Boing! – a bouncy book of bugs, by James Carter, illustrated by Neal Layton (Otter-Barry)

Oh joy! And what a coincidence. After having seen a few books for children about animals recently, I was this week bemoaning the fact that none of them used the opportunity to teach the reader about the weird and wonderful ways of the animals in the poems. And then along comes Boing!

James Carter is such a good writer – and the illustrations in this lovely picture book are so ‘right’ – that it could stand on its own as a book of poems. But it is so much more. Young children love to learn. They are fascinated by fun facts. And they love repeating them to admiring adults. This is something James Carter understands. So now I know that fireflies use their flashing lights to talk to each other; that not all bees make honey; that there is a moth in Thailand which drinks the tears of elephants. Yes, really! Wow! Young readers are going to love this book – it is lyrical, lively and so interesting.

Liz Brownlee is the other poet who comes to mind when looking for writers who go that extra stanza (sorry!) and use their poetic talent to interest children in the animals that inspire the poems. Thank goodness for these wonderful writers who see beyond rhyme and rhythm and feed the enquiring minds of their so-important readers.
CB