

by Lily Murray (Author), Jenny Løvlie (Illustrator)

Summary: Evie loves picking up insect species and other creepy crawlies. She enjoys looking at them with her magnifying glass and putting them in her pockets. Her family does not share her passion and tells her to leave them, as it’s time to go home.

Evie decides to take them inside and place them in her room.

Her extended family comes to visit the next day. What could possibly go wrong?

Comments: The illustrations are digital. The back pages share ideas for helping bugs and a brief biological sketch of Evelyn Cheesman, an entomologist who inspired the book.

Rating: 3.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.