Creepy Beetles

Children's Literature

With the introduction of more than fifty of the 300,000 beetle species, kids will certainly realize that they are everywhere. Beetles come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors—ranging from the colorful Red Milkweed Beetle to the drab Snout Beetle. Robinson imparts good information about these insects—their birth, stages of development and diet. Learning about the antics of the click beetle and that fireflies are really beetles may surprise to some readers. The last three pages contain full-color, thumbnail pictures of all of the beetles with references to the pages where they appear. Robinson has produced a good selection for early science studies and introduces curious kids to the fascinating world of insects. There is a page of instructions directed to family members who will be assisting new readers. A Level 2 book in the "Hello Reader" series. 2000, Cartwheel/Scholastic, . Ages 5 to 7. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot