There's a Bug on My Book!

by John Himmelman

An interactive experience for readers to move the bugs around their book while learning important characteristics about these creatures. Learning becomes fun as children form a deep appreciation for the world around us! Do you know any 3 or 4 year olds who love bugs? Young or old, you will love this book! Beetles fly, frogs hop, and slugs slide over the pages of this cute bug book, made to be read by a child while lying on the grass. Children interact with the book, with a tip, tap, and turn of the book, moving the critters along. The critters even interact with each other in surprising ways. John Himmelman brings together his expertise as both a naturalist and an artist to encourage children to explore nature in their own backyard. Backmatter Explore More for photos and information about what it means to think like a scientist and more about the bugs in the book. Explore More for Teachers & STEM activities, read aloud suggestions, and a quick summary of Science and Engineering Practices. Perfect for anyone looking for for homeschool materials. for outdoor learning activities. to provide an interactive experience. that make learning fun!

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

32 pages, Hardcover

Published March 1, 2017

About the author

John Himmelman is the author and illustrator of more than sixty books for children, including Chickens to the Rescue. He lives in Connecticut with his family.

According John's Facebook page, he has been "making up stories and scribbling pictures since I could hold a crayon in my hand. It became my job in 1981, when my first book, "Talester the Lizard" was published during my last year in college (School of Visual Arts)....It behooves a writer to try and turn what interests them into their work. I've been fortunate to do that with my love of nature, with books - for adults and children - focusing on different natural history topics."

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interactive title supposes that bugs are "landing" on the page, and directs the reader to nudge and tap the critters, or tilt or flip the book to move them along, while offering facts about these backyard critters. Includes bigger animals such as snakes and frogs along with the buggy ants, grasshoppers, and spiders. Great backmatter goes into more detail on each species, breaks down bug vs. insect vs. arachnid, and suggests activities to do in your own backyard.

[Rachael Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interactive book where the reader is instructed to do different things for each bug, tip the book so the ants drop off, etc. Cute illustrations and pages of information for the adult reader at the end. (not for storytime, better for a smaller group)

[Emily Tayler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that introduces many new bugs to the reader as they "crawl across the pages. This book tells about many different kinds of bugs and is also interactive with the reader.

I like how they made this book interactive for the reader. The text gives "commands" that the reader should follow like a tap on the page or simply turning the page to discover a new bug. This helps the readers to remain engaged in the story and excited to see which bug is next.

I would give this book 5 stars. I like how it is an interactive book because it allows the students to engage with the book on a deeper level than any ordinary book. Also, it's very easy to follow and easy for the reader to understand. It is a creative way to inform students about different types of bugs.

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's a Bug On My Book would be a fun read for an outside, bugs, or nonfiction based storytime. I enjoyed the vocabulary very much as well.

After all was said and done, while I understand the purpose of meta books and how they relate to play, I'm kind of tired of them.

[Sue Poduska · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much to learn and see just from the immediate world around us. Action packed illustrations add to the fun with apparently crumpled pages and slug slime trails. Many activities will grow out of this book. In fact, the book itself is an activity.

[Daphne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent interactive picture book about bugs. Cool illustrations, and pages of facts at the end. And can I just say, I love John Himmelman's sense of humor!

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun for one on one or summer bug story time. Nice intro to bugs and how they move.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple interactive book about bugs and other outdoor creatures. Most of the information is in the endnotes.

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute interactive book. Teaching bug action words. Would be better for older kids.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun interactive book about bugs!

[Seema Rao · Rating 3 out of 5]

Animal locomotion is shown in graphics that make it look as if the animals are on the book's pages. The text is solid though a bit hokey.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different take on an interactive picture book. Instead of dots or stationary trees, this book features creepy crawlies!

[Lara Samuels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can’t wait to share this with my students!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids always love these interactive books, so it's a great way to keep them engaged and learning without even realizing it!

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great kids non-fiction book about bugs, snakes, frogs and more than you can see while outside. This is a fun way to learn about the living things that surround you.

[Wendy Kuzma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice interactive nonfiction read aloud for lower elementary.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow! The detail on some of the creatures featured in this cleverly-designed and -imagined book is incredible. In it, the author-illustrator uses a careful lens to focus on the smallest or least interesting living things such as the slug. He suggests that readers take the book outside to read, and watch what happens. Before they know it, a bug has landed on the book, and it is followed by many other animals, including a snake, a frog, a pillbug, and even a worm. Each of them moves in different ways, a notion that is explored further in the back matter. Readers are encouraged to move the book around a bit and tap gently some of the visitors to move them along. I smiled when I saw the slime trail left by the ever-slow exit of the snail. The soft green background enhances the book's appearance and this different approach to the natural world is creative and engaging. The truth is that it is highly likely that a bug or two will land on your book if you choose to read it outdoors. At least that's what always happens to me. Add this one to your science classroom library.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this interactive book! It introduces children to different insects and other creepy crawlies (I.e. spiders, snakes, slugs, and frogs) and teaches children about how they move (hop, slither, slide, etc.). I love the realistic illustrations, too. The main draw is how the book instructs the reader to interact with the page, the insects, or the entire book to gently get the animals off, as if the book were lying open in the grass and these animals started moving across it. It’s an excellent, indirect way to teach children to be gentle with animals of all kinds.

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would love to read this book to a child, as I think this would be a great read-aloud book, with lots of fun activities for the reader.

[SamSamSam · Rating 5 out of 5]

READ, BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, interactive, and educational book.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really neat book, but the particular mechanics of reading it will make it *very* difficult to use in a traditional storytime. It would require a trip outside, or a one-on-one read (still outdoors).
Cool and informative, though, introducing lots of critters (and not just bugs) and giving quick little snippets about them, with extra info in the back.

[MaryLibrarianOH · Rating 3 out of 5]

A+ for the interactive and information pieces of the book.

[molliekay]

I love how it incorporates learning about bugs and other creatures with the elements of an interactive book. This is for your little nature lover who wants to pick up all of the bugs, slugs, and worms.

I'm a fan of picture books that include a little shock at the end, HOWEVER.

One of the things that stuck with me the most from my childhood was coming across a snake eating a frog while on a nature walk with my mom.

I had flashbacks reading this and now will never be the same. Yeah, I'm being dramatic, but still.

[Christine Turner]

Review for storytime kit.