Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 05/01/2020 Like Meisel’s My Awesome Summer by P. Mantis (2017), this picture book takes an autobiographical approach to zoology and carries it off with style. Tracing the life of a stink bug, it opens with the parents mating and the laying of eggs. On June 13, the eggs hatch and the bugs crawl away. On July 4, a bird nearly eats S. Bug, who literally creates a stink. The bird spits it out. After molting five times, the full-grown bug has workable wings and flies off to a farm with apples, peppers, and peaches. On October 1, it crawls under tree bark to hibernate. The text is simply written and gently amusing. Created with watercolors, acrylics, and digital tools, Meisel’s inviting artwork illustrates the bug’s activities, such as molting, foraging, and defending itself against predators. Switching to the human viewpoint, two informative double-page spreads introduce the marmorated stink bug and the problems this invasive species has created in the U.S. since its arrival in 1998. A worthy addition to the attractive Nature Diaries series. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 03/01/2021 Gr 2–4—In 2018, The New Yorker published the article "When Twenty-Six Thousand Stinkbugs Invade Your Home." That horrifying true tale is listed as a source in Meisel's latest installment in his "Nature Diary" series. Said to be written by S. Bug, this is a first-person account of the first four months of a stink bug's life, from conception to hibernation. Yes, there is a chastely humorous illustration of two stink bugs mating. S. Bug writes about evading predators, feasting on food, and finding shelter, all while educating readers. The story is peppered with dry humor, like a recurring joke about the stink bug being the only creature proud of its triumphs—everyone else just finds it stinky. The book's introduction is written at an adult reading level but includes numerous labeled illustrations to appeal to all readers. The book itself is composed of gorgeously detailed full-page watercolor illustrations and two-page spreads. Each day in S. Bug's life is recounted with one or two simple sentences, such as this entry for July 4: "I was minding my own business eating some lettuce when a bird tried to eat me. I stunk him. He spat me out." Animals and bugs occasionally spout cute lines of dialogue. Back matter includes a glossary, additional facts, and recommended reading. Kids will likely find the tale funny, and adults may even feel a bit sympathetic toward this invasive species. VERDICT Informative for readers of all ages, the book is as charming as its perspective is unusual. A truly unique must-have for any collection.—Chance Lee Joyner, Haverhill P.L., MA - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.