The Gentleman Bug

Gentleman Bug is a bookish sort. The bachelor ladybug spends his days teaching pupils and reading books, and he doesn't care one whit that the pompous peerage of the Garden (a bug-size facsimile of Victorian-era London) make fun of him for doing so. Then Lady Bug comes to town, and Gentleman Bug decides that he needs a dapper new look to get her attention. The results of his makeover are predictably disastrous, but in a subtle, Cinderella-like twist to the story, Lady Bug discovers that the two insects are kindred spirits after all. Composed as panels against airy, white backgrounds, Hector's crisp, utterly charming watercolor-and-colored-pencil illustrations have a classic, timeless feel, and the spectacularly detailed scenes, which demand close-up viewing, do the bulk of the storytelling. In comparison, the book's brief text feels a bit ancillary; but that won't stop young children from poring over Hector's enchanting, wee world and appreciating the story's straightforward, feel-good themes.--McKulski, Kristen Copyright 2010 Booklist

Thoughtful, scholarly Gentleman Bug and his colleagues inhabit the Garden, an Edwardian town, and it's the contrast between the multilegged creatures and their period costumes that supplies the book's quiet humor. (The Garden is laid out on a map on the endpapers, labeled with locations like Bugadilly Circus and Pollen Hill.) The Gentleman Bug, a teacher of juvenile bugs, falls for Lady Bug; in a sort of anti-Cinderella scene, he appears at a ball in a dapper suit and top hat to impress her. "The rest of the evening didn't go quite as planned," Hector (The Little Matador) writes as the bug collides with a waiter. Lady Bug is a librarian, it turns out, and their mutual love of reading draws them together in the end. The fact that the romance unfolds in public reduces the mush factor, and even smaller children will sympathize: "Safe at home, he tried to forget about the Lady Bug, but it was a very hard thing to do." The combination of an elaborately imagined community and a pared-down plot and text makes this a fine choice for the very young. Ages 2-5. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

PreS-Gr 2-Populated by a variety of grasshoppers, wasps, bees, and other bugs in Edwardian-style clothing, a British-looking village provides the setting for Hector's odd love tale. The Gentleman Bug, described as a bookworm and dressed in what appears to be scout attire, finds that his life takes a new turn with the arrival of Lady Bug. Determined to attract her attention, he changes his style, turning himself into a dapper fellow sporting striped pants, vest, cravat, and top hat. Lady Bug is not impressed. Then Gentleman Bug gets invited to the opening of the new library, where he meets the librarian (aka Lady Bug) and the two read happily together ever after. This slight but sweet story has a diverse insect cast, pleasing colors and detail, and a bookish theme.-Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gentleman Bug loves to read, despite the teasing he receives from other insects. When Lady Bug comes to town, he tries hard--but fails--to impress her with his new fancy outfit. Ultimately, their shared love of books connects them. The tale is slight, but the detailed illustrations of a Dickensian bug village will draw in readers. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Hector follows up Little Matador (2008) with another simply told take on the value of staying true to oneself. Outfitting an all-insect cast in frilly gowns, top hats and like dress from centuries past, he creates a comfy setting for his tale of a smitten teacher(almost) literally and figuratively a bookwormwho exchanges his casual dress for more formal clothing in an effort to be noticed by a newly arrived Lady Bug. Disaster ensues, and the Gentleman Bug flees home in massive embarrassment. As it turns out, he needn't have bothered with a makeover, because shortly thereafter the town's new library opens and its librarian is none other than guess who? The two bond instantly over their shared love of reading and are last seen sitting together with bookish intimacy on a picnic blanket spread beneath nodding garden flowers. The author relies a little too heavily on details in the pictures to fill out his sketchy text, but he artfully uses subdued colors, elegant lines and generous quantities of space to lend low-key grace to each scene. (Picture book. 6-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gentleman Bug is a bookish sort. The bachelor ladybug spends his days teaching pupils and reading books, and he doesn't care one whit that the pompous peerage of the Garden (a bug-size facsimile of Victorian-era London) make fun of him for doing so. Then Lady Bug comes to town, and Gentleman Bug decides that he needs a dapper new look to get her attention. The results of his makeover are predictably disastrous, but in a subtle, Cinderella-like twist to the story, Lady Bug discovers that the two insects are kindred spirits after all. Composed as panels against airy, white backgrounds, Hector's crisp, utterly charming watercolor-and-colored-pencil illustrations have a classic, timeless feel, and the spectacularly detailed scenes, which demand close-up viewing, do the bulk of the storytelling. In comparison, the book's brief text feels a bit ancillary; but that won't stop young children from poring over Hector's enchanting, wee world and appreciating the story's straightforward, feel-good themes. Copyright 2010 Booklist Reviews.

Thoughtful, scholarly Gentleman Bug and his colleagues inhabit the Garden, an Edwardian town, and it's the contrast between the multilegged creatures and their period costumes that supplies the book's quiet humor. (The Garden is laid out on a map on the endpapers, labeled with locations like Bugadilly Circus and Pollen Hill.) The Gentleman Bug, a teacher of juvenile bugs, falls for Lady Bug; in a sort of anti-Cinderella scene, he appears at a ball in a dapper suit and top hat to impress her. "The rest of the evening didn't go quite as planned," Hector (The Little Matador) writes as the bug collides with a waiter. Lady Bug is a librarian, it turns out, and their mutual love of reading draws them together in the end. The fact that the romance unfolds in public reduces the mush factor, and even smaller children will sympathize: "Safe at home, he tried to forget about the Lady Bug, but it was a very hard thing to do." The combination of an elaborately imagined community and a pared-down plot and text makes this a fine choice for the very young. Ages 2–5. (Apr.)

PreS-Gr 2—Populated by a variety of grasshoppers, wasps, bees, and other bugs in Edwardian-style clothing, a British-looking village provides the setting for Hector's odd love tale. The Gentleman Bug, described as a bookworm and dressed in what appears to be scout attire, finds that his life takes a new turn with the arrival of Lady Bug. Determined to attract her attention, he changes his style, turning himself into a dapper fellow sporting striped pants, vest, cravat, and top hat. Lady Bug is not impressed. Then Gentleman Bug gets invited to the opening of the new library, where he meets the librarian (aka Lady Bug) and the two read happily together ever after. This slight but sweet story has a diverse insect cast, pleasing colors and detail, and a bookish theme.—Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA