SOLVED. Vintage children's book translated from another language, possibly Italian, about a little boy who is shrunk into the world of insects. [s]

[Emi]

I read this book in college in 2014 for my Children's Lit class and can't for the life of me remember the name of it to put it on my read list. The book itself had to be 60s-70s, but I believe the book in its original language was more 30s-50s feeling. It was a yellow book. I'm 98% sure it was translated from Italian, but it could've been another language. The book was about a normal novel length for children and had pictures throughout.

I remember a picture of the little boy in a bed either on the front cover, the frontispiece, or in the first chapter. I think he was sick, but for some reason he was confined to his room. Somehow he was either shrunk down to insect size, or just went to a different world where bugs were his size. I believe he traveled around in his pajamas.

I remember there was a wasp, bees, a grasshopper, and I think ladybugs? The boy went around to different bugs and saw how they lived. All the bugs were anthropomorphic and lived in houses, but even though it was clearly a fantasy, I believe the story had a let's-learn-about-insects vibe to it.

[Becca]

It might be on this list: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

[Emi]

Several good books on that list I had not heard of, but nope don’t see my mystery book amongst them.

[Kimberlyn]

Is it maybe Eric in the Land of the insects? This is originally a book by a Dutch author. I have only seen the movie, I haven't actually read the book and I don't remember many details, but it is about a boy who goes to visit the insects.
Oh and it was published in 1941.

[Emi]

That's it!! Didn't know there was a movie. Thanks!

[Kimberlyn]

Emi wrote: "That's it!! Didn't know there was a movie. Thanks!"

I believe the movie is only in dutch, that might be why you haven't heard of it ;) Glad I could help!