Learning Magazine
Find out what makes fireflies flash and how they go from eggs to adults. Along with full-color illustrations and informative text, fun facts and a words-to-know section reveal more about the insects that children see in their own backyards. This book is part of the new Backyard Bugs Series.
NSTA Recommends
Author Nancy Loewen and illustrator Brandon Reibeling have delivered a stunning collection of Backyard Bugs books for primary readers. Like all the books in this series, Tiny Workers: Ants in Your Backyard is beautifully written and full of kid-friendly information. Each book offers a festival of color merged with text that can be independently navigated by second and third grade readers or enjoyed as a read-aloud by younger students. These books brim with charmingly crafted sentences that beckon readers: Ants live in "a-mazing little homes" where "the dirt is like the door to their house." Although each book in the collection stands admirably on its own, my second-graders were lucky enough to have all six volumes to review. We shared the books together, and then each child chose one book to study thoroughly and become our "expert" on that insect. While reading, we all noted the same engaging features. First, the pictures, shich are huge, scientifically accurate, and often drawn from a surprising point of view. These illustrations had children clamoring to gaze into compound eyes or between palpi. Second, additional and unconventional information is featured in magnifying glasses on each page and at the end of the book. These facts made every one of us (including me) say, "Hey, I never knew that!" The well-organized table of contents, index, and glossary provide the opportunity to teach the children how to use these text supports, and simple extension activities invite them to revisit ideas from the books. I’ve been studying insects with my students for years, but I have never seen a collection of books that I liked as much as this one. More importantly, these books are also endorsed by the most discriminating critics of all: the kids!
