Busy Bugs: A book about Patterns (Puffin Young Readers – Level 1)

Text: Jayne Harvey

Illustrations: Bernard Adnet

Year: 2003

Publisher: Puffin Young Readers, New York

Age: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN:  978 0 44845 816 8

The book cover calls it a ‘book about patterns’ and it is. The text showcases all the pretty patterns in nature – butterfly wings, the dots on a ladybird, spider webs, fireflies and more.

All of these facts are woven into a lyrical text that intertwines numbers and colors to spin a tale of fantasy and sheer natural beauty.

Excerpt

Here are eight bugs who like to sing.

They all line up from wing to wing.

One moth, one flea, one fly, one bee.




Other titles in this series

• Level - 1: A new friend
• Level - 1: At the beach 
• Level - 1: Ice Cream Soup
• Level - 1: Max has a Fish, Review here
• Level - 1: Nicky Upstairs and Down 
• Level - 1: Play with Blue
• Level - 1: Tiny goes camping 
• Level - 1: Tiny the Birthday Dog 
• Level - 1: Tiny the Snow Dog 

• Level - 2: Cowboy Roy, Review here
• Level - 2: Madeline and her dog, Review here
• Level - 2: Princess Buttercup, Review here
• Level - 2: Red, White and Blue
• Level - 2: Shape Spotters, Review here 
• Level - 2: Snug Bug, Review here
• Level - 2: Spider's Lunch, Review here
• Level - 2: The Cow in the House, Review here
• Level - 2: The Garden that we grew  
• Level - 2: Who stole the cookies?, Review here

• Level - 3: Agapanthus Hum and the Eyeglasses
• Level - 3: Amanda Pig on her own
• Level - 3: Why do birds sing?

Bug Books - Ladybird

Authors: Karen Hartley and Chris Macro

For Ages: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

Publisher: Heinemann Library, Oxford

Year: 1999

ISBN: 978-0-43101-833-1

Are ladybirds beetles? Why do gardeners like ladybirds? These are just some of the few curiosities addressed in photo-packed book on the colorful ladybirds. Even the page numbers use a ladybird icon! The book also addresses why people like ladybirds. (Because they are cute!) Of course, yes.

This book makes an excellent choice if you want to introduce your children to bugs and the world of insects. Heinemann Library has published several titles in this series including Ants, Snails, Head Louse and Cockroach to mention a few. The content is balanced well. It stays factual without appearing dreary.    

Excerpt

Ladybirds eat garden pests that harm plants and flowers. People who have gardens like ladybirds because they help their plants.

Sometimes farmers bring ladybirds to their farms and orchards. The ladybirds eat aphids and other insects that kill the farmers’ plants. 

Snug Bug – Puffin Young Readers – Level 2

Author: Cathy East Dubowski and Mark Dubowski

Year: 1995

Publisher: Puffin Young Readers, USA

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978-0-448-45817-5

This book is quite a clever little reading book for young readers from the Puffin Young Readers series. 

It’s about Snug Bug and his bedtime. It’s a tiny bug who lives in a little boy’s room. So, his tub is a tiny indentation in a bar of soap and his bed is the box of tissues by the boy’s bedside. The clever illustrations add so much more meaning to the story.

Excerpt

Mama Bug knows.

She tugs at the rug.

“There you are, my little snug bug!”

Into the tub.

Scrub, scrub, scrub.

“Whee! Look at me!”

Mama Bug say, “Your bath is done.”

Other titles in this series

• Level - 1: A new friend
• Level - 1: At the beach 
• Level - 1: Ice Cream Soup
• Level - 1: Max has a Fish
• Level - 1: Nicky Upstairs and Down 
• Level - 1: Play with Blue
• Level - 1: Tiny goes camping 
• Level - 1: Tiny the Birthday Dog 
• Level - 1: Tiny the Snow Dog 

• Level - 2: Cowboy Roy
• Level - 2: Red, White and Blue
• Level - 2: Shape Spotters
• Level - 2: The Garden that we grew  
• Level - 2: The very lonely firefly
• Level - 2: Who stole the cookies?

• Level - 3: Agapanthus Hum and the Eyeglasses
• Level - 3: Amanda Pig on her own
• Level - 3: Why do birds sing?