literacy

math

science

themes

centers

christian

digital

classroom

20 Insect Books for Little Learners

This post may contain affiliate links.  Please read our disclosure here.

This insect unit is so much fun to teach our little learners! There are so many fun ways to explore this unit and watch little minds be amazed as they learn about ladybugs, honeybees, spiders, and all the other insects around us everyday. It is amazing to watch them as they read through books related to the insect unit, too.

Finding all kinds of insect books to read with them is a great addition to units like this and they get to see all the types of insects in the world around us!

Sitting down to read insect books is so important for our little learners as they navigate through this insect unit. They’ll discover all kinds of insects in the world around us. Some they will recognize such as butterflies or spiders, others might be completely new to them.

I found some incredible insect books for you to use with the insect unit that can be purchased on Amazon. All you have to do is click the links below and stock up on some of your favorite insect books! I love using my prime membership since I can get FREE 2-DAY SHIPPING on all the books I need.

Bugs are Insects

Now rebranded with a new cover look, this NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book includes activities such as conducting an insect survey, drawing a picture of your favorite insects, and planting a butterfly garden. Both text and artwork were vetted for accuracy by Dr. Ed Spevak, Curator of Invertebrates and Director of the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Native Pollinator Conservation.

I Love Bugs!

Come explore the amazing world of bugs! The friendly bugs that crawl all over these pages include hungry caterpillars, busy ants, and graceful dragonflies. Which one is your favorite?

Bug Homes

Books in this series introduce readers to the exciting world of insects and arachnids. Each title uses simple text and vibrant photographs to introduce one important bug feature or behavior. In “Bug Homes,” children learn about the many different habitats that provide homes for bugs.

National Geographic Readers: Caterpillar to Butterfly

Butterflies are all around us. It’s hard to believe these majestic insects with impressive wingspans and beautifully colored and patterned wings were once creepy crawly caterpillars. How in the world does this transformation happen? This Level 1 Reader gives kids an up-close look at exactly how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. With bonus information including different types of butterflies and poisonous caterpillars, this reader is one of a kind.

Beetle Bop

There are striped beetles, spotted beetles, all-over-dotted beetles–and don’t forget the noisily gnawing beetles! Whether you love bugs or whether the sight of them makes you itch, you’ll adore this infested offering from the beloved Denise Fleming.

Thank You, Bugs!

Even though some bugs are hairy and scary, this book teaches us that insects are important pollinators and help make the food we eat. Not only is Thank You, Bugs! fun to read, it is full of beautiful photographs featuring adorable children with expressive faces. This book is also great for teaching about feelings and facial expressions. It’s sure be a favorite in any family. The back matter gives additional educational resources for teachers and caregivers.

Are You a Ladybug?

Beginning with its title question, “Are you a ladybug?”, this accessible book is perfect for reading aloud and tells young readers how they would experience life if they were a ladybug.

Don’t Splat the Spiders

Serena didn’t like spiders. She thought they were gross, icky and disgusting insects and their only purpose was to annoy her! But little did she know that she would soon find out how it really feels to be a spider! And her mind would change forever!

On Beyond Bugs!: All About Insects

Find out all you ever wanted to know about insects when the Cat and company get an up-close view of life as a bug. Kids will learn how insects — from the spittlebug to the honeybee to the moth — see, smell, communicate, and pollinate, as well as sometimes pester and amaze and generally make life better for us humans. Catch the bug buzz with the Cat in the Hat and all his friends!

Bugs Galore

Bugs, bugs, BUGS galore creep, slither, stink, and squirm; scurry, fly — ewww, a worm! Dig in as a flurry of bugs of every shape, size, and color crawl across the page in a veritable infestation of whimsy and humor. Cars Galore creators Peter Stein and Bob Staake return to thrill (and gross out) bug enthusiasts of all ages, offering an in-the-dirt, high-in-the-sky critter tale sure to leave readers wiggling and stampeding for more.

Walter’s Wonderful Web

A determined little spider named Walter is trying to make a sturdy web that will stand up to the blustery wind. The webs he makes at first are woven in special shapes–a triangle, a square, a circle–but they are still wibbly-wobbly. Can Walter make a web that is both wonderful and strong? This simple, vibrant adventure is a lively companion to our two previous Hopgood “first books” about colors and the senses.

The Grouchy Ladybug

For generations, The Grouchy Ladybug has delighted readers of all ages with the story of a bad-tempered bug who won’t say “please” or “thank you,” won’t share, and thinks she is bigger and better than anyone else. Readers will love how this testy ladybug introduces them to many new animals and learns that maybe being grouchy isn’t always the best option.

Small Wonders

Meet Jean-Henri Fabre, one of the most important naturalists of all time. As a boy in the French countryside, Henri spent hours watching insects. He dreamed of observing them in a new way: in their own habitats. What he discovered in pursuing that dream was shocking; these small, seemingly insignificant creatures led secret lives—lives of great drama!

Bugs Bugs Bugs!

“Budding entomologists will fly to this book like bees to honey,” said School Library Journal, and it’s true! Pretty ladybugs, fluttering butterflies, creepy daddy longlegs, and round roly polies are just some of the familiar creatures featured in this whimsically illustrated insect album from veteran children’s book author-illustrator Bob Barner. Check out the actual size bug chart, which provides real-world comparisons so that readers know exactly how big each bug is, and the Bug-O-Meter, which lists fun facts about each bug, such as number of legs, where it lives, whether it flies, and if it stings.

Fireflies!

A young boy is proud of having caught a jar full of fireflies, which seems to him like owning a piece of moonlight. As the light begins to dim he realizes he must set the insects free or they will die.

My, Oh My – a Butterfly!: All About Butterflies

With a little help from the Cat in the Hat, Sally and Dick observe a small miracle in their own backyard. They watched the metamorphosis of an egg into a caterpillar into a chrysalis into a bright new butterfly! Along the way, beginning readers will find out how butterflies see thousands of images at once, drink nectar from flowers, avoid predators, and can be identified by size, shape, and color. Readers will also follow the amazing migration of millions of monarchs.

Sam and the Firefly

Sam the Owl and Gus the Firefly literally light up the sky in this classic Beginner Book edited by Dr. Seuss. In Sam and the Firefly, P. D. Eastman (author of Are You My Mother? and Go, Dog. Go!) introduces us to the dynamic duo of Sam and Gus, who soar through the air writing words in the night sky. But when Gus’s words end up causing confusion and chaos for the people on the ground, it’s up to Sam to help Gus “write” his wrongs.

Backyard Bugs

Young children love to look at bugs. Now here’s a Hello, World! board book that teaches toddlers all about the insects in their backyards—with colors, sounds, sizes, and super-simple facts.

The Ant and the Grasshopper

While hard at work on her chores, an ant hears the wonderful clickety click chirrup of music coming from the distance. Although she knows she should focus on the task at hand, she can’t help but explore the joyful noise!

But I Don’t Eat Ants

“Koala Bears aren’t called Eucalyptus-eaters. Panda Bears aren’t called Bamboo-eaters. Jaguars eat Anteaters, but they aren’t called Anteater-eaters!” insists a voracious young Anteater who will gobble up just about every food except for one: ants! This clever take on the picky-eater is full of wry humor and silly puns as the anteater takes us through the food he LOVES to eat, all while repeating the refrain, “but I don’t eat ants.” That is until dinnertime when his mom presents him with with a “fiery” surprise. The final punchline playfully depicts the often illogical rationalizations of young picky eaters in a way that will have kids and their parents laughing.

Exploring the insect unit is so much fun for our little learners as they learn about all the insects around us. It’s so much fun for us too as we get to watch them learn and grow as their minds are at work. Grab some fun books and this insect unit and explore all the types of insects in the world around us.

LIKe what you read?

subscribe to our newsletter for more ideas and offers

Become an mjcs subscriber!

sign up to get weekly newsletters and deals!

Screen-Shot-2019-04-18-at-10.03.37-PM.png
progress monitoring in the early elementary classroom for math, literacy and reading