Bug Scientist [Hardcover]

Donna M. Jackson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Scientists in the Field Series

Small is beautiful—or so the bug scientists of the world believe. Insects, they say, boast qualities the rest of us have perhaps overlooked. They are among the earth’s best fliers and farmers. They have survived and adapted for 350 million years, whereas we humans have been around for a mere 10,000 years. There are millions upon millions of species yet to be identified. Indeed, insects are perhaps nature’s least celebrated but most successful creatures on earth.
By following the footsteps of several bug scientists, we take a closer look at the extraordinary bugs that crawl, swim, and whiz past us. We visit the morgue, drop by an outdoor classroom, witness a bug bowl festival—complete with a cricket-spitting contest (yuck!)—and travel to the rain forests of Costa Rica—all in pursuit of a better understanding of bugs, glorious bugs.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grades 3-6--Jackson introduces four people with an interest in and knowledge of insects. Tom Turpin, a professor with a mission to make everyone interested in his field, feeds his students insect-based goodies and runs a yearly Bug Bowl in which contestants compete at cricket spitting and other contests. Valerie Cervenka, a forensic entomologist, gives essential information to crime investigators such as the time of death of a murder victim based on the insect infestation of the body. Steven Kutcher provides insect actors for Hollywood films, while Ted Schultz travels to rain forests to study farmer ants. Jackson also introduces the Monarch Watch program and some of the children and scientists who participate in it. Many well-reproduced color photographs add to the book's appeal. The author weaves in much information about the insects, devoting fully half of the text to them, including an "Amazing Insects" list of superlatives in the end, most of the glossary ("Buzz Words"), and bibliography ("Gone Buggy?"). While this is fascinating material covered in a lively manner, it does tend to take focus away from the scientists. There are many insect books and too few books about scientists and what they do for this audience. Nevertheless, this welcome successor to Jackson's The Bone Detectives (Little, Brown, 1996) and The Wildlife Detectives (Houghton, 2000) is sure to be popular with teachers and children alike and it may inspire many young readers to seek careers in entomology.
Louise L. Sherman, formerly at Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. Innovative ant farmers; crime-solving bugs; tasty crickets (Chocolate Chirpy Chip Cookies, anyone?). The much-maligned world of insects becomes fascinating in this latest entry in the excellent Scientists in the Field series. The text is organized into profiles of entomologists, each representing a unique angle of the profession: a college professor who sparks student interest with cockroach races; a scientist who uses bugs to help police solve crimes; a Hollywood "Bug Director"; and so on. In between discussion of what each job entails, the highly readable text weaves in plenty of science--everything from insect characteristics to species behavior-- always emphasizing how bugs benefit humans. With its crisp photos and lively story angles and language, this is sure to attract young readers, and a chapter profiling a fifth-grader monarch conservationist will convince insect enthusiasts that they don't need a master's degree to participate in the field. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; 1st ptg edition (March 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618108688
• ISBN-13: 978-0618108688
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,005,900 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Get Real! That's what I love to do most--write about real people, places, and things. During my travels, I've met some fascinating people, from bug scientists to bone detectives. I've also had the privilege of meeting some of the heroes--and hero dogs--of September 11th.

This year, I'm excited to share two new books: WHAT'S SO FUNNY?, which explores the worlds of humor and laughter, and THE ELEPHANT SCIENTIST, which follows the remarkable work of Caitlin O'Connell, a researcher who studies African elephants at Etosha National Park in Namibia. Both are books I hope you'll find as fascinating to read as I did to write!

Visit: www.donnamjackson.net

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!, October 16, 2006

By 

Me "Bookie :)" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bug Scientists (Scientists in the Field Series) (Paperback)

This book is fanatastic. It presents information is an interesting fashion that keeps you and your child interested. I have many books by this author and am impressed every time!