Best Books About Bugs
Books About Bugs
By Christa Fletcher
There’s something magical about the first time a ladybug lands on your arm. Or when you see a caterpillar inch its way across a leave. Kids are fascinated by the natural world and having the opportunity to see it up close is an important learning experience. Many kids love bugs. And it’s a good thing: Insects are essential to our ecosystem. They are part of seed production, fruit, and vegetable growth through pollination, and they’re decomposers of organic matter. They also control other pests and play important roles indifferent food webs.
There are over 900,000 different living species of insects that are known to us and many more being discovered all the time. According to the Smithsonian, over 80 percent of the planet’s species are insects! So, in honor of the tiniest of critters on our planet, here are books about bugs.
Books for the Littles
Nat Geo Kids: Insects
For the tiniest of hands, this board book is a great introduction to insects with vibrant photos and simple descriptions.
The Big Book of Bugs, Yuval Zommer
With huge, beautiful illustrations, kids can be inspired by learning memorable facts about insects, play seek and find, identify the differences between species, and count them.
A Day in the Life of Bugs, Dr. Jessica L. Ware
Follow the lives of individual bugs over the course of 24 hours with a bug expert that shares encounters with bugs in the style of a nature documentary.
Some Bugs, Angela Diterlizzi
Simple and fun prose make this book a delight for younger children with bold illustrations.
Exploring Insects, Jill McDonald
Jam-packed like an ant-hill, this book is full of facts, stats, and creative ways to share information about different types of insects. Great for everyone!
The Mosquito, Elise Gravel
Part of a series of books about “Disgusting Insects,” The Mosquito, teaches kids about the importance of this pesky pest through humor and funny illustrations.
Books for the Bigs
The Moth Keeper, K. O’Neill
Anya is a young woman who protects the lunar moths near her village. This middle grade fantasy novel explores themes of community, personal growth, and friendship.
Finding Wonders, Jeannine Atkins
In this beautiful novel, we explore the natural world and lives of three girls in different time periods who become groundbreaking scientists: Maria Merian, Mary Anning, and Maria Mitchell. Told through inspiring poems, this is great for readers 10 and up.
Little Monarchs, Jonathan Case
A middle grade graphic novel about life after the sun has shifted and destroyed many mammals, Little Monarchs tells the shore of two survivors, Elvie and her caretaker Flora, a biologist. After a discovery that allows them to walk during the day, they follow monarchs across the U.S. to find an antidote for sun sickness to save people.
All books can be found locally at Lido Village Bookstore.