"Get up close to this mighty dung beetle!"
A small but mighty and extremely important creature is the subject of the sixth book in this well-thought out and attractive information picture book series.
Dung beetles are found on every continent except Antarctica, munching up poo and keeping habitats healthy and clean. This book follows a female dung beetle on the African savannah as she makes a dung ball and, with her mate, a burrow for it, where she will lay her eggs. Across pages of clear, varied and attractive illustrations and equally clear text, we learn all about dung beetles’ lives including their life cycle. The story is told by the dung beetle herself and, it makes for fascinating reading, informing readers about grassland habitats, metamorphosis and predation as well as the role played by decomposers and recyclers in a healthy ecosystem.
A pull-out poster provides life size illustrations of ten different handsome dung beetles as well as a map of the world, together with a Serengeti I-Spy quiz challenging readers to go back through the pages and find different animals. Recommended for all school libraries and the home.
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Unfold a world of discovery with this fascinating, science-packed story with a giant fold-out map and I-Spy game.
Small, Shiny Dung Beetle tells the extraordinary life-cycle story of a female dung beetle, a small creature with unusual eating habits and super-strength. It begins with her finding a mate on a fresh pile of elephant poo, a common dating site for a dung beetle. She then works with her mate to roll away and bury the perfect dung ball in preparation for babies. Her story involves fights, theft, navigation by the stars, and a lot of determination and hard work, before laying her eggs and sealing the burrow.
Just like butterflies, her babies go through three stages of metamorphosis, eating the dung their mother has provided until they are ready to emerge as fully-grown beetles.
The main text is written for emerging readers with short sentences and uncomplicated vocabulary.
There are lots of additional facts for confident readers, touching on fascinating science topics, such as parts of an insect, food chains, migration and grassland habitats. At the back of the book there is a giant fold-out map of Africa and a fun I-Spy game to take children back into the book to find the African animals.
For educators, the story offers a fascinating insight into the important role that decomposers and recyclers play in an ecosystem.
Dung beetles are on every continent except Antarctica and are a natural way for livestock farmers to keep their fields and livestock healthy without the use of chemicals, which can find their way into our food chain.
A brilliant addition to any home or school library with lots of detail that will be returned to again and again.
This is the sixth book in the Start Small, Think Big series of science-based picture books, each focusing on a different life cycle, habitat and region of the world, with online activity sheets to support children's learning both inside and outside the classroom. Ideal for 5 to 8 year olds and perfect for any home or school library.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Small, Shiny Dung Beetle and determined it is suitable for children aged 5-8 years old
Small, Shiny Dung Beetle features in the following genres: Featured Books for 5+ readers, Featured Books for 7+ readers, Recommendations, The Natural World, Science, Wildlife, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Wildlife and habitats: Oceans and seas, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Weather and climate, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Ecosystems, Children’s picture books, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Physical world, Children’s: picture books, activity books, early learning concepts
Small, Shiny Dung Beetle is available in Hardback
Small, Shiny Dung Beetle was written by Mary Auld and published by Mama Makes Books
Small, Shiny Dung Beetle has 28 pages
Yes it is part of Start Small, Think Big series
£9.89
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