Customer Reviews

Chirping Crickets (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2)

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This is the second book that I have read by Melvin Berger. The first one was about spiders. Because I like this book so much, I am going on to order two more: one about frogs, the other about bears.

Mr. Berger is a master of this genre. As well he should be as he is the author of more than 100 children's books. He also knows his subject well, since he was elected to membership in the New York Academy of Sciences.

He has an intuitive knack of selecting the most salient and vibrant features to reveal to the reader. The less dynamic or inessential he knows how to keep on the periphery. For instance, did you know that when you hear a cricket chirping, it is a male cricket you hear? Most females cannot make sounds. And again (and I find this fascinating), the ears of a cricket are under its front legs. All sorts of wondrous information carry the reader through this book. It begins: "It's late in the summer. The day is nearly over."

And it ends: "The sky is very dark now. The loud chirpings of the crickets fill the air. It is the nighttime sound of late summer." And then there is a drawing of a cricket in shadow.

The illustrations by Megan Lloyd are quite unique in that they are in darkened tones. There often seems to be a coppery light. Perfect for the child reader.

This book should be a treat for children. As an adult, I find it a delight!

bought it for my son. he loves it, very informative. It is fun for the parents to read :)

If you have a child that is interested in nature, the study of their natural surroundings, or simply loves "bugs," then this is an ideal little book to add to their library. I have to admit to you that I have been a cricket fan since I was a small child and have always been absolutely fascinated with them. Growing up I had them as pets, watched them in the wild, listened to them at night and yes, even used them as fish bait! They are wonderful little creatures.

This work pretty well covers the life cycle of the cricket. Emphasis is placed on how they produce their chirping sound and why they do so. This information alone is worth the price of the book. The text is easy to read with short declarative sentences that offer much information. The way the information is presented in this work gives the adult reader or teacher plenty of room to open discussions with the child.

And then there is the art work. The illustrations here are not only informative and extremely accurate and detailed, they are also quite beautiful. Megan Lloyd had produced some drawings and paintings here that I would be proud to hang on my wall.

This book also includes some nice cricket projects such as making a cricket model, jumping like a cricket, and others. The book is filled with little side-bars of cricket knowledge and lore.

I found this book to be not only informative but absolutely visually delightful.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Chirping Crickets (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2)
Another interesting book in this series. My 5 year old loves learning about anything in nature. We've had a few crickets in our house making noise. Then he heard on our Magic Tree House story that in China Crickets are considered good luck. So he was happy to learn more about them. We learned how many different types there are and how they make that annoying, I mean wonderful, noise. It suggests you keep one for a day and how to feed and water and provide a safe hiding spot for him. Lots of info and lots of fun.