Beetles, those little winged creatures who, with their approximately 400,000 known species, make up 40% of insects worldwide, and 25% of all known animal species, are the subject of this lovely picture book from Diana Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long, the author/illustrator team responsible for such titles as An Egg Is Quiet, A Seed Is Sleepy, A Butterfly Is Patient, A Rock Is Lively, and A Nest Is Noisy. As with those earlier books, here there is a dual format, with a poetic macro-narrative that gives general, descriptive information—"A beetle is shy. A beetle is kaleidoscopic. A beetle is colossal... or microscopic"—and a micro-narrative that imparts more details. Topics touched upon include the beetle's life genesis from egg to fully-formed insect, the varying sizes of beetles, where in the world they can be found (all over!), their activities, forms of self-defense, and lots more...

As with its predecessors, I greatly enjoyed A Beetle Is Shy, appreciating its dual narrative approach, which I think makes the subject accessible to children at a variety of stages, drawing them in with the more poetic narrative and then giving them more information. As always with this series of books, I also loved the accompanying watercolor artwork, with its beautifully vivid color palette, and its many charming little details. The decorative first and last pages here (not the endpapers, which might be covered up by taped-down dust-jackets in library copies) were as lovely as ever, depicting a variety of beetle species. All that being said, I couldn't help but feel, as I finished the book, that it didn't quite live up to some of the earlier books from this team. It's somewhat shorter, and seems to cover less. It also struck me that some of the information one discovers later on in the book, such as what makes a beetle a beetle, distinguishing it from other kind of insects, might have been better placed toward the beginning of the book. Leaving that aside, this is still a beautiful and engaging book, one which could introduce young children to the wonders of the world's coleopteran species. It is for that purpose that I would recommend it, perhaps to be followed up by a title giving a more specific and comprehensive treatment to the topic. ( )

A beetle is many things: kaleidoscopic (iridescent), tasty (people eat them around the world), telegraphic (using pheromones or bioluminescence), helpful (like ladybugs that eat aphids) or harmful (like weevils).

Long draws gorgeous, jewel-toned beetles realistically; a few are even drawn exactly life-size (the Titan Beetle, shown next to a ruler, and the North American Featherwing Beetle, which is magnified because it's so small it could fit through the eye of a needle). The rich drawings complement the rich vocabulary in this wonderful, informative book.

See also: Ladybugs by Gail Gibbons, How to Survive as a Firefly by Kristen Foote and Erica Salcedo, A Butterfly is Patient (Hutts/Long) ( )

"Beetles are Shy" but they are so much more! This book explores the wide array of beetles on this planet. Dianna Hutts Aston creates an informative book which is also engaging. Sylvia Long's illustrations keep your eyes flitting from page to page. I loved how the author had large headings above smaller paragraphs of information, this made it easier to gear towards young children and a little bit older children. I will definitely use this books again and hope to read more from Dianna Hutts Aston ( )

This is an informative and eye-catching book all about beetles. Everything from lifecycles, habitats, appearances, and more is discussed in this alluring nonfiction text. It is full of information that even someone who doesn’t appreciate bugs can find something that interests them. Although the text is compelling, the illustrations steal the show. They are colorful and beautiful and would surely capture the attention of any child. Truly a fascinating and detailed book about beetles. ( )

A book all about beetles, this nonfiction book gives information on the beetles life cycles, different types of looks, how fast it can move and jump, as well as many other things. Although this book is quite lengthy, the illustrations and amount of information in it make it well worth it. An informative book that I think children will enjoy. ( )