My Awesome Summer By P. Mantis [Hardcover]

Get a bug's-eye-view on the life cycle of the praying mantis, in this hilarious, scientifically accurate Nature Diary following an insect through her whole summer.

Finalist for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books

May 17: I was born today! It's a beautiful, sunny spring day!

This is the diary of P. Mantis, one of 150 brothers and sisters born on a garden bush. P. Mantis is an amazing bug: she can make herself look like a stick to hide from predators, she can swivel her head all the way around, and when she's grown up she'll even be able to fly!

In dated journal entries P. Mantis describes the entirety of her life, sharing the fun and beauty of her world as well its little ups and downs ( I ate one of my brothers. Okay, maybe two ). Colorful, bold art helps illustrate the different stages of the mantis life cycle, and the engaging, narrative text is paired with more detailed information about praying mantises on the heavily-illustrated endpapers.

For more nonfiction fun, check out Paul Meisel'sMy Happy Year by E. Bluebird!

Washington Children's Choice Book Award 2019 Nominee Lush, colorful illustrations that present riots of leaves and blooms that initially capture the eye reveal garden violence on closer inspection. —Kirkus Reviews

Meisel uses gorgeous, vividly painted illustrations and a gentle text to share the story of the life cycle of a praying mantis. . . . The perfect introduction to the life cycle of the praying mantis for those ready to handle a mantid-eat-mantid world. —School Library Journal

The bright, large-scale illustrations are full of details, which readers will likely delight in poring over, especially in wide-angle scenes where P. Mantis might be harder to spot. Perfect for . . . readers who like education with a dose of entertainment. —BooklislsW