Crawly School for Bugs: Poems to Drive You Buggy – poems by David L. Harrison, illustrated by Julie Bayless, WordSong, an imprint of Highlights, (9781629792040), 2018.
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 1-5: (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 3
Genre: Poetry
What did you like about the book? An assortment of bugs attends Crawly School, held in a hollow log. Twenty short poems humorously written from the bugs’ point of view provide insight into their day. For instance, the stink bugs are chagrined when they realize that they are the ones causing the odor in the classroom, the termite larvae eat everything in the room including the room itself, and the praying mantis struggles, but manages to obey the school motto, “Never eat a friend at school!” When it comes to the mosquito that serves as school nurse, no matter what ailment her students have, naturally she treats them all the same — by drawing blood! Busy, colorful images animate the buggy students’ antics.
Anything you didn’t like about it? This might sound odd, but I wish the bugs were drawn a bit more attractively. The poems are so whimsical, but to me, the bugs didn’t fit the tone of the poems – they should have been cuter, more appealing.
To whom would you recommend this book? Teachers of students in Grades K-2 could use this to introduce the elements of poetry as well as alternate points of view.
Who should buy this book? Public libraries with large poetry sections.
Where would you shelve it? Shelve with poetry books in 811.
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No.
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Mary Melaugh, Marshall Middle School Library, Billerica, MA
Date of review: 5/6/18
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