Respect the Insect: Meet the bugs who clean, tend and feed the world

Insects get a bad rep, but even though we might be a bit scared of them, they do a lot of helpful things for us, keeping soil healthy and rivers clean – not to mention gobbling up a LOT of poo. 

Presented in five chapters, this wonderful guide to all things insect takes the reader through categories of creepy-crawly creatures with different characteristics.

There are insects that clean up, like the dung beetle and clothes moth; insects that are involved with food, such as the fig wasp and the honey bee; insects that help regulate ecosystems, such as the termite and mayfly; insects that are inspiring innovation in science, from the Monarch butterfly to the fruit fly; and insects that have inspired developments in human culture, from the gall wasp (ancient cultures used its ink) to silkworms, that produce one of the finest materials for clothing. 

At the end of the book, there’s also a heads up for young readers on accessible ways that we can help insects help us by preserving them – planting flowers and using an insect ID app being among the suggestions. 

This is a bright and appealing book which mid-primary age readers will love. There’s lots here about insects’ relevance to our daily lives, and an environmental focus that keeps the book current and relevant. The text level isn’t too advanced, but gives enough detail so that readers can understand the sometimes complex processes that insects contribute to our natural world.