Colors of Insects

Salas, Laura Purdie. Colors of Insects. Capstone Press, 2011. 32 pages. $7.95. ISBN 9781429661539.

Summary:

A yellow and black bumblebee, purple tiger beetle, and brown water scorpion are just a few of the colorful characters to learn about in the pages of this book. Each two-page spread has a beautiful, close-up photograph of a colorful insect with an accompanying paragraph of informational text. Young readers may especially enjoy the page on black dung beetles who “…eat one thing---poop.” Or they may delight in the elegant pink katydid with bright green eyes.

Curriculum Connections:

Coupled with the flashy color photographs, this text is leveled at 1-2 and the print size is large, which makes it a perfect match for young readers who are ready to read alone. This book could also be a nice read-aloud for younger listeners with a tie-in to a “color” theme. The book also includes a glossary, “Read More” list, and a content-related internet site from the publisher.

Personal Reflections:

The format of this book is aimed well at the target audience: engaging, colorful, with facts that will hook readers and keep them reading.

Awards:

Age/Interest Range:

PreK-8

Genre/Themes:

Nature, Science, Early Reader, Nonfiction

Read-Alikes:

Capstone has published a series Colors All Around Us that feature a similar text level and bold, close up photographs that feature particular colors.