BUG SAFARI
by Bob Barner & illustrated by Bob Barner
“I was lost in a bug-infested jungle one hot summer day.” So begins a young boy’s trek as he follows a long line of marching black ants hoping to find his way back to base camp. Encounters with a dung beetle, red ants, a toad, a giant green mantis, and a hairy black spider build suspense and add creepiness. Out of water, famished, and covered with bites, the boy finally hears a human voice declaring lunch is ready—ah ha! that’s where the ants were going: to a picnic. The bold shapes and colors of cut and torn paper create a bug’s-eye view. The up-close collages focus on the assorted bugs and the first-person voice directed to the reader will engage kids in the safari. A four-page glossary defines 16 kinds of bugs seen in the story. An entertaining presentation of science that’s terrific for classroom use and program activities. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-7)