This Librarian's Quick Picks: Beetle Busters

Beetle Busters: A Rogue Insect and the People Who Track It
by Loree Griffin Burns
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Oct. 7, 2014)
Narrative Nonfiction

Summary:

Looks at the tree-killing Asian longhorned beetle and how the help of everyday people, their neighborhoods, teams of beetle-sniffing dogs, and effort from bug scientists to tree doctors are working to eradicate this invasive pest. 

Why You'll Love It:

•  Burns really knows how to make nonfiction pop! Seriously, if nonfiction had been presented in this engaging manner when I was younger, I would've been reading it like crazy instead of not really discovering my love of nonfiction until college. 
• She really helps readers connect science to everyday life. For example, Burns' writing is framed by the experience of a teen who saw his favorite forest area cut and has watched it regrow.
•  Abundant, close-up, color photos of the insect (from egg to pupa to mature adult), damaged trees, onsite workers, and informative labeled diagrams and maps help tell this disquieting story.

Who Should Read It:

Great for grades 5-8...and here's the teacher guide.

What Else You Should Read:

• The Hive Detectives by Loree Griffin Burns
• Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins
• Citizen Scientists by Loree Griffin Burns

This Librarian's Quick Picks: Violet Mackerel!

Violet Mackerel's Pocket Protest
by Anna Branford
Atheneum (Sep. 2nd, 2014)
Chapter Book

Summary:

Violet and Rose organize a protest to save the big oak tree in Clover Park.


Why You'll Love It:

• Aussie Violet's world is just different enough to provide an interesting change for readers entering the chapter book stage.
• This quiet story, told in third person, is liberally illustrated with grayscale drawings.

Who Should Read It:

Great for grades 2-4.

What Else You Should Read:

Definitely the other books in the Violet Mackerel series.

Also try The Critter Club series and Heidi Heckelbeck books.

Who Else Is Talking About It:

Ellie's Booklist