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33rd out of 93 books
—
208 voters
The Beetle Book
Beetles squeak and beetles glow.
Beetles stink, beetles sprint, beetles walk on water.
With legs, antennae, horns, beautiful shells, knobs, and other oddities—what’s not
to like about beetles?
The beetle world is vast: one out of every four living things on earth is a beetle.
There are over 350,000 different species named so far and scientists suspect there may
be as many as a m...more
Beetles stink, beetles sprint, beetles walk on water.
With legs, antennae, horns, beautiful shells, knobs, and other oddities—what’s not
to like about beetles?
The beetle world is vast: one out of every four living things on earth is a beetle.
There are over 350,000 different species named so far and scientists suspect there may
be as many as a m...more
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
April 3rd 2012
by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
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Absolutely wonderful! I didn't plan to read all the "fine print" (the font is extra small on each page giving more emphasis to the eye-popping illustrations of beetles) but couldn't help myself. I am positive this books is going to create some careers in entomology. The illustrations pull you in and ask you to examine all the parts of the beetle's body and wonder why the texture Jenkins chose fits with that particular bug. Librarians, be prepared to check out an insect guide with this one as I d...more
I saw the cover on our to-order list of books and knew immediately that I wanted to take a look at the book, the illustrations inside live up to the cover. Jenkins bright and precise illustrations of beetles are dazzling and immediately will grab any reader's attention, the information inside the books is fun and full of interesting facts about beetles and I think would great in getting a child interested in beetles or for a child already interested in nature something new to read about. Once ag...more
Some things about this book bothered me at first look, but a full reading brought me back around.
1. In my experience kids prefer 'fact books' with photographs or photorealism. So the paper cutouts are extremely beautiful, but I wonder whether children would be constantly wondering what a 'real' beetle looks like. However, because of the subject matter the torn and cut paper almost feels photorealistic. My concerns diminished the longer I looked at the book.
2. The standardized format of each pa...more
1. In my experience kids prefer 'fact books' with photographs or photorealism. So the paper cutouts are extremely beautiful, but I wonder whether children would be constantly wondering what a 'real' beetle looks like. However, because of the subject matter the torn and cut paper almost feels photorealistic. My concerns diminished the longer I looked at the book.
2. The standardized format of each pa...more
IF you have a child(ren) interested in insects, then you definitely need to check out THE BEETLE BOOK.
Bright and colorful, Steve Jenkins has pulled together a great science book that gives all sorts of facts about beetles in a manner that's entertaining, and not overwhelming.
Jenkins uses illustrations in this book instead of photos. And most of the images of the huge variety of beetles that he introduces the reader to, are double in size.
Jenkins displays the various shapes and colors that beet...more
Bright and colorful, Steve Jenkins has pulled together a great science book that gives all sorts of facts about beetles in a manner that's entertaining, and not overwhelming.
Jenkins uses illustrations in this book instead of photos. And most of the images of the huge variety of beetles that he introduces the reader to, are double in size.
Jenkins displays the various shapes and colors that beet...more
PB 29: I liked this book because it presented a plethora of information alongside colorful pictures so that children can keep interested in the book. I loved that it presents many types of beetles in a way so that children can easily identify and differentiate beetles from one another. I think this is important because it allows children to reflect on the differences and similarities among beetles. I believe that Jenkins picked out the most interesting facts about the various beetles so that chi...more
Of Steve Jenkins' books, I've only read Actual Size, but after reading The Beetle Book, I think it's safe to say that any book of his is a book worth reading. Actual Size is one of the best crowd-pleasing picture books I know of (seriously, show that to a bunch of kids, any age, and you WILL hear the "Whoa!!"s and "Cooooool!"s left and right). The Beetle Book has the same elements: really interesting facts about animals, fantastic paper cut-outs (I love his technique of creating the hairy legs o...more
Like some of the other reviewers have indicated, a new book by Steve Jenkins is always reason to celebrate. His torn- and cut-paper collage illustrations of beetles in this title are sure to lure young readers because of their incredible detail and the ornate colors they contain. Even after I finished the book, I kept returning to its pages to look again at the world's largest beetle, the titan beetle with its powerful jaws, and the colorful African goliath beetle. The aptly named violin beetle...more
The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins presents a fascinating array of these numerous insects and the many amazing adaptations they have made to survive.
Jenkins colorful illustrations are torn and cut-paper collage. They vary in size, with numerous actual size sihouettes shown at the bottom of many pages. My favorite images are back cover, beetle variations, beetle parts, rhinoceros beetles, growing up, dung beetles, let's talk, and wasp beetle.
Jenkins book is organized by beetle characteristics such...more
Jenkins colorful illustrations are torn and cut-paper collage. They vary in size, with numerous actual size sihouettes shown at the bottom of many pages. My favorite images are back cover, beetle variations, beetle parts, rhinoceros beetles, growing up, dung beetles, let's talk, and wasp beetle.
Jenkins book is organized by beetle characteristics such...more
Jenkins has created, using torn and cut paper collage, a colorful and vibrantly beautiful picture book filled with facts about beetles. Starting with the fact, “line up every kind of plant and animal on earth and one of every four will be a beetle,” he then proceeds to show the enormous variety from the basic body of an insect with hardened wing casings that protect the inner wings used to fly. There are large annotated illustrations that show a stag beetles, ladybird (or ladybug) beetles, Japan...more
Kids will enjoy learning lots of strange and unusual facts about different kinds of beetles from this book and, after reading, should be able to remark on the common traits of beetles. With so many beetles in the world, it's a wonder that Jenkins was able to pare down the facts into one 40-page picture book. Yet he manages to provide a kid-friendly overview of the Beetle family as well as briefly highlighting many, many beetles (over 75 different beetles, in fact), some familiar, some unusual. A...more
Making my way through PW's current Stars So Far list.
This book is an excellent beginning resource on beetles. I had no idea that lightning bugs or ladybugs were considered beetles. Mostly because I tend to avoid nature at all cost. The illustrations were colorful and non-threatening for the most part, except for the extreme close-up on page 19, which, I admit, made me eek. Jenkins also scatters life-sized silhouettes throughout the book, allowing for easy comparison with a finger or hand. The...more
This book is an excellent beginning resource on beetles. I had no idea that lightning bugs or ladybugs were considered beetles. Mostly because I tend to avoid nature at all cost. The illustrations were colorful and non-threatening for the most part, except for the extreme close-up on page 19, which, I admit, made me eek. Jenkins also scatters life-sized silhouettes throughout the book, allowing for easy comparison with a finger or hand. The...more
One out of every four kinds of plants and animals in our world is a beetle. Jenkins takes full advantage their astonishing variety in this visually striking album. Topic by topic, he introduces 77 beetle species, illustrating them with torn- and cut-paper collage set on a white background. Some are shown life-size, others are oversize and frankly frightening. They’re colorful, intricate, and recognizable. Silhouettes on each spread show the actual size of the beetles described on the two pages....more
Review: With the love of brightly decorated illustrations and the hatred of bugs, I would still recommend this book to any young reader-even if they hate bugs too! It presents the details of beetles that even I didn't know. Kids learn new things everyday, but to focus on one thing at a time makes room for even more exploration. This is an awesome example of that.
Summary: The book starts with one quarter of every kind of plant and animal on Earth is a beetle. After an overview of body structure,...more
Summary: The book starts with one quarter of every kind of plant and animal on Earth is a beetle. After an overview of body structure,...more
Read on the recommendation of Donalyn Miller. Well thought out picture-book treatment of the world of beetles. With the level of detail, this is a picture book better suited to grades 1-3 than the pre-K set - though if you have a bug obsessed younger one, I'd give it a try, though you might abridge the text.
My 3rd grader picked it up after I left it on the couch. His response was "beetles are scary Mom." Living in a relatively cold climate, he found the idea of hand-sized bugs, like those found...more
My 3rd grader picked it up after I left it on the couch. His response was "beetles are scary Mom." Living in a relatively cold climate, he found the idea of hand-sized bugs, like those found...more
This book will whet young appetites for beetles – learning about them, at least. With over 350,000 different species, readers are sure to encounter some of them in their lifetimes. Steve Jenkins presents almost 80 beetles in this introduction to beetle types, morphology, adaptations, and life cycles. You will come away amazed at all of the different varieties and the strategies these insects have evolved in order to survive (several species use chemical warfare to fend off predators!). Jenkins’...more
Did you know that if you lined up every kind of plant and animal on earth one of every four will be a beetle? So begins Steve Jenkins latest look at our natural world, in the fascinating Beetle Book. The combination of appealing art and interesting facts make these creepy crawlers seem a lot less creepy. Who knew I was a fan of beatles? Prior to reading this book I just thought they were, well, icky, but Jenkins once again takes a simple topic and makes it intriguing. A great book for browsing,...more
Jenkins introduces readers to a wide variety of beetles, their common features and what makes different species unique. As Jenkins tells readers, out of all living plants and animals on earth, "one in every four will be a beetle." Throughout the focus is on how beetles have evolved and adapted to their many, varied environments. Using his signature cut-paper collage, Jenkins illustrates beetles of many different sizes and shapes in fascinating detail and colors, enlarged for dramatic effect. Eac...more
Picture books are beautiful because you can learn about the world around you, people and things, without being overwhelmed by the subject. The Beetle Book is a great example. I'm not a coleopterist, a person who studies beetles, and I don't want to be—although I'm glad someone does—but since beetles represent approximately one fourth of all living things on the planet, it's good to know something about our neighbors. I learned a lot from this book and now when I go outside I'll be more aware of...more
I must admit that this was a difficult read because the illustrations are so detailed and realistic that I felt squeamish...that being said, I recommend this book to those that enjoy studying insects. The information is comprehensive, intriguing, and presented in such a way that the reader can pick and choose which information they want to read. For example, if you just want to know the names of beetles, you can read that; but if you want to know when a particular beetle is most active, where it...more
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Bugs, bugs, bugs...how I love bugs! This is just the greatest book for anyone who loves bugs like I do! The instructions are big, colorful and gorgeous. The information is fascinating! I just wish it was not winter and that I could go out and see some bugs! My only suggestion is that the author could have included the location of each type of beetle next to its illustration. This information is included in the list of beetles, their scientific names and locations at the back of the book, but it...more
Did you know that the leaf beetle produces a substance that is extremely sticky and if an ant tries to eat it, the ant will discover that its jaws are glued together? Did you know the Australian tiger beetle is the fastest runner in the insect world and if a human could run as fast - for her size- she'd be moving as fast as a jet airplane? Did you know the titan beetle's jaws are powerful enough to snap a pencil in half? Did you know if you lined up every kind of plant and animal on Earth, one o...more
Another fascinating book with beautiful artwork from Steve Jenkins. This book will need repeated visits to examine the different types of beetles and the ways they vary for their environment, as well as just the beetle basics. The silhouettes to show actual sizes are handy and I appreciate the inclusion at the end of the book of scientific names and area of the world in which each beetle may be found. One problem, at least for me--font size is kind of small.
While reading level is upper elementar...more
While reading level is upper elementar...more
The illustrations are exactly what one expects from Steve Jenkins - beautiful, bright, and precisely detailed. I especially liked the addition of the life-sized silhouettes of each beetle featured on the page so that you know what "twice life sized" really means.
This book is packed full of information about beetles! Each spread is devoted to a different aspect of beetle-dom; their larvae, their mouth parts, their coloring, their communication, etc. Your budding entomologists will return to this...more
This book is packed full of information about beetles! Each spread is devoted to a different aspect of beetle-dom; their larvae, their mouth parts, their coloring, their communication, etc. Your budding entomologists will return to this...more
This book was filled with beetles in all shapes and sizes. It was a pretty good overview of the different types, what they did, and how they functioned. The author was very specific about letting readers know when a beetle was the size portrayed or actually larger or smaller than depicted and that was really helpful. There were black silhouettes throughout the book that showcased the actual sizes of various beetles. In the back there was an index of all the beetles by latin name with page number...more
A fascinating collection of facts about beetles complete with life-size silhouettes of many different species and torn and cut-paper collage recreations of beetles big and small, both familiar and unfamiliar.
Information begins with the basics and moves on to coverdiet, hunting/scavenging, fighting, sounds (i.e. hissing, chirping etc), chemical defenses, disguises, camoflage, and movement.
An engaging nature read, full of facts with artwork that highlights the beauty of a less-than-glamorous creat...more
Information begins with the basics and moves on to coverdiet, hunting/scavenging, fighting, sounds (i.e. hissing, chirping etc), chemical defenses, disguises, camoflage, and movement.
An engaging nature read, full of facts with artwork that highlights the beauty of a less-than-glamorous creat...more
Jul 18, 2012
Kelly Maybedog Hawkins
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone of any age interested in insects.
Shelves:
how-picture-book
I love this book. I do love bugs except when they're in my house or on me so I have to admit to some bias. But the book is so well done I think I am being fair.
First off, the illustrations are gorgeous. This is partially because the bugs themselves are so beautiful, but also because of the cut paper look to them. (Not sure how it's done but that's what it looks like.) There are gobs of illustrations and they all illustrate the text. If a bug is mentioned, it is pictured, both in color and a sil...more
First off, the illustrations are gorgeous. This is partially because the bugs themselves are so beautiful, but also because of the cut paper look to them. (Not sure how it's done but that's what it looks like.) There are gobs of illustrations and they all illustrate the text. If a bug is mentioned, it is pictured, both in color and a sil...more
(Mommy's review from 5/12)
This wasn't for us. We were expecting a story or something along the lines of Biggest, Strongest, Fastest even. Not page after page of facts about beetles. I hate beetles. I wouldn't ever want to know that much about that.
If your kid - or you for that matter - want to know more about beetles I'd say this is your means to doing that. But it's not like the other Jenkins books we've read so if that's what your expecting make sure you have a back-up book.
This wasn't for us. We were expecting a story or something along the lines of Biggest, Strongest, Fastest even. Not page after page of facts about beetles. I hate beetles. I wouldn't ever want to know that much about that.
If your kid - or you for that matter - want to know more about beetles I'd say this is your means to doing that. But it's not like the other Jenkins books we've read so if that's what your expecting make sure you have a back-up book.
Non-fiction in the elementary school classroom? Guy readers? Bug enthusiasts?
Love this one from Steve Jenkins, a name classroom teachers will want to know. As with BONES, the illustrations within the book are so rich. . .and the silhouettes are the actual size and shape of the beetles discussed in the book.
Expanded view diagrams of a typical beetle would work well with a projection system when talking about beetles.
A must-have for younger readers! Packed with information.
Love this one from Steve Jenkins, a name classroom teachers will want to know. As with BONES, the illustrations within the book are so rich. . .and the silhouettes are the actual size and shape of the beetles discussed in the book.
Expanded view diagrams of a typical beetle would work well with a projection system when talking about beetles.
A must-have for younger readers! Packed with information.
I almost always love Steve Jenkins books, but this is way up there because it would be a great mento model for all those animal reorts kids write. His illustrations, as always are compelling and well researched. I love the index with Latin names and habitats. But for this book, I too love the language. I Woud put it in my top opener of the year. " Line up every kind of planet and animal on Earth... ... and one of every four will be a beatle."
Dramatic illustrations are the strength of this book. Torn and cut paper collages show realistic beetles, set on stark white backgrounds. Each beetle has a few sentences as a caption to the illustraions, describing some characteristics of that beetle. This guidebook-like approach clearly gives information but is tedious to read. Excellent for looking up a type of beetle but overall as a reading experience it is a little boring.
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Feb 21, 2013 12:40pm