Smithsonian Handbooks: Insects (Smithsonian Handbooks)

I purchased this book as part of a "bug box" for my 4-year-old great-nephew's birthday. (Also included in the box were a folding, laminated "brochure" of insect images and a magnifying glass.) It was one of several presents from me, but it was the one that was a hit. He already has the same format DK book of dinosaurs and loves it, so I knew he would be comfortable with this book, even though it's not designed for pre-schoolers. He wanted to sit down and read the book as soon as he saw it and didn't care about opening the other gifts. We took the book, brochure, and magnifying glass to dinner, during which he used the glass to examine the books, and his spaghetti, at the table. He carried the glass the rest of the night, even while playing with other toys with his cousins. The next morning I received an email from his mother with a picture of him, with the glass, intently studying the books amid a pile of toys he was ignoring; they were heading out to take a walk to look for bugs. This is an observant, detail-oriented child who loves to sort and categorize things; I know this book will engage him for quite a while and serve as a useful reference for many years to come. As with all DK books, the illustrations are extremely clear and detailed and the treatment of the subject is comprehensive. The book is sturdy, a good size for little hands, and compact enough to be taken on outings. I thought that a paperback book would be hard for him to hold since it doesn't fold flat, but he's so riveted by it, it's not a problem. This book + $9 magnifying glass = birthday fun! Highly recommend if you have a little scientist on your hands.

This is really a nicely done guide and almost fits in my coat pocket. The pictures are fabulous and the insects are divided up into their respective families with very clear identifying traits. I'm really impressed, so much easy-to-use information in such a small book. This would be a great precursor to an entomology class. Some of my favorite critters are in the Psuedoscorpion order and are the cheliferids and chernetids, both of which look like tiny ticks with claws. So very cool. I actually found one once in Washington state--in my kitchen! It was very, very tiny. I digress. A book like this is handy if you are always finding insects and wondering what the heck you are looking at. A good value!

Cool book

Nice pictures. Small enough to take with you. Won’t have every single bug but it’s a good start.

I bought this for my 4-year old. She loves it. It has great pictures and simple facts that parents can read. It's a very comprehensive survey of insects, arachnids and arthropods. I recommend it highly!

This book is great if you want to get a complete overview of all possible different insect orders and families. It presents pictures of representative species from butterflies to lice. But if you're looking for a field guide for identification, this may not be the best choice. You will be able to determine a species' family, but the amount of species per family is limited. The good thing is that because of the focus on families, several insects that you normally wouldn't find in a field guide are still listed in this book, even just for the sake of completeness.

A fun guide for any enthusiast.

It is a comprehensive insect book. Very satisfied with the purchase. Shipped quickly and arrived in great condition.

Clearly written, good illustrations - an excellent concise guide

Esse livro é tudo q eu precisava como guia de identificação de insetos pra minhas macrofotografias, sem falar q é muito organizado e bonito!

Super

excelentye

完璧と書いているのにはちょっとびっくりしたが、そのくらいの気概でつくられた本なのだろうと思う。 昆虫だけでなく、クモやザトウムシ、カニムシなどは通常の昆虫図鑑ではほとんど生態について書かれていないので、こういったマニアック？な図鑑は有り難いし、必要だと思う。