LADYBUG
by Emery Bernhard & illustrated by Durga Bernhard
A simple natural history distinguished by the clarity and informational range of its text and by its bold, easily ``read'' illustrations. The Bernhards cover the ladybug's life cycle, usefulness (a larva eats 30 aphids a day; 300 protect an acre of orange trees), and some interesting lore—the nursery rhyme and the origins of the name in Europe, where farmers thanked the Virgin for these welcome little creatures. Excellent nonfiction, attractively produced; the ladybug makes a perfect introduction to the important concept of beneficial insects. Glossary. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 4-8)