By: Valerie Tracqui
Photos by: Patrick Lorne
In Springtime the ladybugs come out. In this book, we learn all about the ladybug, how it flies, who it eats (aphids), where it migrates, and how it protects itself. To do this, the book tells the story of the life of one ladybug, with facts thrown it.
First of all, there is so much I never knew about ladybugs! There eggs are bright yellow, they first hatch into larvae and are unbelievably ugly. Just like butterflies, the traditional ladybug will emerge from a chrysalis. They emerge yellow, then spots emerge, then they turn red. I knew ladybugs were yellow sometimes, but I would have sworn that the yellow ones were a different type of ladybug. I never knew that they were just younger. Finally, I never knew that ladybugs emitted a bitter substance to defend itself.
The photographs in the book are also pretty neat. They show the ladybug at different stages going through many different parts in its life (eating aphids, eggs, gathering in groups, and being eaten by a spider). The book is made of double page spreads and each one of has at least four photographs interspersed with text. All in all, this was a great book that taught me a lot.
Hi Ms. Mann, I'm glad you did a post on a Ladybug book because ladybugs are one of my favorite insects. In fact, they are one of few bugs that I will let crawl on me without freaking out! I did know about the bitter substance that they emit, because every once and awhile when they are meandering about on your hand, they will spew some of that nasty yellowy stuff out! (yuck). So, ladybugs aren't very lady-like sometimes, but a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do! I didn't realize that yellow ladybugs were just juvenile ladybugs! That was an interesting fact to share. Like you, I thought that the yellow ones were a different type of ladybug...but what do you know! I think that this book would be a welcome addition to any elementary classroom library. The pictures sound fantastic and detailed, so it could be used as a great reference book in the room as well. Thanks for the interesting info on ladybugs!
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