I Love Bugs! [Hardcover]

Philemon Sturges (Author), Shari Halpern (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Some bugs hop.

Some bugs
make honey.

Some bugs light
up the sky!

Come explore the amazing world of bugs! The friendly bugs that crawl all over these pages include hungry caterpillars, busy ants, and graceful dragonflies. Which one is your favorite?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K–This spare story in rhyme shows a little boy in a safari outfit armed with a camera going out to explore his house and yard. Halpern uses a bright palette and outlines the simple drawings in bold black lines. The pictures are somewhat flat, but their clarity will appeal to young readers. Scientists, however, will decry the use of the word "bugs" to include insects, arachnids, and nematodes and condemn this early taught misconception. The rhyme scheme is unclear at first and the text is lackluster. The endpapers have some interesting "bug" facts, but this trivia will appeal to an older audience. Bob Barner's Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! (Chronicle, 1999) has a much broader appeal for the same age group; the rhyme scheme is clearer, and the fantastical collage illustrations are more attractive.–Be Astengo, Alachua County Library, Gainesville, FL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. The collaborative team of Sturges and Halpern introduced massive movers in I Love Trains! (2001) and I Love Trucks! (1999). Now they present the wonders of tiny movers. A little boy in a pith helmet, with a camera slung around his neck and bugs all over his shoulders, appears on the cover to set the tone of the exploration that follows. Sturges' story-in-rhyme follows the boy as he notices bugs on the windowsill, bugs outside, daytime bugs, and fireflies at night. The endpapers are decorated with "photos" of various bugs (and one of the boy's baby sister, who "bugs" him because she loves him), each one accompanied by a fascinating fact. As the boy makes note of bug activities on one page, children can identify the bug on the opposite page or just enjoy looking at the bugs as they paddle, weave, buzz, dance, and camouflage themselves. Halpern uses large, flat plains of bright colors, close-ups, and boldly outlined shapes to make the most of her tiny subjects and their young investigator. Engaging as well as informative. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (April 12, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060561688
• ISBN-13: 978-0060561680
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 10.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #186,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Philemon has had a strong appetite for books since he was a boy. He loves to read books and poetry aloud in his booming voice. The father of three grown daughters, Philemon enjoys visiting schools and writing for a young audience. "Everything is new to kids," says Philemon. "it is an honor to introduce them to things -- plus, it's fun!"

A former award-winning architect, Philemon now uses his vision to create books rather than buildings. Philemon had his first book published in 1995 and has published at least a book a year since then. He typically likes to work on two or three new story ideas at a time.

As a boy, Philemon spent many summers at his grandpa's house in Bristol, Rhode Island, where he fell in love with boats and the sea. After a four-year Navy stint in Japan, he moved back to Rhode Island. When he wasn't working on the development of downtown Providence, the waterfront of Newport, or the boat basin on Nantucket, he spent his time sailing, clamming, and riding the waves in his dory, the Dawn Treader. He even spent a year living on an old ferryboat moored in Providence Harbor.

Currently, Philemon splits his time between the city and the country. He can be found at home in the heart of Boston's South End (in a brownstone he redesigned) or out in the charming country town of Princeton, Massachusetts. He lives with his wife, Judy Sue, and his two dogs, Rufina and Giotto. Wherever he is, Philemon enjoys cooking and eating and spending time with friends. (Rufina and Giotto love his leftovers!)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute Book for Toddlers - a review of "I Love Bugs!", August 4, 2006

By 

Pam Tee "Busy Mom" - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: I Love Bugs! (Hardcover)

NOTE: The professional reviewers have this book listed as appropriate for the 4 to 8 year-old age range; BUT as a mom of a boy and girl (4 and 6 years of age respectively) I'd say they were wrong. I would peg the book as being better suited to those 4 years-old and under.

"I Love Bugs" is a cute little book with nice simplistic pictures and text. One of points that I like about it is that there is a great deal to discuss. You can cover basic information like the names of the creatures, their colors, and what they are doing - crawling, flying, digging, etc.-- or you can discuss the 'environment' in which they live - under rocks, underground, etc.

In addition, on the front and back , there are drawings of various other bugs/insects with a factoid. For example:

"Ladybugs can have from two to more than twenty-four spots."

The bugs/insects covered include: woolly bear, millipede, grasshopper, dragonfly, beetle, water bug, butterfly, caterpillar, bee, spider, ants, praying mantis, cicada, deerfly, moth, cricket, ladybug, luna moth, firefly, and 'baby sister'.

Which brings up one of the cuter aspects of this book. One the last page there is a picture of a baby dressed up in a ladybug outfit. The idea is that the big brother (looks like a boy but I think you could 'fudge' to fit your circumstances and make it a girl if need be) is holding up a their crawling sibling saying "Bugs, bugs, bugs! I LOVE bugs!"

It is cute and touching, particularly so because on the back cover, along with the other bugs, there is a picture of the 'baby sister' with the following:

"If a baby sister "bugs" you, it's just because she loves you!"

Nice segway to explaining to older children why their sibling is into their toys and always following them around.

Four Stars. Cute book for older babies up to preschoolers. For Kindergartens could be used as a primer - with help.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kids love Bugs, August 11, 2005

By 

Eric Michaels - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Love Bugs! (Hardcover)

My 2 year old LOVES this book. The pictures are great and he loves learning the bugs' names.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love Bugs too!, November 9, 2006

By 

S. Richter - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Love Bugs! (Hardcover)

I especially enjoyed this book my mom gave to my son after his baby sister was born this spring... :)