This 1968 production is all hand-drawn images, no photographs, large size font, and ample detail for a young reader (7-10 years old).

I miss books like this that actually give vivid details about the topic at hand, but also really push young readers to understand colloquialisms and humor amid the text.

*Tangent:

When it comes to nature/insect/animal books, I prefer this 'old school' stuff. Though I heavily make use of more modern styles, and I love what new camera technologies have done for giving kids visuals of what they're reading about, I think the information presentation in contemporary books, such as NatGeo Kids, constipates the learning and comprehension process for a number of reasons. Namely through its emphasis on standardizing reading levels into numerical 'levels' ("Guided Reading Level" system (http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/ngs/category/national-geographic-readers-series). (Such systems for reading level aren't necessarily new, nor are they limited to NatGeo, I just find it odd how this systematic labeling of reading level is even taking a stronghold on books that are more likely to be family books than school books.)

Here's one of the problems with the reading level system: he kids are really aware of the "expectations" associated with the various levels. They see the number 2 on a book cover and they decide that's above their level, though when I show them a book like this, they're typically able to read the vast majority of it, even though it would be too advanced even for the highest reading level with NatGeo kids.

Another reason I think contemporary books constipate the comprehension process is because they try to make the page experience too exciting or over-stimulating. Again, NatGeo Kids, for instance, has a main text area, then at least 2, if not 3, additional areas with facts, definitions, or narrative across and around the page. While I enjoy spying the additional fun facts with kids, I admire older models like you'll find in this book much more.

In this book, each chapter has a single topic. It's organized in a coherent why that requires sustained attention. Some chapters are quite short; some chapters span about 3 pages. Though I recognize that increased reading through Internet sites requires students to sift through multiple levels of supporting (and/or distracting) details that are positioned spatially in different areas around the main topic, I think some good, old-fashioned connection to the essentialist style of reading with sustained focus on a single topic, learning a scaffolded approach to assessing the most important facts from the supporting details, and holding attention across a prolonged period of pages-- even in the absence of pictures--is a huge benefit to kids, really lacking in the modern stuff.

All to say: so long as the information is still accurate, I like to revert to the 60s-80s era books when it comes to teaching about nature and insects. It seems that's where I'm most likely to consistently find amassed information presented on single topics in ways that are appropriately stimulating.

This book is a keeper. ( )

This is a little lengthy book probably better for upper grades. It's a good book to be able and show kids about insects and what they do. In ways we never could imagen they do. ( )

The "...Strangest Things" series is a wonderful series for young elementary aged children. It is a great way to introduce them to science. I had these books when I was a child many years ago, and remembered them well. Fortunately, my mother saved them, so I have been able to share them with my own children who have been fascinated by the different animals, bugs, fish, and birds of the series. ( )