Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 1-3. Color-drenched, multitextured, cut-and-torn paper collages distinguish Barner's celebration of insects, as seen through the eyes of a boy who strays from base camp and stumbles upon a trail of ants. In a distinctly tongue-in-cheek first-person narrative, the boy exaggerates the perils of his stroll: I was lost in a bug-infested jungle one hot summer day. He follows the ants over rocks, past a fierce ant battle, and into the clutches of an ant-zapping toad: We were moving quickly--but to where and what? As the boy bravely presses onward, he discovers exactly where the ants are headed so determinedly--a picnic lunch at his very own base camp. Barner's cheerful illustrations offer a dizzying array of perspectives, from that of an ant eyeing the boy's looming ruler to an aerial view of a robin eating a spider. A five-page glossary provides captions about the various leggy creatures we encounter. The bright, cut-paper collages will appeal to the youngest bug lovers, but the funny, dramatically told story is tailored to a more sophisticated young entomologist. --Karin Snelson Copyright 2004 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"The events described here actually happened to me," intones the narrator of this "safari" memoir. "The things I learned are recorded to the best of my memory." But the sober set-up is just that-a lead-in to a romp of a tale with a surprise ending. The artwork is the first clue. Using his trademark eye-poppingly bright cut and torn paper, Barner (Parade Day) zooms in on the ground-level action of a trail of black ants. The narrator, a boy in a pith helmet, is "lost in a bug-infested jungle" and hopes that following the ants will lead him to safety. Crawling amid an explosion of colorful, graphic flowers on vibrant-hued backgrounds, the ants encounter danger from red ants, a toad, a spider-akin to the boy's own mock-serious travails: "I had scraped my knees and cut my finger, and needed medical attention. I bravely pressed onward, hoping I would one day see another human being." Sure enough, the ants do lead him to care and sustenance at the picnic blanket in his own backyard, where he has been roaming all along. Besides enjoying this roguish adventure, children should pick up a fair amount of insect knowledge (e.g., "I noticed that the ants talked to one another by touching antennae on top of their heads"), especially from the five pages of bug trivia that follow the story. Ages 4-8. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-In this suburban adventure, a young explorer describes his experiences as he tracks an army of ants through "a bug-infested jungle," observing their progress through a magnifying glass. The insects run into some dreadful hazards on their trek-a squadron of fierce red ants, a spider, a toad, and other predators. The safari ends in the child's own backyard, where his mother is waiting with a picnic lunch for the hungry boy and the ants. Barner used cut-and-torn paper and homemade paste paper to create dense, vibrantly colored collages that cover every inch of the spreads. Proportions are maintained by including size clues-a magnifying glass, a ruler, a sneaker, and a pencil. The ants somehow manage to have expression without being anthropomorphized, and the text entertains while it informs. An appendix provides brief information about ants and the creatures they encountered during their journey. This book offers budding entomologists a grand tour of insect life in the backyard, while those who are less bug inclined will enjoy the gorgeous illustrations.-Jane Barrer, Washington Square Village Creative Steps, New York City (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Following a trail of ants to his own picnic lunch, a young boy pretends to be on a safari. Along the way he observes ant behavior and that of several other insects and invertebrates as well. At the end, several of the ""bugs"" are described in simple, factual sentences accompanied by pictures. The brightly colored cut- and torn-paper art highlights the ""jungle"" motif. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
"I was lost in a bug-infested jungle one hot summer day." So begins a young boy's trek as he follows a long line of marching black ants hoping to find his way back to base camp. Encounters with a dung beetle, red ants, a toad, a giant green mantis, and a hairy black spider build suspense and add creepiness. Out of water, famished, and covered with bites, the boy finally hears a human voice declaring lunch is ready--ah ha! that's where the ants were going: to a picnic. The bold shapes and colors of cut and torn paper create a bug's-eye view. The up-close collages focus on the assorted bugs and the first-person voice directed to the reader will engage kids in the safari. A four-page glossary defines 16 kinds of bugs seen in the story. An entertaining presentation of science that's terrific for classroom use and program activities. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
