By Kate Scarborough and Martin Camm
Firefly Books, 2015
Picture Book, 24 Pages, Ages 5 – 8 years
See inside a Paper Wasp’s nest and watch it grow!
Wasps can be a source of fear for children and adults alike, but this book does a compelling job of showing the elegance of a paper wasp’s nest, not only its functionality, but its beauty as well.
This book focuses on the lifecycle of the wasp, rather than what it does in the outside world. It begins with the queen and extends to how the eggs turn to larvae and emerge as juveniles and begin to help the queen with the job of making the nest. Unfamiliar words are explained and since the structure of a wasps nest is probably new material to most, the illustrations detail how the wasp nest is built, the structure, and efficiency of the whole.
A Wasp Builds A Nest is elegantly and beautifully illustrated and the detail on each page will captivate any child (or adult) interested in science and/or entomology. Though the book is scientifically written, with text and illustrations that support one another, it’s also accessible to the young reader.
Will children like this book? Absolutely, if they enjoy highly detailed illustrations and nature as a whole. The pages step-up as the nest gets bigger, beginning with a quarter page and progressing from there. They’re constructed of sturdy coated stock and will hold up well with children. Even this reviewer now looks at wasps in a whole new light with an appreciation for the artistry in what they do, proving, once again, that nature is amazing.
A Wasp Builds A Nest by Kate Scarborough and Martin Camm receives 5 stars from this reviewer.