Review Detail

SUPER BUGS by Michelle Meadows and illustrated by Bill Mayer is a rollicking fun look at a day in the life of various bug species. With fascinating facts on the inside front and back covers, the book offers gorgeous illustrations and a nice read-out-loud narrative. Although it’s never clear WHY the super bugs are saving the others, the illustrations and the rhyme make up for the lack of depth.

I’d love to see the content on the front and back covers of the book become relevant to the story. Those are worth reviewing in depth to see why the bugs within the pages are being saved by the super bugs.

The illustrations by Bill Mayer are fantastic. The frog on page seven (I think) is worth lots of conversation with a toddler, and the other drawings are fun too.

Overall, Mayer’s efforts save the day in a book that shows potential but misses the mark in a lot of ways. It’s not a complete miss—I would add this book to a preschool collection—but it is a missed opportunity with regard to the narrative.