School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 3--Everyone's favorite Black girl scientist is back with another topic to explore. After noticing a bug in the garden, Ada plunges into an investigation of "what bugs are about." This book has the appearance of a logbook with a mix of materials. Ada's handwritten notes engage readers with what she sees and what she wonders, including a poem about arthropods. Typeset details explain the characteristics of the different types of bugs and their body structures. Diagrams label body parts and help differentiate between various types of insects. Charts make clear comparisons between insects and spiders or millipedes and centipedes. Crisp photos show entomologists at work and arthropods of all sorts. Colorful illustrations show Ada's family cringing from the bug in her hand and her friends admiring the bug hotels they have made. Drawings in a simpler style appear to be Ada's sketches (including a millipede wearing assorted pairs of shoes). A "Why Files Firsts" section introduces four early entomologists including Maria Sibylla Merian from the 17th century. Other sections discuss different types of insect eyes, spiderwebs, and examples of places around the world where people eat bugs. Back matter includes instructions for two different science experiments to extend learning. VERDICT Highly recommended for library and classroom; perfect for readers fascinated by bugs and for units on insects and spiders.--Suzanne Costner