Snug As a Bug
PreSchool-K–Insects, worms, and slugs curl up in roses, slumber under leaves, and doze in shells in this bedtime rhyme. While some of Ross's verses are clever ("Cuddle in a huddle/in a grove of tall trees"), others are odd or uninviting ("Snooze away softly/in a puddle of sap"). Long's watercolor illustrations of well-dressed animals are playful, but the complicated sleepwear looks out of place on creatures with antennae, multiple legs, and wings, and the white backgrounds make it seem as if the bugs are going to bed in full daylight. While the book's title and premise are droll, the realization is lackluster.–Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NYCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.