I am constantly updating and reviewing the organization and particulars of our collections. This drives most of our staff nuts, but nobody can argue with my circulation statistics! For board books, I've both expanded and limited the collection in recent years, adding more media tie-ins, more books with tactile or toy elements (lift-the-flap, moving parts), and more holiday and religious titles. However, I've also tried to keep the book in two categories - titles that are developmentally appropriate for infants and toddlers and titles that appeal to caregivers who want popular things they've seen online, familiar characters and themes, but keep these to a minimum and in specific sections - toy, holiday, and religious.
All of that is to say, when I can I like to carefully review novelty board books and I often find the best location for them is as part of a storytime kit or circulating toy bag, rather than in the board book area itself. This title from Tiger Tales is one that I would definitely recommend as a supplemental piece for a kit.
The book is a little oversized, about 10x9, and the cover is extra thick, while the pages are a medium-weight cardboard, bendy but still sturdy. Each page includes multiple flaps of cardstock weight, and if adding this to your collection you'll definitely want an adult to bend each one open before circulating, as they are very tightly closed. The cover has a ladybug cut out.
The book is an introduction to bugs with each page having a paragraph or two of text talking about some aspect of bugs and the spread showing a habitat of bugs. Lift the flaps over various bugs, which are labeled, and learn interesting facts about bugs.
The paragraphs include suggestions for catching and observing bugs, a section on butterflies, different habitats for bugs, and generic facts. The information under the flaps is only sometimes connected to the bug or label on the flap. The only safety warnings are an alarmist note to never touch spiders, a vague reminder to leave wasps alone, and a reminder to release captured bugs quickly. Speaking of spiders, this is another aspect of the book that's very generalized; information is included about true bugs and insects, but no differentiation is made between them and arachnids like spiders, worms, or snails. This is really more a book about "creepy-crawlies" or perhaps mini-beasts.
The art is colorful and attractive and the facts are generally correct, if the terminology isn't always specific.
Verdict: This isn't a book I'd choose to teach children about insects and bugs; it's far too long and meandering. The lengthy text and multiple flaps make it unsuitable for the average board book audience. However, it would make a great addition to a kit, paired with something like Roberta Gibson's How to Build an Insect. Use this as a fun gift for a small child who's obsessed with little creatures or to share with little ones before exploring outdoor areas.
ISBN: 9781664350847; Published August 2023 by Tiger Tales; Review copy provided by publicist
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