• Age: 5 to 8
• Grade: k to 3
• Reading age: 5 to 8

Everyone's favorite june beetle learns about the many different places insects call home, in this charming graphic novel from Ashley Spires.

Burt the Beetle wants to find the perfect home to settle down in. But what might that look like for a june beetle? He's impressed as he checks out the amazing homes his insect friends have built for themselves --- the chrysalis of a monarch caterpillar, the underground tunnels of the yellow meadow ants, the wax hive of the bees. Only none of these wonderful homes seem to quite suit Burt's size, his building skills --- or his sticky legs! Burt is starting to get discouraged. But then a rainstorm sends him scurrying for cover under a leaf. And Burt finally begins to understand what home feels like for him!

Bestselling author and illustrator Ashley Spires brings her beloved wit and wisdom to this playful graphic novel that celebrates the true meaning of home --- and the amazing world of insect life! With its engaging blend of fact and fiction, offered up with loads of hilarity, it's sure to keep readers laughing and learning. Burt is a sweet, endearing character whose kindness and unrelentingly positive attitude provide character education lessons on initiative, resilience and perseverance. Part of the Burt the Beetle series, this book is a perfect pick for emerging readers and young fans of comics. It's also a terrific, easy-to-digest resource for life science lessons on insects and their habitats and homes.

Ashley Spires est diplômé de l'Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design. Artiste touche à tout, elle a créé des sites Internet, des livres et des marionnettes. Elle est auteure et illustratrice de plusieurs livres dont Quel génie!, la série Basile le chat de l'espace,Petit Paul, Chien recherche garçon et André est débordé. Ashley a également illustré Le Labo des malins par Shar Levine et Leslie Johnstone. Elle vit à Delta, en Colombie-Britannique.

Ashley Spires earned her BFA at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and went on to earn a graduate diploma in illustration from Sheridan College. She is also the illustrator of Binky the Space Cat. Ashley lives in British Columbia, but you can find her at www.ashleyspires.com.

Ashley Spires' profile page

• Short-listed, Eisner Awards; Best Publication for Early Readers, Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards

The jokes? They land. And the comic book format and panels make for a rather lovely way of getting some factual information into kids' brains.

Fuse 8 (School Library Journal)

A wide-ranging survey of insect homes delivered with humor and heart.

Kirkus Reviews

Burt is an approachable guide, introducing the reader to each of his distinct insect friends ...—Children's Literature

The jokes? They land. And the comic book format and panels make for a rather lovely way of getting some factual information into kids' brains.—Fuse 8 (School Library Journal)

Burt is an approachable guide, introducing the reader to each of his distinct insect friends ...

Children's Literature

This adorable story of finding one's gifts and accepting them for what makes one special is a winner, one with a indefatigably cheerful and likeable protagonist.—CM Magazine (Praise for Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite!)

Spires has a dry humor that even older kids will enjoy. Her graphics are simple, colorful, and easy to follow ... Emergent readers and fans of comics will enjoy getting to know Burt in this recommended title.

School Library Journal