The Mosquito (Disgusting Critters)

by Elise Gravel

Hilarious illustrated nonfiction about mosquitos perfect for beginning readers. Conversational text and silly illustrations will have you up all night reading about the most annoying bug on Earth!

Fast mosquito facts:

Distinctive trait: Leaving annoying itchy bites

Diet: Your blood (and nectar and plant juice)

Special talent: Making a terrible whining sound in your ear

The Mosquito covers habitat (mosquitos live everywhere except Antarctica and Iceland!), species (over 3,500!), history (the oldest recorded mosquito was 79 million years ago!) and much more. Although silly and off-the-wall, The Mosquito contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time.

• ISBN10: 073526645X
• ISBN13: 9780735266452
• Publish Date: 14 July 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: CA
• Imprint: Tundra Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 32
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780735266452

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Mosquito is a new nonfiction graphic art book aimed at younger readers in The Disgusting Critters series by Elise Gravel. Originally published in French in 2017, this English language translation is due out 14th July 2020 from Penguin Random House on their Tundra imprint, has 32 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

The art is whimsical and appealing (see cover), and the text is fact based and scientifically accurate. The info included in the book covers preferred habitat, diet, reproduction, and different species. I liked that the book includes proper nomenclature for things such as proboscis and larva. If the terms aren't already familiar to young readers (or adults), they can be researched.

This would make a super choice for classroom/public library, homeschool library, or gift. Really cute and worthwhile subject for young readers. The graphic design and interactive dialogue would also lend itself quite easily to a bedtime read. My only quibble with the book is that it's apparently one of a series called (in English) 'Disgusting Critters' and while I do know that 'disgusting' is meant as an attractive choice of words for kids, it just sat wrong with me. Are there really any truly disgusting creatures? I wish they could've called the series Cool Critters, or Interesting Critters or something. I'm a middle aged science nerd, and I think flatworms are cool, so I guess I'm not really the target audience.

Four and a half stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.