What's Your Favorite Bug? (Eric Carle and Friends' What's Your Favorite, 3)
#3 in Eric Carle and Friends' What's Your Favorite Series
on Goodreads (266)
What’s inside...
This lively picture-book anthology invites fourteen acclaimed children’s book illustrators—including Eric Carle—to answer a single, irresistible question: “What’s your favorite bug?” Each artist contributes a double-page spread pairing a short, child-friendly explanation of why a particular insect fascinates them with a signature illustration bursting with color and personality. From ladybugs roaming in sun-kissed gardens to fireflies lighting up summer nights, the book celebrates both artistic diversity and the amazing variety of the insect world, encouraging young readers to observe nature closely and appreciate its smallest creatures.
Discussion points
Which bug surprised you the most and why?
How do the different art styles make you feel?
What jobs do insects do that help people or nature?
If you could talk to one bug, which would it be?
Tip: Role play these questions
Pause on each spread, spotting details together; plan a backyard bug-watch afterward.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Respect for all living things
Explanation: Artists explain each bug’s ecological role.
Real-World Application: Kids learn to release bugs outside instead of squashing them.
Example Lesson: Celebrating individuality
Explanation: Each illustrator’s choice is personal and unique.
Real-World Application: Children feel confident sharing their own favorites.
Example Lesson: Curiosity drives learning
Explanation: Short facts spark further questions about insects.
Real-World Application: Kids might start their own nature journals.
Example Lesson: Art as communication
Explanation: Illustrations convey feelings about bugs beyond words.
Real-World Application: Children use drawings to express ideas in school projects.