How to Build an Insect

by Roberta Gibson, Anne Lambelet (Illustrations)

See what the buzz is about in this fresh, fun look at insect anatomy.

Let's build an insect! In the pages of this book, you'll find a workshop filled with everything you need, including a head, a thorax, an abdomen, and much more. Written by entomologist Roberta Gibson and accompanied by delightfully detailed illustrations by Anne Lambelet, this wonderfully original take on insect anatomy will spark curiosity and engage even those who didn't think they liked creepy, crawly things!

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science, Childrens, Animals, Nature, Stem

32 pages, ebook

First published April 6, 2021

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fun, educational and gorgeous. I loved the colorful illustrations and the engaging text. It teaches kids a ton about all the things that make insects what they are, with lots of examples. There's a glossary and more info at the end. I would have loved a few pages at the end with just tons of examples of other insects, but it's a fantastic resource.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book via NetGalley.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cool, creepy, and educational book about insects.
It's great for elementary-aged children and those who are really into learning about bugs.
The illustrations are great and really make the science engaging.
Many thanks to Millbrook Press and NetGalley for the advance copy.

[Lonna Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Innovative, inventive, and inspirational, this non-fiction picture book about entomology from the point of view of a young artist is phenomenal! Terrific, detailed illustrations show a lovely brown-skinned budding scientist as she creates an insect from paper, glue and found objects after gaining clarity about its component parts using questions. It's a brilliant concept to make bugs more accessible using household craft supplies. Making the complex comprehensible by using the construct of a conversation between an entomologist and a curious child, it is an engaging "how-to" assemble an insect while painlessly studying its fascinating anatomy. The book includes a meticulously labeled diagram, which compares and contrasts different known insects, a glossary, and directions to build and display an insect of your own. Ideal for STEAM curricula, it beautifully connects science, engineering, and art.

[Amy Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely beautiful! The illustrations are gorgeous.

This book goes through the different defining features of insects through the guise of creating your own insect. It is informative, fun and engaging.

It would be very easy to use this books as starting point, not just for scientific discussion, but also as a starting point for a creative project. As a teacher, I can see so many possible uses for this book.

I absolutely LOVED it, and cannot wait to use it with my class.

ARC kindly received from NetGalley and Milbrook Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has the best colorful pictures throughout. A boy in his garage goes through all the different parts of an insect when he begins to make one. He even takes the time to decorate them. He talks about all the different parts and what each insect does. I would use this in the classroom when learning about insects. I also think that this would be a good book to have at home to draw insects and learn about them.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fun and engaging book, How to Build an Insect is indeed a how to book for ages 5 - 9. The book is wonderfully illustrated and walks the reader through the parts of an insect by asking questions: what parts do we have, what does an insect have, where, and how many? All with explanations of what insects do have.

The book has a section on more about insect parts, a glossary, and a STEM activity.
Highly recommended for young readers, future entomologists and naturalists, their families, and teachers.

[Melissa Hoop · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are beyond gorgeous. I love how the book shows how you might build an insect and explains each reason and then the back provides the opportunity for a STEAM activity. Children as young as second grade will love this book about bugs. 🪲

[Iris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique book that breaks down (or builds up?) the different parts of an insect's body. Lambelet points out that a spider is not an insect, in fact, but a predator of insects and are distinguished from insects by their eight legs. Give your insect only six legs. Facts are presented with easy humor written in dialogue and the colorful illustrations show someone carefully building an insect. More detail and instructions for building your own insect model are included in the backmatter. Clever and informative!

[EiFL · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved How to Build an Insect! The art was beautiful and attention grabbing. The text was easy to digest, scientifically accurate, and fun. I especially liked how the story provided a basic explanation of insects and their anatomy, with additional, in-depth detail provided at the end for children -and adults!- who wanted to dig deeper.

A delightful, informative read with fantastic illustrations. Would recommend for any critter-loving child and their adults.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author and/or publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Elizabeth Mellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun take on learning about insects bodies! The illustrations were really awesome, exactly what I like in children’s non-fiction, and there was just the right amount of information and text for a young learner. I think my 4 and 7 year old would both enjoy this, as a refresher for the older child, with a few new facts (I don’t know that I’d heard of spiracles before!) and as all new information for the 4 year old. There’s even a fun looking activity to build your own insect that I think they would really enjoy! We tend to library most books, but this is one I think we might like to buy.

[Sarah W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great way to blend craft activities with learning. I plan on trying the activity in the book with some pre-k kiddos soon.

[Josephine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well illustrated and descriptive book about insect anatomy, in a fun format. Showing how to build an insect as if you are using craft supplies. It takes you through how the insect works like exoskeleton and legs and wings and ears (and how the ears can be in all different places). I learned some cool stuff from this book! Like crickets have feelers on the abdomen called cerci. The book with illustrations offers a lot of learning materials, and then at the back of the book is even more information about different insect parts, a glossary, and even a quick tutorial on how to build your own insect model.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cool book! Each page walks through the parts of an insects body and how they are arranged. Some body parts are specific and the same for all insects, having six legs for example. But some body parts vary quite a bit, such as having wings.

My teaching plan is to having an organizer that students complete as they listen to the story. Perhaps a chart with each body part and a note about its specifications. Then students can work in groups to create an insect using the information that they learned in the book. Construction materials could be simple (colored paper) or more complex (a variety of common materials such as spoons, chenille stems, plastic pieces).

[Maria Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watch the main character learn the parts of an insect, in this beautifully and entertainingly illustrated nonfiction picture book. As the insect is assembled, analogies are drawn between kids and insects - stomachs versus abdomens, skeletons versus exoskeletons, two versus six legs, etc., while multiple insects and other critters make entertaining cameo appearances. Back matter includes more in-depth information on the parts of insects and a STEM activity. It is such a great way to learn about insects.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a lot of great information about what makes up a bug told in a fantastic way! My five year old loved it, and loved trying to answer the questions that so easily flowed from the narrative of the book. Fantastic book, especially for those of us who have littles that are obsessed with anything that creeps, crawls, and/or flies!

*I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Amy Ayan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.
This is a very cool science picture book. It provides the reader an entertaining and engaging way to learn insects' body parts like eyes, spiracles, and abdomen. The illustrations in this book are very colorful. The STEAM activity at the end of the book was very creative and engaging. This book can be used in a classroom to teach young children about insects and their body parts in a fun way. We would love to read more books by this author.

[Opal Edgar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful picture book for young children who like insects. The illustrations are very pretty and clear. The story does an outstanding job describing each insect section and how insects eat or breathe and really makes kids want to make their own creative insect. I would recommend parents read the activity page at the end, and be ready for some craft time. A lovely addition to any child's library, I would say one aged between 5 and 10.

[Kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Let's start with the illustrations - they're detailed and gorgeous. This is a cute, fun, interesting book to help kids explore information about insects. I love that there were plenty of details laid out in an extremely kid friendly way. There was also a glossary and hands on activity at the end. This would be great to have in a classroom library.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very informative science book that is better than the dry facts. I enjoyed it and think they did a wonderful job. The pictures by Anne Lambelet are great. If your child is learning about insects in school or perhaps just interested in them then this is a great pick. This is also a bit of a drawing guide.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Millbrook Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Anca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, together with my 5 years old! The illustrations are captivating and the information within is extremely interesting. Who knew insects can have their ears on the knees? Or that they have 5 eyes? The activity at the end of the book was also well described, we enjoyed doing it!
Thank you to Net Galley and Lerner Publishing Group for providing me with an e-book copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Laura Perdew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I’ll admit I was skeptical – building an insect? But this book is BRILLIANT! From the very first page it draws the reader in, talks to them, and teaches. And yet, it is not didactic. Far from it. This book is engaging and fun. Not only that, what kid wouldn’t want to build an insect after reading this book? This is an amazing addition to any classroom or home collection, allowing kids to combine what they’ve learned with their own creativity.

[Emilee (emileereadsbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group, Millbrook Press ™ for a free digital copy for my review.

I am not a big fan of bugs, but the illustrations in this book were even delightful to me! A very informative book doling out information in a fun way to children, readers will learn a lot about insect anatomy!

[Donna Huddleston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learn all about insects!

This book is for children but adults will soak up the knowledge about insects. Did you know the fly sucks food with its sponge mouth. And if the food is a solid—it spits on the food to dissolve the sugars!
Do flies have lungs? Read this book to find out.
This book also had STEAM activities for teachers.
Excellent, enjoyable read.

[Charlotte Offsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

My five-year-old son is obsessed with insects and couldn't get enough of this one! It is a brilliant introduction to insects, their body parts, and all things creepy-crawly. It is packed with information and detailed illustrations. This is a great one for any insect lovers or educators of curious littles!⁠

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy from Lerner Publishing Group.
Gibson takes younger readers through the process of creating their own insect. She slips facts and information in seamlessly as they decide what parts to include. Further information is included at the end of the book. Terrific read to lead into a STEAM project and have students create their own bugs.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was exactly what it promised to be. The structure was so smart, and there were tiny tangential facts that brought the concepts to life in a kid-centric way. My four-year-old is decidedly not interested in this subject... and yet, this book pulled her right in and had her asking me to read it again and again! The perfect balance of informational delivery and brevity.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great intro book about insects. I think this would be a great book to read to kids or have a kid read to themselves and also build their own insect. It does a great job of comparing the anatomy of insects with that of a human so the reader can more easily relate to insects.

[NayDoubleU · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved everything about this book! This is for sure something i would have in my classroom and in my personal library. Very well put together and could easily be used as a lesson plan across all subjects.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you wanted to build an insect, where would you start? This picture book will teach you all that you need to know! Readers will learn the main body part of insects, but also some lesser know details, such as how many eyes they have and how they hear the world around them. This is a great addition to both home and classroom libraries. #HowtoBuildanInsect #NetGalley #bookstagram

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was impressed that so much information about insects could be conveyed with this succinct text. A great book for younger readers and the right length for a class read-aloud. Good discussion opportunities as well.