Nasty Bugs, poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by Will Terry. Dial, Penguin. 2012. $21.00 ages 6 and up

"In seven days a batch will hatch,
drink human blood, turn brown.
In one more week they'll lay
more eggs,
infesting one more town.
Stronger than insecticides,
the scourge of every head,
you're hard to ditch
you make us itch
but comb-by-comb
You're dead."

The above poem concerns lice, as you may have guessed. As a retired teacher, I know about them; in thirty-two years of teaching, however, I had nary a one. My husband used to tease me and say that I would never get them in my hair. They were sure to be found around my waist. I was a kindergarten teacher, and was hugged many times a day!

Before we go further in my praise for this most enjoyable (and yukky) book, I want you to know that the poem about lice was penned by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater, a poet extraordinaire. If you haven't yet been to her website, go there right now! I will make it easy for you: www.poemfarm.amylv.com
I am sure you will visit many times in the future.

I know, I know...we need insects! They are quite helpful for many, many reasons and make a huge difference in our lives. But, I do NOT have to like them, and like them I do NOT! Some are beautiful to look at, some make our lives better just by being here. Too many of them are like the ones shared in Lee Bennett Hopkins' newest collection of poetry.

In a recent interview at http://www.twowritingteachers.wordpress.com , Mr. Hopkins had this to say about Nasty Bugs:
 
"All of the poems in NASTY BUGS were especially commissioned for the book. I am among the luckiest people in the world to know America’s finest poets and to be able to work with them. I first made a list of 15 poets (16, including me!). I then decided on what I thought were among the nastiest bugs. The next step was to contact each poet and ask if they would be interested in creating a poem about a specific nasty. Writing on spec is very hard for most writers to do. People like the wondrous X. J. Kennedy must have thought I was a wee bit crazy asking him to do a verse on the Colorado Potato Beetle — but he did. And I am sure dear Alice Schertle said something like: “He wants me to write about a termite? A termite?” But she did!"'

Lucky we are to share their collaborative effort! There are bugs here to make you squirm and scratch,
to make you plug your nose and close your eyes, to make you want to scream and to throw up. The poems begin with the Stink Bug, who has a big surprise for anyone who gets too close. They beg to be shared so kids can grimace, and grin. They are perfect for using in a classroom. Kids love to listen to things that make them feel uncomfortable, and to see their parents and teachers showing a little queasiness of their own. To make matters worse ( some would say better, I guess), Lee Hopkins adds three pages of supplemental information that is sure to make us think of them as even nastier than we already do:

"Thriving in mounds, fire ants will attack aggressively to bite and sting any intruder - including humans. One mound can host up to 500,000 of these nasty insects. Stings can produce symptoms such as localized pain and swelling to shock. Twenty million people are stung by fire ants each year. At least three million have allergic reactions."

Poetic forms change as quickly as the subjects being described. If you have a performance assembly to plan, this would be a wonderful book to use...sure to elicit laughter and discomfort and to keep your students engaged as they work together to share their favorites. Let them choose, then work on learning the poems to entertain their schoolmates anytime throughout the school year.

Will Terry uses double page spreads, and deep, bold colors to a level of exaggeration that makes them totally abhorrent to readers. Buggy red eyes, sharp teeth, a needle-sharp proboscis, grit and determination on their tiny fearsome faces make them as nasty as they can be. Nothing cute or cuddly here.

As frost blankets most mornings here in the middle of Canada, I think we can finally bid farewell to the dreaded mosquitoes and ticks. I hope you can soon the same. This final one is for my friend, Judi. She will know why:

"Ode to Chigger

Oh, tiny, lumpy, ugly chigger.
It would be dreadful, were you bigger,
all hairy-red, with mouth that pinches -
how scary if you measured inches.
You hatch with six small legs for running,
then grow two more - for leaps most stunning,
grab onto something sweaty, smelly,
with thoughts of filling up your belly;
leave itchy spit - your thank-you present.
Oh, chigger, you are most unpleasant!"

         -Rebecca Andrew Loescher

Best to know your enemy, and this book will give you the goods you need to stay out of their way!