The Best in Bug Books: List of Bug-Themed Children's Stories

April 15, 2022

Updated: December 9, 2023

Explore my curated collections of bug-themed books for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

A preschooler uses a magnifying glass to look at a bug on the ground.

As a nature lover working in early childhood education, I’ve explored hundreds of bug-related books, perfect for insect studies, outdoor classrooms, and nurturing a love for tiny creatures.

Favorite

Ant Books

How to Walk an Ant by Cindy Derby
Eat Together by Miguel Ordonez
Hey, Little Ant by Phillip & Hannah Hoose

See Full List

Favorite

Bee Books

Bee & Me by Alison Jay
The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall
Beehive by Jorey Hurley

See Full List

Favorite

Butterfly Books

Out of Nowhere by Christ Naylor-Ballesteros
Butterflies are Pretty Gross! by Rosemary Mosco
Hello, Little One: A Monarch Butterfly Story by Zeena M. Pliska

See Full List

Favorite

Dragonfly Books

Mika and the Dragonfly by Ellen Delange
Dragonflies: Catching – Identifying – How and Where They Live by Chris Earley
Dragonfly by Aimée M. Bissonette

See full List

Favorite

Spider Books

Awake by Mags DeRoma
Web Opposites by Rob Hodgson
Scurry! The Truth about Spiders by Annette Whipple

See Full List

Why Bug Books Matter in Children’s Literature

Through stories, illustrations, photographs, and educational content, these bug-themed books share important lessons with readers. Bug books, as silly as it sounds, foster a love for nature and a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Honestly, I can’t put it better than Shabazz Larkin, the author of The Thing About Bees: A Love Letter, has already done it in his book.

“Without those little buzzers, the world wouldn’t know what to do.”
Shabazz Larkin

We want a world where children value spiders, rescue moths, and wonder at lighting bugs. What starts with gently holding earthworms grows into a lifelong passion for saving bees.