Module 4: Book Review 10-Science Poetry

 Face Bug: poems

Bibliography

Lewis, J.P., Murphy, K., Siskind, F.B. (2013) Face Bug. Pennsylvania: WordSong. ISBN 9781590789254

Summary

In the story Face Bug, embark on the eye-popping closeup’s of fourteen different critters during the grand opening of The Face Bug Museum.  Marvel in the poetry, illustrations, and photographs that are compiled wonderfully in this piece by Lewis, Siskind, and Murphy, and be immersed in the facts that are incorporated into the fun rhythm and rhyme of each poem.  Enjoy each page not only with startling closeup’s of each bug, but also take part in the black and white drawings of each bug’s adventure throughout the museum.  Take part in learning so much more about bugs that you may have never known about or learn new facts about the one’s you did.  

Analysis

In Face Bug by J. Patrick Lewis, readers are given a whole new appreciation to bugs with poems that incorporate fun information about fourteen different critters.  In this informational piece, Lewis uses a combination of rhyme, rhythm, and sight imagery to keep readers hooked and engaged in the book.  Each rhyming poem flows naturally and incorporates new facts about the creatures and pairs it with a stunning photo of the bug by Frederic Siskind. Take for example the poem Nursery Web Spider that begins with “eight black eyes in a whiskery face/eight round eyes in a dark crawl space/ that never bother blinking back/ could give a kid a heart attack!” and pairs it with a close-up photo of the spider and the eight, black, round eyes and whiskery face.  The photographs alone will heighten student’s interest and learning of the insect and information in the book. 

Lewis took an interesting and difficult topic to study and learn and made it kid friendly.  Grades 1^st through 4^th have the privilege to learn about bugs in a different and unique way.  The black and white ink drawings by Kelly Murphy add humor to the text as well as highlight the facts from the poem.  Kids also get to experience the Face Bug museum with two beetles, as they make their way through the grand opening, each exhibit, and finally to the gift shop and food court.  This adds delight to this nonfiction piece and makes it completely different from any other nonfiction text. 

Included at the back of the book is a “And Now a Word from Our Bugs” section.  This backmatter includes further information of each bug in a detailed paragraph and a smaller colored photograph. This provides a deeper understanding of the insect after reading through each poem in the book and gives readers the opportunity to learn more. 

This book is perfect for readers who are bug-lovers, curious to know more about critters, and even science enthusiasts.  It combines facts, humor, and poetry all into one piece.   

Excerpt

Pearl Crescent Butterfly

Sipping on a black-eyed Susan----

Any

     flower

nectars

            ooze

                      in

(Have to have my Insect Ale!)----

I am one Pearl Crescent male,

Perfect match for a million cousins,

Multiplying by the dozens.

 

If it’s summer, here they come,

Females

       smaller

              than

                     a

                         thumb,

Laying eggs on aster plants.

Sister Pearl, if there’s a chance

I should fall asleep, would you

Kindly brush away the dew?

Use

This is a great introductory poem into a butterfly unit for younger students.  Use it to begin teaching about the butterfly life cycle, how they eat, and places they live.  This poem can lead to endless teaching possibilities on butterflies, especially on the pearl crescent butterfly.