Backyard Bugs

by Helen Milroy

From beautiful butterflies to kaleidoscopic Christmas beetles, First Nations author and illustrator Helen Milroy returns to the backyard with a picture book designed to teach kids (and their handlers) all about the scurrying, scuttling, scooting, buzzing, zooming splendour of insects.

Genres: Australia

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 2, 2021

About the author

Dr Helen Milroy is a descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia, but was born and educated in Perth. Australia’s first Indigenous doctor, Helen studied medicine at the University of Western Australia and is currently Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UWA, Honorary Research Fellow at Telethon Kids Institute and a Commissioner with the National Mental Health Commission. Helen was recently appointed as the AFL’s first indigenous commissioner. Wombat, Mudlark and Other Stories is her first book for children.

Reviews

[Laura Farrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice simple description of all the bugs you might find in your backyard in Australia, and the actions that you might find them doing. For example, a Cricket chirps, ants march etc. Each page is accompanied with a beautiful picture that is decorated with indigenous Australian illustrations.
This book is fantastic to read aloud to a young group, and then craft activities can be conducted around it, emulating the artworks and talking about insects.
5 Stars.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This appears as a simply told coverage of a range of backyard bugs but is a masterpiece of design, writing and illustration. With a vibrant sturdy cover, alliterative title and a topic that enthralls many youngsters it sure to be a winner. Each bug has a double page spread - one with simple text that describes the insect presented on the accompanying page. The text is short and simple, (e.g I watch an ant march up the tree) and cleverly embellished with illustrative additions (tiny footsteps for the ant) to suggest the movement being made. These are subtle, small and almost blend into the boldly coloured backgrounds. Colours are bold and with a contemporary stylised indigenous feel to them.

A great simple literary nonfiction book to capture the imagination of young readers.