Step to the pond's edge, lean over the mossy log, and watch the air come alive. Margaret Warner Morley turns everyday sightings into living story-swift dragonflies, fairy-like mayflies, quiet stoneflies, silverfish in dark corners, comical walking sticks, and the tuneful tribes of grasshoppers and katydids. Each short chapter opens the door to a new neighbor and a true habit: look closely, notice kindly, and let facts sing. Morley speaks directly to children, urging them to observe first-"Look more than you read"-then supplying the words that help their noticing stick. A generous contents leads from "Our Pretty Dragon Flies" through "The Grasshopper Tribes," "The Great Bug Family," and watery folk like the Water Boatman and Back-swimmers, with a handy glossary at the end.
Readers gain more than insect knowledge: this book nurtures careful observation, clear description, patient reasoning, and a gentle respect for living things-virtues that deepen delight indoors and out.
by Margaret Warner Worley