A Beetle Is Shy

A Beetle Is Shy

Picture book
One of the most beautiful nature books I have ever seen is
Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long's A Beetle Is Shy. The authors get
readers up close and personal with some of the fascinating members of
a type of critter we tend to literally overlook.
Did you know that beetles arrived or evolved on this terrestial
orb nearly 300 million years ago--quite a bit before other insects
made an appearance? Do you know how we know this? Do you know the
ways in which beetles are useful to our species? Do you know some of
the ways in which they travel, communicate, and protect themselves?
If there are youngsters in your life or you harbor curiosity
about the world of nature A Beetle Is Shy is a great read.
I will be checking out other fascinating looking books the
authors have collaborated on.
On a personal note, I am dismayed to the extent at which people tune
out the natural world, often in frenzied focus on electronics. A few
nights ago I was at a cookout turned campfire. In Penobscot County
out sunsets tend to be rather modest affairs. That evening one of the
most vivid I have ever seen burst across the firmament. The sky was
an explosion of purples and pinks with an apricot undertone. I was
delighted with the show. I was saddened that I was the only one in
the group who noticed.
A great big shout out goes out to people who still notice the world of
nature.
jules hathaway


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