Bugs: a Skittery, Jittery History by Miriam Forster Illustrated by Gordy Wright

An intriguing, highly engaging look into the astonishing world of crawling and aerial arthropods.

Did you know the longest millipede recorded to date has 1306 legs or that the Arthropleura (a millipede relative living some 325 million years ago) measured over 2.7 metres long?

This beautifully designed book explores the myriad of bugs that inhabit our world today and those now extinct, spanning back some 520 million years. From trilobites – prehistoric saltwater bugs – to the humble ant, this highly engaging publication introduces us to the spectacular and ingenious world of arthropods. Forster outlines what makes arthropods special, examining how many have been so successful and thrived and their critical role in sustaining life on earth, enabling other fauna as well as flora to flourish. Throughout the book, ‘Toolboxes’ take a close look at the fascinating physiology and behaviour of bugs, explaining how certain features have helped them adapt and survive, including segmentation, breathing, eyes, smell and colony life. Scientific terms are all explained, and an abundance of intriguing facts are both informative and highly entertaining. A “Bug Hall of Fame” showcases those bugs that win a range of categories such as the heaviest, the smallest and widest wingspan and small pockets of information bubbles peppered throughout the book add more fascinating info bites, expanding on the main body of text. Timelines provide information on when ancestors of today’s arthropods first appeared and accompanying text often elaborates on the type of environment they lived in, giving the young reader a glimpse of what life on earth was like millions of years ago. Detailed illustrations also provide a visual idea of what these now long-ago extinct creatures looked like. Though there is no contents page or index (a bit of a bugbear of mine), the book is well formatted, making it easy to follow whether it is read from beginning to end or simply dipped into. The plight of today’s insects is discussed and helpful ‘how to’ sections at the back afford information on how we can study and help bugs at home.

This is a wonder of a book for any curious young reader – if they’re not already captivated by arthropodology, they soon will be.

Content Development Librarian – Children’s and Young Adult