Reviews
There are so many incredible books available at the moment that it is impossible to read them all, no matter how hard I try! Here are my thoughts about some of the books I have read and how I think they could be used in school as well as Q and A sessions with authors and illustrators.
Small, Shiny Dung Beetle
The latest in the ‘Start Small, Think Big’ series focuses on the fascinating life of the dung beetle, Garreta nitens. Perfect for sparking the curiosity of young readers, a great deal of information is packed into this attractive book in a very accessible and engaging way.
Each page begins with a direct narrative from the female dung beetle who tells her story. Presented in bold type it highlights a key event which is then expanded on below, allowing newly confident readers to share the reading and learning experience as necessary. More confident - or perhaps older- readers can then discover more by reading further captions and labels. Attractive, colourful illustrations accompany the text and are full of details to enjoy.
Through looking at the example of the dung beetle, the book covers areas of the science curriculum such as life cycles, food chains and habitats, enriching learning through offering a different example to those children might usually be presented with- the caterpillar, butterfly, frog etc. The vital role of the dung beetle in their ecosystem is also explored and reference is made to the ancient Egyptian belief about Khepri, the god often depicted as a dung beetle, pushing the sun across the sky as a dung beetle pushes its ball of dung.
As with the other titles in this series, the book ends with a fold out poster, summarising much of the information and showing a map of Africa. This also includes a ‘Serengeti I-Spy’, with animals for children to hunt for, encouraging children to further engage with their reading and look closely. Beautifully presented, the book is designed to withstand repeated readings and would make an excellent addition to any bookshelf, not only for KS1, but also offering support to older children who are less confident readers.
Small, Shiny Dung Beetle
Mary Auld, illustrated by Hannah Bailey
Mama Makes Books ISBN: 978-1916780149
You can read my review of ‘Flying, Fluffy Seed’ here, ‘Small, Speckled Egg’/ ‘Little, Brown Nut’ here and ‘Small, Sparkling Raindrop’ here.
