The Bug in the Bog: Ready-to-Read Pre-Level 1

by Jonathan Fenske

See the bug in the bog. See the frog in the bog. Will the frog eat the bug in the bog?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Animals

32 pages, Paperback

Published December 8, 2020

About the author

Jonathan Fenske is the author and illustrator of the leveled readers Woodward and McTwee, Love Is in the Air, Guppy Up!, and A Pig, a Fox, and a Box, which was a 2016 Geisel Honor book. He is also the author of two picture books, Barnacle Is Bored and its follow-up, Plankton Is Pushy. Jonathan lives in South Carolina with his family.

Reviews

[Tara Engel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me laugh, the ending was a fun surprise.

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richie’s Picks: THE BUG IN THE BOG by Jonathan Fenske, Simon Spotlight, December 2020, 32p., ISBN: 978-1-5344-7724-7

“Oh, my plans didn’t work out like I thought
‘Cause I had laid my trap for you but it seems like I got caught

What’s this whole world comin’ to
Things just ain’t the same
Any time the hunter gets captured by the game”
-- Smokey Robinson (1966)

“See the bug in the bog.
See the bug on a log.
See the bug watch the muddy bog bubble. (POP!)
The bug sits. The bug sings.
The bug thinks happy thoughts,
never dreaming there could be some trouble.”

Surprise endings are so much fun!

There’s an old 1984 picture book by British author/illustrator Tony Ross that I’ve shared with generations of kids. I’M COMING TO GET YOU! features a hairy monster from outer space who has been eating planets right and left. Now, he’s heading to Earth to get a little boy. But, in the end, the monster turns out to be around the size of a grapefruit or a coconut.

Other surprise-ending favs include ALAN’S BIG SCARY TEETH (Jarvis, 2016); THE WOLF’S CHICKEN STEW (Keiko Kasza, 1987); BARK GEORGE (Jules Feiffer, 1999); and I WANT MY HAT BACK (Jon Klassan, 2011).

THE BUG IN THE BOG is a level one beginning reader. It features a bug and a frog, some mud and some fog, and a surprise twist of an ending. Kids will marvel over the twist and will love the rhythm and rhyme.

I’d pair this with Raffi’s version of “Five Green and Speckled Frogs” and a poem from my childhood, Karla Kuskin’s “A Bug Sat in a Silver Flower.”

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
https://twitter.com/richiespicks
richiepartington@gmail.com

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS is what great easy readers are made of! Excellent word choice, a story, and a surprise fun ending!

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprise ending and simple to read text. Fenske's humor comes through at this level too.

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fenske's books are hilarious and have unexpected surprises that keep kids engaged. I enjoy his early readers and will purchase for my elementary libraries. Because even pre/emerging readers love to laugh and deserve fun experiences with books.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bug in a bog is sitting on a log thinking happy thoughts. A frog comes along and is thinking his own happy, hungry thoughts. But what will happen when a fog descends?

Ok, language arts teachers, take note. This would be the perfect book to demonstrate plot diagramming a story with, or how to build tension, or how to surprise your readers by playing with their expectations. The text is very simple, but Fenske managed to make them say SO much with just a few words and some clever illustrations. Just note, there is some predator/prey action going on so super sensitive readers who don't like the idea of animals eating each other avoid this. (It is implied, not shown.)

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

There is a bug in the bog--but there is also a hungry fog. When the fog rolls in...what will happen?

Lots of humor (plus an unexpected twist) make this another classic Jonathan Fenske reader. Most words are ideal for just-starting beginning readers, though there are a few larger vocabulary words included (dreaming, swallow, sneaky, etc.).

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

An early reader book. It seemed a tad on the long side but not too bad. There were a few more difficult words (trouble/bubble, hollow/swallow) but most stick to the sight word list or -ug -og word families. My kids were not pleased with the twist ending.

A bug and a frog meet in a bog-who will be left after the fog?

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

An engaging easy reader with a surprise twist ending, this book adds Looney Tunes-like humor and interest to what is often a rather boring genre.

Be aware that a character gets eaten by another character, and not every kid might like that plot development!

[Roben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids will eat this up! (Pun intended.) All those eager beginning readers who love Fly Guy will adore this one.

[Bonnie Arriola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute with a surprise ending!!

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A frog ends up as lunch of bog bug.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny...tasty ending!

[Anneke Alnatour · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a foggy ending!

It was a great twist for a early reading book! You don't need a lot of words after all!

[Ann Haefele · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun easy read book with very large text and a fun surprise ending.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for a beginning reader (and the rest of us). Features word families, delightful illustrations, and a humorous plot.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humorous book for beginning readers

[CCPL Buzz]

MH K-1

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

It never fails, I always laugh when I read a Jonathan Fenske story!

[Emily Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious! The ending was quite unexpected and I can just imagine children rolling with laughter or looking up with shocked faces. Easy to read, great for young readers.

[Syntha Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fenske's books are so funny

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun rhyming reader with an unanticipated ending.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a happy bug on a log in the bog. There's a hungry frog in the bog. Down comes the fog. What happens?

This was a fun read and I loved the surprise ending!

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids will love this. Cute and funny. Great early reader.

[Joy Keil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny!

[Tale9Fin2Bryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE Jonathan Fenske's books - the story time group LOVED it too, especially the unexpected ending!

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddie thought the surprise ending was hilarious.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 6 year old daughter was almost able to read this book by herself.

[Karen Duvall · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book for my reading kiddo in between kinder and 1st. four stars as there were some words she couldn't figure out, but after a few tries got it.

ending was a fun surprise.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful beginning reader with a twist at the end. My one-year-old grandson enjoyed the re-reads. (I could add several dates!)