These Little Buggers: Insect & Spider Poems

Written by: J. Patrick Lewis

Illustrated by: Victoria Chess

Published by: Dial Books for Young Readers, New York

Year: 1998

ISBN: 0803717695

Critical Analysis:  Watercolor and ink illustrations portray these buggy friends sporting shoes and toothy grins, while the fast paced, sometimes hilarious, wordplay and offbeat humor make up the content of this book by J. Patrick Lewis. Using alliteration,  such as that found in Insect Inspector (A Counting-Out Rhyme), or the rhythm and rhyme of The Love Song of the Rhinoceros Beetle, Lewis rollicks through bugs and beetles in a humorous fashion. Add a little dark humor as found in such poems as The Marriage of the Spider and the Fly and The Praying Mantis Waits, in which the “ladies” in both of these poems eat their male friends, and you have a collection that is sure to keep kids laughing.

While a couple of the poems fall a bit flat such as Vegetarian Spider and The Stinkbug and the Cricket, the majority of this work is well written and aptly suited to elementary school aged children. The Marching Song of the Captain Bugg is particularly suited to choral reading acting out motions to fit the poem. Children will enjoy the rhythm and motion found within this poem.

                                                I’m Captain Bugg of the Fifth Brigade.

                                                I’m underworked and I’m overpaid,

                                                And I eat my toast with marmalade.

                                                I’m Captain bugg of the Fifth Brigade,

                                                He’s Captain Bugg, a four-star bore.

                                                He hears a gun and he’s off to war,

                                                That’s what they overpay him for.

                                                He’ll fit right in to the Officers’ Corp.

                                                He’s a regular in the Army.

                                                I’m Captain Bugg, and I spent two years

                                                With the Horse Flyboys and the Bombadiers,

                                                And I got my wings (behind my ears).

                                                I’m Captain Bugg, and I spent two years

                                                As a regular in the Army.

                                                He’s Captain Bugg, the beetle nut

                                                Who infiltrated the Quonset hut.

                                                Of course they’d like to fire him! But

                                                They’ve gotta catch him first-hut-hut!

                                                He’s a regular in the Army!

Connections:

This is a wonderful work to connect poetry to science. Have the students choose a poem from the book and then research the bug/s spoken about in their chosen poem. Create a diorama and include the poem within the presentation.

Use poems such as The Marching Song of Captain Bugg or Midnight Blue or, The Cockroach’s Song for choral reading. Practice and perform for younger children.