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Icky Bug Books
Icky Bug Shapes
Kids will love this adorable book that teaches all about shapes -- with help from the ickiest bugs around!
Kids will love learning their shapes with help from icky bugs. All the familiar shapes, such as squares, rectangles, circles, stars, and others are covered in this adorable young picture book.
Kids will love learning their shapes with help from icky bugs. All the familiar shapes, such as squares, rectangles, circles, stars, and others are covered in this adorable young picture book.
32 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2004
2 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Pallotta
229 books111 followersMy full name is Gerard Larry Pallotta but my mom always called me "Jerry". I was born on March 26, 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts. My mom's name is Mary, and she came from a family of ten children. My dad's name is Joe, and he came from a family of five children. My grandparents were immigrants of Italian descent. I have the nicest parents in the world. They have always been unselfish and ready to help me, even today. I have four brothers and two sisters: Joey, David, Andrew, Danny, Cindy and Mickey. I have seventy-two first cousins. When I was growing up, there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
My family moved to Medford, Massachusetts when I was young. I went to elementary school at Mt. Trinity Academy, not far from where my publisher is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. I never wrote a book in elementary school, and we never kept journals. In the neighborhood where I grew up, almost every family had seven to nine children. I guess that you could say that there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I went to high school at Boston College High School, a Jesuit all-boys school in downtown Boston. The priests and other teachers were really wonderful. I played football and ran track. I had a great high school experience and I think later it made my studies in college much easier. My sons Neil and Eric graduated from Boston College High School in 2001 and 2003. Neil was named after a teacher I had, Fr. Neil Callahan, S.J. I never wrote a book in high school, and I never wrote for the school newspaper. I was too shy and was afraid of what other kids would think.
After high school I went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I majored in business, a subject that would help me later in life when I decided to publish my first book. At Georgetown, I met my wife, Linda. In college I was an average student and was captain of the Georgetown University Rugby Team. I never wrote for the college newspaper, and I never imaged writing books. A couple of years later, Linda and I got married and I started to work at an insurance company in Boston. During the first six years of being married, we had four kids. It seemed like there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
Today, we spend a lot of time with my 31 nieces and nephews...again...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I learned valuable skills while talking to people, selling insurance and collecting money. When I came home from work, Linda would ask me to "read to the kids!" I loved reading to my kids and I learned to appreciate children's books. The first few books that we bought were alphabet books and counting books. "A" was always for Apple and "Z" was always for Zebra. One day I decided, "Hey, I can do this!" I had an idea. I would write an alphabet book about the Atlantic Ocean. I spent every summer at Peggotty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts. I have great memories of lobstering, fishing, mossing, clamming and rowing in my dory.
My first book was written in 1985 when I was 32 years old. I came up with the idea, wrote it, designed it, researched it, edited it and my cousin, Frank Mazzola, Jr. illustrated it. I published it myself under the name of Peggotty Beach Books. What fun! It was first printed on July 7, 1986. I'll never forget that day. The book eventually became the #1 best selling book at the New England Aquarium. I was afraid that only my mother would like it. Teachers and kids told me they really liked my book.
While speaking in schools, teachers also told me they were looking for simple non-fiction nature books. It gave me the confidence to write more. My next book, "The Icky Bug Alphabet Book", has sold more than 1 million copies. My third book, "The Bird Alphabet Book" was voted one of the best books of the year by Birders World Magazine. I now have over twenty alphabet books. My goal has always been to write interesting, fact-filled, fun to read, beautifully illustrated color children's books. Thank you to all my illustrators: Ralph Masiello, Frank Mazzola, Jr., Rob Bolster, Edgar Stewart, Leslie
My family moved to Medford, Massachusetts when I was young. I went to elementary school at Mt. Trinity Academy, not far from where my publisher is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. I never wrote a book in elementary school, and we never kept journals. In the neighborhood where I grew up, almost every family had seven to nine children. I guess that you could say that there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I went to high school at Boston College High School, a Jesuit all-boys school in downtown Boston. The priests and other teachers were really wonderful. I played football and ran track. I had a great high school experience and I think later it made my studies in college much easier. My sons Neil and Eric graduated from Boston College High School in 2001 and 2003. Neil was named after a teacher I had, Fr. Neil Callahan, S.J. I never wrote a book in high school, and I never wrote for the school newspaper. I was too shy and was afraid of what other kids would think.
After high school I went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I majored in business, a subject that would help me later in life when I decided to publish my first book. At Georgetown, I met my wife, Linda. In college I was an average student and was captain of the Georgetown University Rugby Team. I never wrote for the college newspaper, and I never imaged writing books. A couple of years later, Linda and I got married and I started to work at an insurance company in Boston. During the first six years of being married, we had four kids. It seemed like there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
Today, we spend a lot of time with my 31 nieces and nephews...again...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I learned valuable skills while talking to people, selling insurance and collecting money. When I came home from work, Linda would ask me to "read to the kids!" I loved reading to my kids and I learned to appreciate children's books. The first few books that we bought were alphabet books and counting books. "A" was always for Apple and "Z" was always for Zebra. One day I decided, "Hey, I can do this!" I had an idea. I would write an alphabet book about the Atlantic Ocean. I spent every summer at Peggotty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts. I have great memories of lobstering, fishing, mossing, clamming and rowing in my dory.
My first book was written in 1985 when I was 32 years old. I came up with the idea, wrote it, designed it, researched it, edited it and my cousin, Frank Mazzola, Jr. illustrated it. I published it myself under the name of Peggotty Beach Books. What fun! It was first printed on July 7, 1986. I'll never forget that day. The book eventually became the #1 best selling book at the New England Aquarium. I was afraid that only my mother would like it. Teachers and kids told me they really liked my book.
While speaking in schools, teachers also told me they were looking for simple non-fiction nature books. It gave me the confidence to write more. My next book, "The Icky Bug Alphabet Book", has sold more than 1 million copies. My third book, "The Bird Alphabet Book" was voted one of the best books of the year by Birders World Magazine. I now have over twenty alphabet books. My goal has always been to write interesting, fact-filled, fun to read, beautifully illustrated color children's books. Thank you to all my illustrators: Ralph Masiello, Frank Mazzola, Jr., Rob Bolster, Edgar Stewart, Leslie
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 21, 2021
I was actually not going to bother with reading and reviewing any more of Jerry Pallotta’s Icky Bug picture books. Because for ALL of them, I do indeed and definitely have huge and major issues with the oh so silly and woefully repetitive book titles, since in my humble opinion, NONE of the creatures featured by Jerry Pallotta in ANY of his Icky Bug books should be labelled as, should be designated as being in any way and manner icky. For come on, albeit that insects, bugs etc. are often according to us as humans and likely as mammals rather unusual and strange in appearance, they are also not to be categorically feared or made out to be, to be described as vile, horrid and disgusting (and if Jerry Pallotta wants to use his Icky Bug moniker as some kind of an advertising gimmick for his picture books on insects, on bugs, for me personally, I do call and criticise this rather as an epic and ridiculously laughable failure).
But when I quickly skimmed through Icky Bug Shapes on Open Library, I simply felt that I needed to warn especially parents thinking of using this particular book with their young children, as there is (in my humble opinion) just too much (aside from the annoying book title) that is seriously flawed with Icky Bug Shapes. For one and really an intellectual faux pas as far as I am concerned, although Jerry Pallotta describes mostly insects in Icky Bug Shapes, he does present two examples of spiders, but never once points out that spiders are arachnids and NOT insects, thus making the two spider examples appear as though they are actually insects (and considering how often spiders are in fact considered as being insects, are mistaken for insects, I really do NOT understand why the differences between arachnids and insects have not been mentioned and explained in Icky Bug Shapes). And for two, considering that Icky Bug Shapes is from where I am standing clearly meant for introducing young children (and likely even toddlers) to various geometric shapes via the example of insects, sorry, but Jerry Pallotta’s presented text is much much too advanced and verbally dense for the intended age group, for young children from around the age of two to five (leaving me feeling totally underwhelmed by and annoyed with Icky Bug Shapes and only still considering two stars because Shennen Bersani’s accompanying artwork is definitely aesthetically pleasant and realistically, lushly descriptive).
But when I quickly skimmed through Icky Bug Shapes on Open Library, I simply felt that I needed to warn especially parents thinking of using this particular book with their young children, as there is (in my humble opinion) just too much (aside from the annoying book title) that is seriously flawed with Icky Bug Shapes. For one and really an intellectual faux pas as far as I am concerned, although Jerry Pallotta describes mostly insects in Icky Bug Shapes, he does present two examples of spiders, but never once points out that spiders are arachnids and NOT insects, thus making the two spider examples appear as though they are actually insects (and considering how often spiders are in fact considered as being insects, are mistaken for insects, I really do NOT understand why the differences between arachnids and insects have not been mentioned and explained in Icky Bug Shapes). And for two, considering that Icky Bug Shapes is from where I am standing clearly meant for introducing young children (and likely even toddlers) to various geometric shapes via the example of insects, sorry, but Jerry Pallotta’s presented text is much much too advanced and verbally dense for the intended age group, for young children from around the age of two to five (leaving me feeling totally underwhelmed by and annoyed with Icky Bug Shapes and only still considering two stars because Shennen Bersani’s accompanying artwork is definitely aesthetically pleasant and realistically, lushly descriptive).
March 4, 2018
A fun way for any lover of bugs to review and learn shapes. I like how the author attempted to find most shapes in nature.
April 5, 2018
This was a cute way to teach two concepts. It teaches a little about ants and a lot of shapes. Great for young, beginning readers!
March 26, 2018
I read this book because it was given to me by a guest speaker in one of my lecture classes. The illustrations in this book contained bugs and shapes, so it caught your attention. While it caught my attention, it also teaches shapes in a fun way, so it would keep students interested.
December 6, 2011
This book is very informative talking about shapes and bugs. I read this to my 2nd graders last week and they really enjoyed it! The shapes were good review for them and the bug information was new!
Read
March 4, 2013This book could be used prek through second grade. All of these grades discuss simple shapes, from circles to octagons. I also like how this book focuses on shapes you find in nature. It would be a good book to read before doing a nature walk identifying shapes outside.
November 15, 2010
Educational in many different ways (insects AND shapes). Well done.
January 23, 2011
Shapes and attributes were described through the medium of leafcutter ants. The illustrater did a good job of helping the reader find the shapes in nature. Nice little book.
Want to read
April 4, 2016We learned that we can sometimes read the WORDS in books!
November 15, 2016
500: Math- shapes
Science- insects
Science- insects
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews