If you’re looking for the perfect gift for a budding entomologist in your life, check out this rundown of books about insects for kids.

Children are naturally curious about the wonders of nature around them. With over a million known species of insects, the world of creepy-crawlies can be particularly intriguing. It’s no wonder nearly every kid goes through a “bug phase!”

Whether it’s indeed a fleeting fixation or the foundation for a future career, feeding kids’ curiosity and allowing them to explore their interests is extremely important in nurturing young minds.

What better way to encourage budding entomologists than with these books about insects for kids?

Books About Insects For Kids

These books about insects for kids are great resources for your children to explore the animal kingdom and become well-rounded and well-read. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it gives you a great start and some good options to introduce to your children.

1. Ultimate Bugopedia: The Most Complete Bug Reference Ever 

From one of the world’s most well-renowned authorities on photojournalism, National Geographic, comes this gem of a book about insects for kids. Each of its 200+ pages is packed with the crisp, stunning images the media house is famous for. 

The colorful, eye-catching spreads are accompanied by easy-to-read fast facts and stats on a wide array of bugs, beetles, and other insects. This engaging combination makes the book a great choice for both younger and school-age kids alike.  

If you have a typical “indoor kid” who’s stuck to video games and cartoons, this highly visual, hugely entertaining book could be an effective way to pique their interest and serve as a gateway to exploring the great outdoors. 

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2. The Backyard Bug Book for Kids: Storybook, Insect Facts, and Activities

A clever combination of storybook, activity book, and a treasure trove of trivia, The Backyard Bug Book for Kids is a great option for younger readers. As the title suggests, the book features familiar insects that little ones are likely to encounter in everyday life, such as butterflies, grasshoppers, and caterpillars.

The scientifically accurate insect facts are presented in kid-friendly terms, and interactive pages with counting activities, matching games, and even mazes help pre-schoolers ‘learn by doing.’ To top it off, the rhyming children’s story makes for some read-aloud fun. All of this is brought to life through a beautiful combination of both photographs and lovely illustrations.

3. Big Book of Bugs 

Another one for younger readers, the Big Book of Bugs is an excellent introduction to insects for kids.

The book strikes the perfect balance of age-appropriate language, introducing a few simple scientific terms in a way that’s easy for early learners to grasp. Each page in this oversized hardcover volume buzzes with life, thanks to the whimsical illustrations and witty blurbs.

“I spy”-type prompts and quirky trivia peppered throughout (such as “Just how slow does a snail go?” and “Are bugs afraid of the dark?”) are sure to tickle inquisitive minds and keep kids happily engaged throughout the book.

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4. Insects for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Bees, Butterflies, and Other Flying Insects

If you have a budding researcher on your hands looking for something a little more in-depth, this book about insects for kids is a perfect choice. From information on insects at large, such as origins, classifications, general life cycles, and parts of the body, to turning the spotlight on individual bugs with detailed profiles and trivia tidbits, Insects for Kids has it all.

The book also includes exciting experiments and real-world activities to get junior entomologists started in their scientific journey.

While it is mostly older readers that will likely enjoy the scientific facts and figures in the book, little kids will definitely get a kick out of the amazing photos that accompany those as well.

5. The Fascinating Bug Book for Kids: 500 Startling Facts 

If there’s one thing curious kids love, it’s tons and tons of intriguing facts! The Fascinating Bug Book for Kids is absolutely brimming with incredible information, presented as bite-sized trivia.

The well-curated collection ranges from bug basics to lesser-known facts—for example, did you know that “ants will chew through TV power cords until they get shocked?” It is this type of fun quirky trivia that makes this book about insects such an engaging read, not to mention the high-definition photos that give kids an up-close-and-personal encounter with the fascinating world of insects.

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6. Ultimate Bug Rumble (Who Would Win?)

The Ultimate Bug Rumble is not your usual book about insects for kids. All the scientifically-sound information on bugs is presented under one unique premise: if they were to go up against each other in battle, who would win?

The book features sixteen bugs in pairs of two, presenting their anatomy, behavior, and other stats. All this information is then used to determine a “winner” for each pair, leading up to a final face-off at the end.

Thanks to this engaging action-packed premise, Ultimate Bug Rumble takes trivia to the next level. Not only does the book teach children facts about insects, but it also sparks creativity, critical thinking, and much to the delight of parents, interactive reading time with their kids.

7. Super Bug Encyclopedia: The Biggest, Fastest, Deadliest Creepy-Crawlers on the Planet 

For those looking for a highly visual book about insects for kids, Super Bug Encyclopedia is an excellent option.

This captivating book combines dazzling macro photography and top-notch CGI for page after page of magnified, hyper-detailed images. Kids literally get a larger-than-life view of the incredible insect world.

Even the facts are presented in a visual format, from well-placed blurbs and labels that lead the eye to “at a glance” highlights to dashboard-style stats.

Super Bug Encyclopedia is definitely a must for any bug lover’s collection, no matter what age.

8. Bug Book for Kids: Coloring Fun and Awesome Facts

If your young entomologist also enjoys coloring, why not combine these two interests in one great book?

Enjoyable and educational, the Bug Book for Kids features backyard bugs such as ants, crickets, and dragonflies. Each insect’s spread includes a couple of quick and exciting facts, as well as simple coloring images to get creative with.

The book contains a total of 25 creepy-crawlies and 50 coloring images, making for hours of fun for little ones.

Books About Insects For Kids – In Conclusion

There truly are so many great books about insects for kids out there. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but hopefully, this list includes something for everyone, no matter the age of your budding entomologist or what type of reading material they enjoy.