There Are No Ants in This Book

May 1, 2024
There are many ants in this book, of nearly as many sizes and shapes. A grassy meadow seems to be the perfect spot for a light-skinned young picnicker to unpack--but no sooner does the child proclaim it ant-free than a tiny voice calls out from an acorn, "Wrong! There's one!" No, "TWO!" as the acorn ant is joined by a strawberry-sized South American dinosaur ant. Eventually we meet eight more cousins from, mostly, the Americas: "Big ants. Small ants. Ants with amazing butts." They all have "HUMONGOUS FAMILIES," too, as a teeming spread reveals. Aside from giving them small googly eyes, Pirolli depicts each type with salient distinguishing features, and Mosco closes with geographical ranges and other basic facts about all 10. "This book has the wrong title," the child observes (no kidding) but nonetheless winds up gleefully inviting the entire parade of pismires to join the picnic. Though barely touching the tip of the anthill information-wise, this whimsical work will draw attention to some of the most diverse and successful creatures on the planet and perhaps leave younger readers more inclined to study these ubiquitous insects than step on them. Make room on the picnic blanket for this convivial gathering. (Informational picture book. 5-7)

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June 1, 2024
Grades K-2 A young girl unpacks a blanket and food in preparation for a picnic. She's convinced no ants are near, but soon 10 unusual kinds appear, each describing its own salient characteristics: acorn ants reside in acorns, dinosaur ants are extremely large, pharaoh ants are tiny, winnow ants nibble seeds, honeypot ants store food in their abdomens, leafcutter ants feed leaves to the fungus they eat, slender twig ants glide gracefully, green tree ants make silken nests, turtle ants have big heads, and acrobat ants raise their abdomens when they are frightened. Mosco's simple text and the ants' speech-bubble commentaries mesh nicely with Pirolli's cartoon-style digital illustrations. Bright colors and sunny skies predominate, contrasting nicely with the black ants, and the protagonist's facial expressions (ranging from concern to awe) deftly convey her evolving attitude. And while adults may grimace at the illustration of the child swarmed by these insects, kids will understand her delight. Appended with additional information about the cited species, this should pique young browsers' interest.

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