Burt the Beetle Lives Here!

Everyone's favourite ten-lined June beetle is back for his second feature graphic novel, the first being Burt the Beetle Doesn’t Bite!. This time, readers learn about the various inventive and resourceful ways insects create homes or shelters, from spinning webs to building complex underground tunnels to constructing mathematically precise honeycombs out of honey chewed into wax.

Burt's showcase of various insect habitats gets him thinking--maybe it's time for him to settle down in a home of his own. He observes a butterfly emerge from a cocoon and fly away with 'no hug goodbye', says no thanks to stinkbugs living with humans in the winter to avoid the cold, and definitely doesn't want to live in a spittlebug's foamy home made from contents of its own bum (pp. 12-15). Too big to fit in the complex tunnels built by yellow meadow ants and unable to produce silk to spin webs, Burt finally accepts an offer from cathedral termites to live in their massive towering nest. Unfortunately, his room is "down this hallway to the left, then to the right, then two more lefts, and left at the roundabout," and Burt, perhaps not a spatial thinker, gets terribly mixed up and ends up in another termite's room, interrupting his cozy bath complete with a minute rubber duck (pp. 30-31).

Leaving the termite nest, Burt dejectedly pictures himself "wandering aimlessly without a roof over [his] head and wasting [his] extraordinary hugging skills”. (p. 33) Before he can wander far, however, various predators, such as birds, rats, and a skunk, threaten his well-being, and Burt realizes how important insect nests are to provide safety from predators and also weather--just as a thunderstorm pelts down rain. The rain soon accumulates and creates rivulets that threaten to sweep Burt away, but, just in time, he grabs a branch and finds shelter under a large leaf.

Before too long, a drenched bee joins Burt to get away from the deluge, as does a termite, stink bug, an ant, and several more insect friends. Just like in Mirra Ginsburg's Mushroom in the Rain, the leaf can accommodate all who need shelter from the storm, even if it doesn't grow like a mushroom does. Once the storm clears, Burt realizes he doesn't "need a nest, a tunnel or a hive" but just needs to "feel safe", to "always be able to see the porch light", and, of course, be close to his friends. Burt ends his latest escapade with a group hug. (pp. 56-57)

Spires continues to hit the sweet spot between information and entertainment with the endearing, affable Burt. Developing readers who want to read independently will enjoy the story while strengthening visual literacy skills by following the narrative as it is depicted in the graphic panels. The full-colour art tilts a little more toward making the insects a little cartoon-y, without sacrificing too much of their actual dimensions and shapes, and Spires strikes a perfect balance between anthropomorphizing their lifestyles and including genuine facts about them. An end note includes more interesting tidbits about insect habitats, and the endpapers may make grown-up readers chuckle as they poke fun of real estate listings by providing descriptions of insect living structures as having "charming layout", "quality craftsmanship," and "lots of potential" next to pictures of the various homes. Even if readers may not be fans of creepy crawlies, there is lots to love in the “Burt the Beetle” series, helping children explore the fascinating world of insects from the comfort of their library or home, as well as the always rewarding activity of reading.