Bugs, Bogs & Burrowing Critters
As adults, many of us cringe, freak out, get unhinged or have a frantic meltdown if we see creepy crawlers in our home. I’m one of them and there is no love lost between me and them. While we may be experiencing imploding anxiety, children on the other hand, simply love bugs. They have no fear of insects and are mesmerized by their color, shape and unique abilities. Be it moths, dragonflies, caterpillars, or worms underground, kids are enthralled. To further enhance their interest, there are many books on the market that dig deeper and educate children on the value of these insects. If you have kids who love bugs or want to teach them about their importance, here are two great resources from DK Books.
The Book of Brilliant Bugs
The Book of Brilliant Bugs will take into our world where fireflies dance, spiders spin and butterflies flutter. No matter where you go on planet earth, you will find a variety of bugs specific to an area or climate and this book will share an abundance of them. The book is divided into 5 chapters:
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What is a bug?
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Bugs and their relatives
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Bug behavior
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Bug habitats
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Bugs and me
Kids will get a closer look at the enormous variety of bugs in the insect kingdom we have living in our trees, in caves, in forests and even underground. Kids will love perusing through this book with its beautifully illustrated images and captivating content.
All bugs are invertebrates, but there are several smaller families and each has its own habitat. Did you know that 85% of the insects are arthropods? The four main groups of arthropods are insects, arachnids, myriapods, and crustaceans. Other groups include worms and gastropods. Gastropods include mollusks, snails, slugs, oysters, octopus and much more.
Loaded with interesting facts, kids will learn where bugs live, what bugs eat, and how they help our enviroment. Did you know that bees have a special stomach for carrying nectar back to the hive? Did you know that some cultures eat insects? Tarantula on a stick anyone? Importantly, kids will learn that our insects are being affected by climate change, toxic chemicals and loss of habitat. It’s a hope that our next generation will have the urgent changes so live is sustainable for all our insects.
Under Your Feet
Under Your Feet will introduce children to life beneath the ground. The book is divided into 29 topics from Global Warming to Soggy Soil to the Fungus Kingdom to Moon Dust. While our ground looks solid and lifeless, kids will discover that there are different kinds of life teeming beneath.
Our soil is crucial for sustaining life and it has a lot of functions. With it we grow crops, it absorbs rain, it filters water, stores carbon, preserves nutrients, and so much more. Did you know that about a third of all creatures on Earth live in soil? Some of these include worms, fungi, plants, invertebrates, and microorganisms.
Kids will learn about the fungal kingdom, decomposing, shoots and roots, bogs and peat, nocturnal life, marvelous moles, burrowers, crystals and rocks, and even about growing plants on Mars.
The illustrations in this book are inviting and colorful, and the content engaging. Information is shared in small sections so kids can absorb the facts while taking in the gorgeous artwork. After reading the information in this book, kids will respect and appreciate all the life and activities below our soil.