Noisy Bug Sing-Along

In this colorful picture book, Himmelman introduces the sounds of "noisy bugs" and invites children to sing along with them. Each double-page spread focuses on one insect, with a line of text, such as "A Dog-Day Cicada buzzes LOUDLY high in a tree. / ZZZZZZZZ," and a meticulously drawn, large-scale image of the animal, with color, texture, and shading apparently added digitally. The big, bold images make the illustrations inviting to children, while the accurate depictions of individual insects reward closer study. Among those featured are the tiger moth (SQUEAKA-SQUEAKA-SQUEAK), the mosquito (mmmmmm), and the bush katydid (tick-tick-tick zeezeezeezee). In contrast, the butterfly flies by in silence. An appended section provides the sound waves (on paper and, through a link, in audio files) recorded for each example; a paragraph of information about each bug and its sound; and good children's activities for related of insect sounds.