Noisy Bug Sing-Along

by John Himmelman

Overview

Kids love bugs, and this book takes readers outside both day and night to see and hear all the sights and sounds. The illustrations are fun and use the sounds of the insects to direct the readers eye to all the cool sounds bugs make. Accurate scientific information accompanies all of the fun of heading out to the backyard on a summer night to experience the bugs!

In this colorful picture book, Himmelman introduces the sounds of "noisy bugs" and invites children to sing along with them. Each double-page spread focuses on one insect, with a line of text, such as "A Dog-Day Cicada buzzes LOUDLY high in a tree. / ZZZZZZZZ," and a meticulously drawn, large-scale image of the animal, with color, texture, and shading apparently added digitally. The big, bold images make the illustrations inviting to children, while the accurate depictions of individual insects reward closer study. Among those featured are the tiger moth (SQUEAKA-SQUEAKA-SQUEAK), the mosquito (mmmmmm), and the bush katydid (tick-tick-tick zeezeezeezee). In contrast, the butterfly flies by in silence. An appended section provides the sound waves (on paper and, through a link, in audio files) recorded for each example; a paragraph of information about each bug and its sound; and good children's activities for related of insect sounds.

A perfect book for:

• parents and teachers needing homeschool materials for kindergarten (or any grade!)
• anyone looking for singalong books for kids and toddlers!
• anyone looking for children's books to help instill an appreciation of our planet!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781584691921
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	03/01/2013
Series:	Noisy Sing-Along Series , #1
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.20(d)
Lexile:	AD480L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 9 Years

About the Author

When John Himmelman was eight years old, he started his first Bug Club in a friend's garage, and he's been playing with insects ever since. Even now, on summer nights John is often in his wooded yard in Killingworth, Connecticut, flashlight in hand, searching for little creatures. Some of his most exciting discoveries are found just a few feet from his house! John co-founded the Connecticut Butterfly Association, is past president of the New Haven Bird Club, and both gives nature programs and makes school visits. He is an author and illustrator of over 75 books for children. John's enthusiasm extends to his family—his wife is an art teacher, his son is an artist, and his daughter is an actress.

Editorial Reviews

PreS-Gr 1—A still summer evening isn't always quiet for those who listen carefully. They might hear and identify some noisy bugs using this simple primer. Himmelman devotes a spread to each insect and its distinctive sound. Though the text is simple, with just one line per page, the author packs in the information. He includes the complete name of the bug and an easy-to-replicate phonetic description of the sound. Readers will also learn about how the noisy creature adapts to its environment. For example, a Dog-Day Cicada buzzes high in a tree, not near the ground. The textual information is set off by larger-than-life illustrations. The colors are saturated but still realistic. There are enough details in the pictures to serve as a beginning identification guide. Additional details about all of the bugs is appended. Missing, though, is any notation about where in the United States the insects live, which might have made this book even more useful. Nature activities are included. This book will be well-used on trips to the woods and in backyards throughout the summer, wherever noisy bugs can be found.—Susan E. Murray, formerly at Glendale Public Library, AZ

School Library Journal

The illustrations are a feast for bug lovers' eyes, but the text could be so much more. The opening page tells readers that bugs sing day and night, loudly and softly, and that they should sing along. Turn the page, and the bugs get up-close and personal, the detail wowing readers, though they are a simplified version of lifelike. Each double-page spread is devoted to one insect and its sound, a sentence telling the name of the creature and what it does, followed by the sound the bug makes--in a huge display type that spreads across and fills the pages. "Field Crickets sing from beneath leaves. CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP." Mole crickets call "dirt-dirt-dirt," while a tiger moth emits a high-pitched "SQUEAKA." Not all the sounds are particularly identifiable, however: The bumblebee and cicada have the same sound--zzzzzz--and saying that tree crickets "ring like a telephone" is not helpful for modern children used to an infinite variety of ring tones. The most serious flaw of the text, however, is its failure to provide a why or how for the bugs' sounds. While this is provided in the backmatter, along with information about and visualizations of sound waves, many children may not sit through all this text presented in one chunk. Bug devotees may pick this up for a glance, but it is not likely to be a repeat favorite. (activities exploring sounds, link to audio file of bug sounds (not heard)) (Informational picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews