Do you love bugs? by Matt Robertson

Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526609519.
(Age: 6+) I will say at the outset that this book will break some poor entomologist's heart. The ease with which Robertson mixes bugs (sucking insect) with beetles (insect), spiders (arachnid), snails (gastropod) and worms (animal) is surprising, and an astute teacher will use the opportunity to differentiate between these species as the book is read.
That said, I enjoyed the humour in this offering, each double page showing readers creatures with which many people have a 'don't touch' relationship. So we are presented with ants, butterflies, moths, spiders, stick insects, bees, worms, grasshoppers, snails and dragonflies, all surrounded by a splatter of facts which will intrigue younger readers.
The funny anthropomorphic illustrations will cause readers to laugh out loud as they dip into the pages full of facts and hints about the animal being observed.
The opening pages of this fun paperback gives a plea for children not to be taken aback by these creatures, but to love them as they have been around since the dinosaurs. Robertson also gives some rules on engagement: do not bother bees, be respectful of the stick insect, step over the snail, and so on, impelling children to look more closely at the creatures in their gardens.
Two pages tell of moths and butterflies, telling the reader why the butterfly is so colourful and how delicate its wings are. The next page is about the moth and we are told why they come out at night and how they get their moisture. All very interesting to the curious minds of younger readers.
The information is interesting, but as the book is part way between an information and a fun read, it will not be easy to use without a contents page and index. Themes: Insects, Beetles, Arachnids, Garden creatures.
Fran Knight