“Catch the Reading Bug!” is our Summer Reading Program theme. Already, thousands of young people have stopped by the library for their booklets. Many of them also are participating in special events and book groups. Although we’re cool with their reading whatever they like, we’re shining our spotlight on books about bugs. Today’s column features several buggy titles, from silly stories to nonfiction, all available through our library system.

“Bow-Wow Bugs a Bug” by Mark Newgarden and Megan Montague Cash (Harcourt, 2007) might fool people with its wordless pages and cartoonish art.  A dog encounters a bug inside the house and follows it outside. There, the dog encounters other dogs, more bugs and a clever array of adventures. Anyone who has observed dogs, and everyone who is willing to stretch the limits of imagination, will enjoy following this story. Its use of flat color and thick black outlines is what we expect in books for very young children. The story itself employs plenty of sophistication. Perfect for sharing alone and maybe even better for sharing with a small group. For preschoolers, primary graders and others who enjoy clever illustration.

In the first reader section, Tedd Arnold’s “There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed Fly Guy” (Scholastic, 2007) adds to his series of stories about Buzz and his pet fly, named Fly Guy. This adventure begins as Buzz greets his grandma — and she accidentally swallows Fly Guy. The action then follows the classic song, as Grandma swallows several progressively bigger animals, hoping to retrieve the one before. Happily, Arnold rewrites the end so that Grandma survives. Arnold’s illustrations of bug-eyed animals pack plenty of action. The simple structure of the song makes the text appropriate for beginning readers.

“Maybelle in the Soup” by Katie Speck (Henry Holt, 2007) features a cockroach. Maybelle ends up in the wrong place while chasing her dream of just once tasting food before it hits the floor. The whole plot may seem an odd choice for a beginning chapter book. There’s something about cockroaches that keeps them from seeming sympathetic. However, the plot device of someone turning up always where she’s least welcome is tried-and-true. Speck’s inclusion of remarkably fastidious humans intensifies the dramatic disgust.  Pen-and-ink illustrations by Paul Ratz de Tagyos throughout the book add to the sense of rollicking adventure. The reading level would be appropriate for newly independent readers, such as second- or third-graders. This may be even stronger as a read-aloud choice.

In the nonfiction area, “Don’t Squash That Bug! The Curious Kid’s Guide to Insects” by Natalie Rompella (Lobster Press, 2007) provides basic information. Facing pages combine to share information about various orders of insects, with brief information about location, benefits and how they might be related to insects in our own backyards. A word list at the front of the book prepares readers for the facts ahead. Clearly, this book is meant as an inviting introduction. Browsers will enjoy crisp color photographs with extensive captions. The lack of an index makes this less useful for many kinds of research.

Nic Bishop’s “Spiders” (Scholastic, 2007) employs fabulous color photography. Even people who don’t care for spiders will want to examine these pictures. It’s one of a series of similarly designed books by Bishop. A large photograph accompanies each page of information. Bishop chooses information that would be of particular interest to young readers. One sentence per page is in bold type and colored, to highlight a particularly interesting fact. A browser could quickly peruse this book by reading just those sentences and looking at the photographs. Of particular interest is a section by Bishop describing his photography and the details of working with spiders. The index is quite basic, and the glossary is short. For elementary-age readers.

“Face to Face with Caterpillars” by Darlyne A. Murawski (National Geographic, 2007) also is part of a series that puts photographs at center stage. This book’s design makes the most of color photographs against a bright white background. Excellent placement allows the illustrations to enhance the text. There’s something perpetually interesting about the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly or moth, and Murawski makes the most of that adventure. She includes her own experiences in the field as she describes caterpillars. Suggestions for young scientists to learn more are scattered throughout the book. The book concludes with sections on how young people can help caterpillars and learn more about them in the field and through additional reading. For elementary-age readers.

Pat Leach supervises Youth Services for Lincoln City Libraries.