Title: My Bug Buddy
Author: Mimi Soes
Illustrator: Cedar BLM
Publisher: Archway Publishing
ISBN: 978-1480825062
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 38
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
Author Mimi Soes has created a beautiful book with a thoughtful and deep moral in her latest work titled My Bug Buddy.
Everyone has the initial tendency to step on a bug, or whack it somehow with a rolled-up newspaper, or in some other way kill it; because many believe all bugs may sting or bite you. That is exactly the first thought which came into the mind of this mother, inside her house, when a Praying Mantis invaded her space. Chasing the bizarre looking creature around and around, causing a ruckus, eventually resulted in the mother striking the bug with her shoe and apparently killing it. She felt saddened that she killed the bug without really knowing if it posed a threat to her or not. She then placed the bug back outside.
To her surprise, the next morning, there was the Praying Mantis once again! Was this the same bug or another? In any event, this time she and the bug became friends and took time to stare into each other’s eyes, and the mother realized the bug was harmless. These emotions and the decision-making process of the story really runs deep, penetrating into the intellect of young children, bringing this book to a heightened level of a memorable fable.
The book is artfully laid out with spacious room for galley text interleaved with wonderful illustrations by Cedar Plata. Let’s face it, a praying mantis is just about the most alien-looking insect in the Entomology branch of zoology, and is fascinating to look at for hours trying to comprehend how such a creature was ever created. But that is beside the point, as any living creature can be a “buddy” – if in fact it does not pose a threat to humans.
My Bug Buddy is superbly written with a focus on children’s comprehension and at a level to satisfy the curiosity of young minds wondering about all of the things in this diverse world. It is well-balance with words and pictures, action and consequences, love and fear. It is a book which most definitely will become one of youngsters’ favorites and will make a great addition to any family library. Mimi Soes has created a book which will educate and entertain, while teaching children a lesson of being thoughtful – prior to taking actions which they may regret.
