What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bugliest Bug
"A rollicking, tongue-in-cheek entree to the entomological world." — Publishers Weekly
In this rousing read-aloud from the creators of Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp , all of insect land is abuzz with news of a big contest! The demure Damselfly Dilly — "neither clever nor frilly" — has no thoughts of winning, but she's curious to see who will. Lively verse mixes fun, fancy, and fascinating fact, while exuberant artwork virtually flies off the page.
In this rousing read-aloud from the creators of Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp , all of insect land is abuzz with news of a big contest! The demure Damselfly Dilly — "neither clever nor frilly" — has no thoughts of winning, but she's curious to see who will. Lively verse mixes fun, fancy, and fascinating fact, while exuberant artwork virtually flies off the page.
32 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2002
2 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Carol Diggory Shields
32 books10 followersCarol Diggory Shields was inspired to write Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp after "being called a Nagosaurus by my five-year-old," she admits. "I started playing with the idea of partying dinosaurs who were scientifically accurate (more or less), and somehow in the prehistoric ooze of my brain, Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp took shape." Her rocking prehistoric party proved a hit with both young readers and critics. "Witty and imaginative, the poem has a rhythm that makes cumbersome multisyllable dinosaur names roll off the tongue," said Kirkus Reviews.
Currently a children's librarian, Carol Diggory Shields has also worked with children as a recreational therapist and at one time was a designer of stuffed toys. Her years of being around children have no doubt helped her get a feel for the fun-but-factual stories that kids love, told in animated verse with an infectious beat. After successfully collaborating with illustrator Scott Nash on Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp, she teamed up with him for Martian Rock, "the true story of how a meteorite from Mars arrived on Earth," she quips.
More recently, the pair worked together again on The Bugliest Bug, a wacky tale of an insect talent contest threatened by hungry spiders (disguised as judges) and a brave little Damselfy who saves the day. "Insects are awesome!," the author enthuses. "Every human invention, from catapults to jet propulsion, had already been invented and used by bugs for millions of years. And that's why to be 'bugly' is the ultimate compliment."
The author of several books for children, Carol Diggory Shields lives in northern California.
Currently a children's librarian, Carol Diggory Shields has also worked with children as a recreational therapist and at one time was a designer of stuffed toys. Her years of being around children have no doubt helped her get a feel for the fun-but-factual stories that kids love, told in animated verse with an infectious beat. After successfully collaborating with illustrator Scott Nash on Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp, she teamed up with him for Martian Rock, "the true story of how a meteorite from Mars arrived on Earth," she quips.
More recently, the pair worked together again on The Bugliest Bug, a wacky tale of an insect talent contest threatened by hungry spiders (disguised as judges) and a brave little Damselfy who saves the day. "Insects are awesome!," the author enthuses. "Every human invention, from catapults to jet propulsion, had already been invented and used by bugs for millions of years. And that's why to be 'bugly' is the ultimate compliment."
The author of several books for children, Carol Diggory Shields lives in northern California.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 7, 2021
A fun, mildly exciting and above all delightfully poetically rollicking (song-like) story is Carol Diggory Shields’ 2002 picture book The Bugliest Bug (all about an advertised contest regarding which insect participant will end up winning the prize of being considered the so-called bugliest bug). But alas, the eagerly anticipated contest presented in The Bugliest Bug is unfortunately also a total scam dreamed up by some nasty arachnids, by some hungry predatory spiders (and it is thus up to young and unassuming damselfly Dilly to organise the ensnared in a huge spiderweb insect scam victims to fight back, to escape from the spiders’ greedy clutches, and later, upon successfully accomplishing this, for Dilly to be unanimously declared by all and sundry as most definitely being the bugliest bug).
However, even though the presented verses, albeit that the featured storyline of The Bugliest Bug are of course (and as demonstrated above) entirely fictional, both Carol Diggory Shields’ printed words and Scott Nash’s bright and boldly colourful (but still generally realistic in visual scope and feel) accompanying illustrations also in my opinion do serve as providing a basic both verbal and visual introduction to many different types of insects and also a bit to spiders (what the featured insects look like, how they act, what their defence mechanisms against predators are, and yes, that many arachnids tend to actively prey on insects). And although the combination of Carol Diggory Shields’ text and Scott Nash’s artwork in The Bugliest Bug is thus and naturally first and foremost meant to provide entertainment, there is also below the surface so to speak somewhat of an educational component featured, a basic portrait of insects as well as arachnids in general (with regard to their physical attributes and to their diverse behaviours), and which is in my opinion perfect for young children and indeed also probably totally delightful (since The Bugliest Bug is like a fun rhyming song) as a read-aloud.
However, even though the presented verses, albeit that the featured storyline of The Bugliest Bug are of course (and as demonstrated above) entirely fictional, both Carol Diggory Shields’ printed words and Scott Nash’s bright and boldly colourful (but still generally realistic in visual scope and feel) accompanying illustrations also in my opinion do serve as providing a basic both verbal and visual introduction to many different types of insects and also a bit to spiders (what the featured insects look like, how they act, what their defence mechanisms against predators are, and yes, that many arachnids tend to actively prey on insects). And although the combination of Carol Diggory Shields’ text and Scott Nash’s artwork in The Bugliest Bug is thus and naturally first and foremost meant to provide entertainment, there is also below the surface so to speak somewhat of an educational component featured, a basic portrait of insects as well as arachnids in general (with regard to their physical attributes and to their diverse behaviours), and which is in my opinion perfect for young children and indeed also probably totally delightful (since The Bugliest Bug is like a fun rhyming song) as a read-aloud.
January 23, 2020
The illustrations for this book were created using gouache and pencil and they really help to capture the excitement, drama, and celebrations featured in this fun book about bugs (and arachnids).
It's a fun, fast read and children will likely enjoy the conflict and resolution of the story.
It's a fun, fast read and children will likely enjoy the conflict and resolution of the story.
October 17, 2018
This is a great book to introduce minibeasts! It's conveys how different species of bugs are different with different purposes, however, they are still linked. The book is written in a rhyme with great rhythm, making it a joy to read aloud.
November 27, 2012
This book is very useful when teaching the topic of mini beasts to the pupils. The pictures in the book are very colourful and vivid displaying the mini beasts in a light hearted manner. This type of setting of immense colour and pictures immediately draws the pupil’s attention to the book and therefore creates a ant for learning and a thirst for knowledge.
The book describes the colours and sounds of many of the mini beasts. It also includes a great deal of rhyming which would improve the pupils pronunciation and reading skills.
The story is about a competition for lots of different bugs. The competition is called the ‘buggiest bug context’ and it gives each bug its opportunity to show everyone what their sound is, what different colours they are, if they light up or not and what moves they can make when flying or walking.
The writing in this book is in very big form making it easy for young readers to read along with. The illustrations compliment the text by vividly portraying and displaying the images of the bugs as described.
The story finishes on a happy note which is always satisfactory for young readers. I really liked this book and really enjoyed reading all the different rhymes and looking at the beautiful pictures. This book would be suitable for early years and KS1. The pictures could inspire art lessons and imaginative writing, perhaps even a story for KS1. This book would be an invaluable when teaching the pupils on the topic of mini beasts.
The book describes the colours and sounds of many of the mini beasts. It also includes a great deal of rhyming which would improve the pupils pronunciation and reading skills.
The story is about a competition for lots of different bugs. The competition is called the ‘buggiest bug context’ and it gives each bug its opportunity to show everyone what their sound is, what different colours they are, if they light up or not and what moves they can make when flying or walking.
The writing in this book is in very big form making it easy for young readers to read along with. The illustrations compliment the text by vividly portraying and displaying the images of the bugs as described.
The story finishes on a happy note which is always satisfactory for young readers. I really liked this book and really enjoyed reading all the different rhymes and looking at the beautiful pictures. This book would be suitable for early years and KS1. The pictures could inspire art lessons and imaginative writing, perhaps even a story for KS1. This book would be an invaluable when teaching the pupils on the topic of mini beasts.
January 23, 2015
I would say that this book is geared towards first graders and beginning readers. This book does an exceptional job of rhyming and keeping the reader wanting to read more. I like that there was a twist in the story and that Dilly had to save the day. I like this because in the beginning of the book, Dilly states that she knows she isn't going to win the competition, but at the end of the book she actually gets crowned the bugliest bug of them all. I think that this shows readers to not doubt themselves and always try their best because you never know how it will turn out in the end. This book would work nicely for incorporating science in with reading. It talks about the different types of bugs and what they do and how they function. I think that the students would find this entertaining and a fun way to learn about the different types of bugs.
November 28, 2018
I really liked this book because of the fun and silly rhymes and because of the amazing illustrations. Each bug had a unique look to them and made it look like a cartoon. I like how this book can also be cross curricular because it can introduce insects as a new topic or it can just be a fun read. This book is animal fantasy and in the 2nd-4th grade range
June 18, 2016
We read this 10 years ago to our girls and searched high and low to remember the name. So glad we found it! I want to make sure we have one of these when we have grandchildren. It was one of our favorites!
June 21, 2015
Nathan absolutely loved this one. He was reading it in the car on the way home from the library and wanted the "arachnids" story tonight. Cute book.
October 17, 2022
What a fun book! Perfectly suited to read aloud, it’s a well-crafted marriage of fact and fiction. The story builds page-turn suspense as we wait to learn which insect wins the ‘bugliest bug’ contest. The action heats up when the protagonist, an unassuming damselfly, begins to suspect the contest’s organizers—a gang of spiders—have ulterior motives. Insect facts weave beautifully into the story. One concern that many reviewers have noted is the illustrator’s choice to show insects with two arms and two legs instead of including six legs, as in real life. Even so, the art is fun and otherwise conveys the insects’ appearance. I feel that overall, the art works fine, as this is a fiction picture book. I laughed as I read the book and highly recommend it for kids from about age 4 to 7.
July 6, 2017
This is the book posted along a local walking route. Kids enjoyed finding the next page.
December 4, 2017
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Grade Level: K-2
This is such a cute book that teaches lessons too. It could be used to teach being yourself, being confident, teamwork, bravery, etc.
Grade Level: K-2
This is such a cute book that teaches lessons too. It could be used to teach being yourself, being confident, teamwork, bravery, etc.
March 23, 2020
cute rhyming story
June 8, 2021
It’s an okay read. Fun to see so many insects.
March 16, 2023
This is a favorite of mine from childhood that I have read to the students I have worked with. It is always enjoyed and gets lots of reactions from listeners or readers.
March 28, 2023
cute book about a little bug who stands up to bad spiders
April 6, 2023
This is a favorite of mine from childhood that I have read to the students I have worked with. It is always enjoyed and gets lots of reactions from listeners or readers.
September 26, 2024
Exciting. 2 year old not super into this one (she just wanted to keep dabbing her insect pages instead).
December 26, 2024
Fun story in verse about a little bug who is bigger than she realizes.
February 16, 2017
I chose this book book because I could use it in my classroom to introduce or support a lesson on insects. It's a fun read that would lighten the mood on a science unit. The illustrations are shades of bright blue and compliment the rhyming text just right. I loved how Shields describes the different characteristics of insects and even the difference between spiders and insects.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2011
The Bugliest Bug could be used when talking to children about how they can be a leader even though they are not old. You can use Damselfly Dilly as a great example. Even though he was small he directed the bugs to get away from the spiders (arachnids). You can also talk how being a leader lets other people look up. The last way the book could be used is talking about insects and arachnids and classifying them.
November 26, 2019
Genre: Poetry
Awards: none
Audience: 2-3rd
A. Narrative form. It tells a story so it is a narrative form of poetry.
B. The author uses onomatopoeias to get the sounds the bugs make across to the audience. This make the book more enjoyable to the children because it is more fun to read and the students can shout out as you read it with them.
C. What bug would you create to win the Buggliest Bug award, and what would it be named? I would create a Crazy Cricket to win the Bugliest Bug award.
Awards: none
Audience: 2-3rd
A. Narrative form. It tells a story so it is a narrative form of poetry.
B. The author uses onomatopoeias to get the sounds the bugs make across to the audience. This make the book more enjoyable to the children because it is more fun to read and the students can shout out as you read it with them.
C. What bug would you create to win the Buggliest Bug award, and what would it be named? I would create a Crazy Cricket to win the Bugliest Bug award.
March 21, 2012
The bugs were having a contest on who was the bugliest bug. The spiders were pretending to wrap wings around themselves, and at the end of the story they unwrapped the wings and were trying to go after all the bugs. The bugliest bugs got the spiders and the one who told everyone was the bugliest bug.
September 28, 2016
I didn't think this book was one of my absolute favorites. I personally thought it was an alright read. I don't think that the book was all that interesting, but I just don't think that kids will be interested in it. I think they would like the illustrations, but not the text itself. If it was to be read to a class, I would say that it could be for 3rd grade and lower.
August 31, 2008
This was another morning read aloud. It was fun to read and hear. I find that any book full of onomatopoeia is a sure hit. This one also gave us the chance to celebrate the little people and bravery. Fun.
January 21, 2016
A very fun rhyme about an insect contest to see who is the bugliest bug of them all. But there are nefarious forces at work for the contest was really just a ruse for the arachnids to snare some bugs!
Great illustrations.
Great illustrations.
May 10, 2008
Great rhyme, great beat. Very clever.
July 22, 2009
Participating in a contest to find the "bugliest" bug, Dilly the Damselfly becomes suspicous of the motives behind the contest and hey---do those judges have fangs?!
November 16, 2009
Fun rhymes, with a great female bug protagonist. And the illustrations and fresh and bright.
February 14, 2010
An enjoyably FUN read about creepy crawlies...the twins LOVE it...cute story with bright, COLORFUL pictures!!
April 21, 2010
Cute & lots of info about different bugs
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews