Busy with Bugs Review and Giveaway

As you all are very much aware, spring is in full swing with summer just right around the corner and with spring and summer comes bugs….bugs of all kinds….and I’m not talking about my little “Bug”, but as you can probably tell by his nickname my little man is really interested in bugs and anything related to them. My husband and I try to find all the products and activity books around that helps teach “Bug” about bugs and the fun activities he can do with them. Recently we were offered the opportunity to review a wonderful book: “Busy with Bugs” by Toni Albert and Illustrated by Margaret Brandt, and of course we were more than happy to say of course!

About Busy with Bugs (taken from website):

Bug Adventures for Young Scientists!

Description: Busy with Bugs provides an ant hill of activity for kids who love bugs and bug adventures. The book buzzes with practical how-to information, fun facts, and 160 exciting hands-on-bugs activities.

You'll find:

• Field guide information
• How to care for bugs and keep them as pets
• How to make amazing discoveries by doing 160 activities with bugs
• Stunning art in butterfly colors
• Silly "Bug Giggles"
• Fascinating "Bug Buzz" with surprising bug facts
• Glossary, index, resource list, and guide to keeping bugs

Packed with Activities! Kids can:

• Build seven different bug traps, including a Potato Trap
• Estimate the temperature of the air by listening to a cricket's chirp
• Plan a Grasshopper Field Day with friends
• Talk to fireflies with a penlight
• Plant a butterfly garden — or a caterpillar garden
• Watch a millipede clean its feet
• Collect a spider web
• Find out if aphids prefer the color yellow

Busy with Bugs has stunning art in butterfly colors by illustrator, Margaret Brandt. Illustrations are carefully researched to be accurate representations of insects and bugs to help children identify them in the field. Every illustration is meticulously labeled.

Our Thoughts:

We were sent a copy of Busy with Bugs to review and it arrived at our door quickly and as soon as it was taken out of the package “Bug” immediately claimed it as his own! I know that first day we spent a good hour and a half looking over all the beautifully illustrated pictures and spot reading about some of his favorite insects like lady bugs and some of his least favorite like the spiders!

He absolutely loves this book and there is hardly a day that goes by that he does not sit down and take time out to look over the book and decide which activity he is going to do first once the weather gets right for the bugs to start coming out and luckily the last couple of weeks the bugs have become very plentiful around here.

I love this book because it is set up so perfectly for any little bug lover. First off I have to brag about the very beginning of the book where it explains how to make traps and how to care for your new “pets”. For example here is just one of the many traps the book shows little ones how to make:

Make a Fly-Right-In Bug Trap to catch flying bugs.

Put bits of fruit in a wide-mouth jar, or at night, put a glow stick in a jar to catch bugs that are attracted to light. Place a funnel in the jar with the small end of the funnel pointing down. Then when bugs fly in, they won't be able to get out again. Observe them carefully, then release them.

As you can see from the above this trap like all the others are very simple to put together and all you need is simple household items you should have lying around anyways!

Also the book includes a section of field notes for the little explores, now since “Bug” is only 3 its up to me and daddy to fill it out but he sure has had a wonderful time looking for the bugs and helping measure them. Over all this book has really gave us a fun family activity that we can do without even leaving our own back yard!

Bottom Line: Not only is this book full of beautiful illustrations but it has tons of great information on various bugs that your little ones may come in contact with, along with so many wonderful activities they can do to learn even more about the little critters! Also this book makes a wonderful and super fun activity that the whole family can enjoy all while enjoying the outdoors!

We completely recommend everyone to pick up a copy of Busy with Bugs, not only will it make a fun family activity but it would also make a wonderful addition to any classroom! Busy with Bugs get kiddos up and outside and educates them all at the same time!! What’s better than that?

Buy It:  To purchase Busy with Bugs visit Trickle Creek Books website!

Win It: Toni, has so generously offered to give one of my lucky readers their very own copy of Busy with Bugs (ARV $15.95) so that you and your little one’s can have your own bug adventures!

Mandatory Entry: Visit Trickle Creek Books and tell me why you would like to win! Please remember to leave your e-mail address if it’s not visible in your profile.

Want or need extra entries? Check out how to grab em’ below! (Mandatory Entry must be complete for these to count)

1. Become a public follower of my blog (2 extra)

2. Follow me on twitter @sgrant2005 and tweet this giveaway (can be done daily)

3. Subscribe to my feed via a reader

4. Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post and to “Busy with Bugs” be sure to leave me a link (5 extra)

Giveaway ends May 24, 2011 @ midnight CST. Winner will be chosen at random, using random.org and contacted by e-mail and has 48 hrs to respond before a new winner is chosen.

This review is based strictly my opinion. Others may have a different opinion with the product listed above. I did receive the Busy with Bugs book mentioned above complementary for this review. No monetary compensation was received.