Bug Books for Budding Nature Detectives

The Children’s Book Review | May 22, 2016

Reading is great. Reading outside is super. Reading about bugs and creepy crawlies while outside is awesome! We’ve curated a list of some truly wonderful and entertaining bug books for kids ages 4 to 99. We’ve also included the game Bug Bingo, and it’s the bees-knees. Whether you have a budding nature detective that is fascinated by bugs or you have a a child with a fear of bugs, this list of bug books is sure to entertain and keep minds engaged and busy indoors and outdoors. You may want to get some bug catching equipment handy: nets, jars, containers, and a magnifying glass (Bug detective comes with it’s own mini magnifying glass).

Bug Detective: Amazing Facts, Myths, and Quirks of Nature

Written and Illustrated by Maggie Li

Publisher’s Synopsis: From creepy-crawly beetles and scary spiders to beautiful butterflies, this playful guide will reach out and grab bug-crazy kids! Funny, picture-packed pages provide tons of information on bug habitat, feeding rituals, predators, and more, while each spread focuses on one creature-like bees or centipedes—with a brief introduction and facts scattered brightly everywhere. Plus, the book comes with a magnifying glass embedded in the cover, so budding “detectives” can complete the “missions” they’ll find throughout, along with additional activities in the back.

Ages 5-9 | Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1454915164

I, Fly: The Buzz About Flies and How Awesome They Are

Written by Bridget Heos

Illustrated by Jennifer Plecas

Publisher’s Synopsis: Fly is fed up with everyone studying butterflies. Flies are so much cooler! They flap their wings 200 times a second, compared to a butterfly’s measly five to twelve times. Their babies―maggots―are much cuter than caterpillars (obviously). And when they eat solid food, they even throw up on it to turn it into a liquid. Who wouldn’t want to study an insect like that?

In an unforgettably fun, fact-filled presentation, this lovable (and highly partisan) narrator promotes his species to a sometimes engrossed, sometimes grossed-out, class of kids.

Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0805094695

Butterflies of the World: My Nature Sticker Activity Book

Written and Illustrated by Olivia Cosneau

Publisher’s Synopsis: Butterflies, with their transformation from hungry caterpillar to beautiful flying flower, are among the most fascinating animals for children. Observing butterflies and moths introduces them to a wide range of colors and patterns, to the concept of camouflage, and to a colorful habitat of flowers and other plants.

Butterflies of the World introduces different types of butterflies and moths through a range of interactive activities and stickers. This activity book will keep children entertained for hours through fun activities, such as sticking on the missing wing of a comet moth or coloring in the wings of a Large Blue butterfly. In the process children learn how caterpillars turn into butterflies, what they eat, how they trick predators, and other interesting facts. A quiz at the end of the book tests their knowledge.

Ages 5-8 | Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press | 2016 | ISBN-13: 978-1616894658

The Backyard Bug Hunters

Written by Rachel Elizabeth Cole

Illustrated by Kathrina Iris

Publisher’s Synopsis: Best friends Logan and Caleb are going on a bug hunt. They make some bug nets and find a bug jar. But where are all the bugs? The Backyard Bug Hunters is the second book in the Kids in the Tree House series of illustrated early chapter books for young readers.

Ages 5-8 | Publisher: Tangled Oak Press | 2016 | ISBN-13: 978-0994821645

Ultimate Bugopedia: The Most Complete Bug Reference Ever

Written by Darlyne Murawski and Nancy Honovich

Publisher’s Synopsis: Welcome to the hidden world of the most popular bugs on Earth. Opening the beautiful and accessible pages of this book is like turning over a series of stones under which you’ll find a fascinating array of the world’s coolest creepy-crawlies.

This fully photographic book profiles bugs, beetles, wasps, bees, ants, caterpillars, butterflies, dragonflies, spiders, flies, crickets and grasshoppers, and centipedes and millipedes. These profiles are accompanied by Did You Know? facts and fast facts including scientific name, size, diet, and habitat. Front matter includes a How to Use spread and thematic spreads covering topics from prehistoric insects to bugs around the world. In short, this book includes everything a young fact-hound needs to discover the weird, wacky, diverse, and fascinating world of bugs.

Ages 7-10 | Publisher: National Geographic Children’s Books | 2013 | ISBN-13: 978-1426313769

Super Bug Encyclopedia

Written by DK Publishing

Publisher’s Synopsis: Following on the success of Super Nature Encyclopedia and Super Human Encyclopedia comes Super Bug Encyclopedia — a look at the 100 most amazing insects on the planet!

Using macro photography and brand-new CGI artworks, Super Bug zooms right in to reveal the secrets of the most successful creatures on our planet. With incredible facts and stats for every bug, Super Bugshowcases the superstars of the insect world. Find out which insect can snap a pencil in half, how a tiny moth can fly up to 70 miles an hour, and meet a dung beetle that can pull over 1,100 times its own body weight. Young readers will be wowed by what goes on inside the tiny world of ants, spiders, butterflies, moths, crickets, and other creepy crawlies.

Lively, informative, easy-to-access text based on the latest discoveries and scientific research showcases incredible feats of endurance, defense, strength, and speed while graphic, dashboard-style panels provides information at a glance.

Visualized with incredible 3-D models with cross-sections and strip layers, readers can explore every essential detail of the world of insects in Super Bug Encyclopedia.

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: DK Children | 2016 | ISBN-13: 978-1465446008

Kirby’s Journal: Backyard Butterfly Magic

Written by Charlotte Caldwell 

Publisher’s Synopsis: On an eventful summer spent in Charleston, South Carolina, eleven-year-old Kirby, Grandma, and Grandpa plant a butterfly garden, and Kirby documents the wondrous adventures in learning that follow. Their observations, excitement, and curiosity are vividly captured through Kirby’s journal and newly acquired hobby of photography as together they discover an abundance of life just outside their own backdoor.

Including more than one hundred color photographs and a helpful glossary, Kirby’s Journal inspires children of all ages to go outdoors, to watch and listen inquisitively, and to share in the magic of nature. With a playful attitude and a love of learning new things, Kirby discovers a whole new world of caterpillars, butterflies, spiders, snakes, squirrels, and more–as well as the importance of identification, classification, and conservation in learning about flora, fauna, and their natural habitats.

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: University of South Carolina Press | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1611175530

Bug Bingo

Illustrated by Christine Berrie

Publisher’s Synopsis: This beautifully illustrated bingo game features 64 species of bugs from around the world. Identify all kinds of insects – from the Giant Hawker Dragonfly to the Kissing Bug and the Orchid Bee to the Sacred Scarab – mark them off on your card and bingo!

Bug Bingo brings a fun and educational twist to the traditional game as players learn the names and colorings of both favorite species like the Honey Bee and more exotic bugs like the Vampire Moth.

Contains 64 superbly illustrated bug tokens, one board, 12 bingo cards and brightly colored counters for you to mark up your card, as well as a leaflet containing basic information and a few quirky traits for all of the bugs featured.

Ages 8+ | Publisher: Laurence King Publishing | 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1856699402

The Bug Books for Budding Nature Detectives list was curated by Bianca Schulze. Follow along with our articles and reviews tagged with Backyard Books, Bugs, Bugs & Spiders, Butterflies, and Nature Studies, to discover more great titles just like these ones.