{"id":1338693057,"title":"Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle","handle":"behold-the-beautiful-dung-beetle","description":"\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/pages\/cheryl-bardoe\" title=\"Cheryl Bardoe bio\"\u003eCheryl Bardoe\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/pages\/alan-marks\" title=\"Alan Marks bio\"\u003eAlan Marks\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDung is a precious pile of food and drink for these beetles.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimple science text and dramatic illustrations give a close-up view of the fascinating world of the dung beetle. When an animal lightens its load, dung beetles race to the scene. They battle over, devour, hoard, and lay their eggs in the precious poop. Dung is food, drink, and fuel for new life—as crucial to these beetles as the beetles are to many habitats, including our own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBack matter includes instructions for finding dung beetles, fun facts, glossary, and a selected bibliography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Get the Scoop on Animal Poop\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/get-the-scoop-on-animal-poop\"\u003eGet the Scoop on Animal Poop!\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"The Beetle Alphabet Book\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/the-beetle-alphabet-book\"\u003eThe Beetle Alphabet Book\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/behold-beautiful-dung-beetle-spread.jpg?17380105230234805645\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eCheryl Bardoe, author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCheryl Bardoe is the author of two Orbis Pictus Honor books, \u003cem\u003eMammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eGregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas\u003c\/em\u003e, as well as \u003cem\u003eThe Ugly Duckling Dinosaur: A Prehistoric Tale\u003c\/em\u003e. She lives near Hartford, Connecticut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/pages\/cheryl-bardoe\" title=\"Cheryl Bardoe bio\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Cheryl Bardoe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlan Marks, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlan Marks began his career illustrating for magazines and newspapers in England. His first children's book \u003cem\u003eStorm\u003c\/em\u003e, written by Kevin Crossley Holland, won the Carnegie Medal. Alan now illustrates a wide variety of subjects, from nursery rhymes to war poetry. He is the illustrator of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book \u003cem\u003eA Mother’s Journey\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eBehold the Beautiful Dung Beetle\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePlanet Zoo\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Spirit of the Forest\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eLittle Lost Bat\u003c\/em\u003e, and more. Alan lives in an old house in the Kent countryside with his wife and two daughters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/pages\/alan-marks\" title=\"Alan Marks bio\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Alan Marks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCook Prize Honor Book\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJohn Burroughs Riverby Award for Young Readers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAAAS's Science Books \u0026amp; Films Best List\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNSTA\/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnimal Behavior Society Outstanding Children's Book Award\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Junior Library Guild Selection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite its slightly unsavory habits, this important beetle deserves a chance to shine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBardoe eases into discussing dung by mentioning that an animal, somewhere in the world this very second, is \"lightening its load.\" Beetles flock to one dung pat by the thousands, sometimes getting there a mere 15 seconds after it was dropped. There are three different types of dung beetles--dwellers, rollers and tunnelers--and as Bardoe nonchalantly describes, each \"has a different way of enjoying the poop.\" From rolling smooth balls of dung (and performing acrobatic moves to transport it) to getting into fights to catch the fancy of a mate, these tiny beetles are quite entertaining. Each double-page spread contains text in two fonts: The larger-type text is chatty and informative, while the smaller provides more detail. Both sets are immensely readable. Golden, watercolor sunsets and vast open plains surround the text. Compelling close-ups show deep tunnels and every part of the beetle. The exalted tone of the title and cover illustration of a dung beetle in a triumphant, legs-to-the-heavens stance may seem a bit excessive at first. But no doubt by the end, readers will find it difficult not to join in the adulation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn excrement-er, excellent-read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReading Today\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt might seem unlikely that anything could make the humble dung beetle particularly interesting, but this book has done just that. Filled with watercolor and pencil illustrations, the book describes three different types of dung beetles (dwellers, tunnelers, and rollers) and the work they do in removing fecal materials from where they have been dropped. It's fascinating to learn what those beetles do with all the dung they collect and to know that dung beetles make efficient use of the materials that others might disdain. This one is sure to be a hit in the elementary grades because of its subject matter and the sparkling writing that matter-of-factly describes the daily labors of dung beetles and how quickly they can remove dung. The back matter includes interesting facts such as the number of dung beetle species and the observation that they don't eat their own dung.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile transforming animals’ waste products into life-giving material, dung beetles perform a vital cleaning service to the environment. This overview of the three types of dung beetles sometimes uses fanciful language, e.g., the “dung-pat pie fresh from the oven,” but rather than distract, it lightens the topic. Often arriving within 15 seconds of the “drop,” the dwellers, rollers, and tunnelers compete fiercely for control of the fresh poop. Each species extracts nutrient-filled moisture from the warm material, either on the spot (dwellers) or as they roll it off or push it into tunnels. Vivid watercolor and pencil illustrations show the life cycle of these flying, crawling creatures. The narrative is divided on each spread, with brief text on one page and a more detailed explanation on the other. The lowly dung beetle was exalted in ancient Egypt, and its vital role in nature is beautifully recognized once again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Somewhere in the world right now an animal is lightening its load,\" begins this informative and self-aware introduction to one of nature's unsung ecological heroes. Bardoe describes the energetic rush of dung beetles just after an elephant has, um, provided for them, outlining the difference between dwellers (who \"dig right in\"), rollers (who roll dung balls away), and tunnelers (who dig down below the pile). The book also covers reproduction and growth stages and briefly notes the Egyptian celebration of the insects as scarabs. The book could use some more detail (it never states how big dung beetles can get, for instance, or how long they live), and the simple main text and more informative secondary texts aren't well differentiated. It's still a useful and lively overview, though, and it's enhanced by Marks' watercolor and pencil illustrations, which imbue the dung beetles' world with vitality and imagination: clever cutaways revealing the underground world of the tunnelers are set against the backdrop of grasslands populated by trundling elephants and graceful giraffes. End matter offers brief information about how to find dung beetles, some additional facts, a glossary, and a short bibliography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle book cover\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/behold-beautiful-dung-beetle-cvr.jpg?12038323203679565990\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/behold-beautiful-dung-beetle-hires.zip?13195876222830640421\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/Dung_Beetle_Study_Guide.pdf?10969939700963989503\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Discussion \u0026amp; Activity Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-555-2\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-726-2 EPUB\u003cbr\u003e ISBN: 978-1-60734-620-3 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 5-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e9 x 9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCorrelated to Common Core State Standards:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReading Informational. Grade 2. Standards 1, 3-8, and 10.\u003cbr\u003eReading Informational. Grade 3. Standards 1-5, 7, 8, and 10.\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2015-06-24T14:12:00-04:00","created_at":"2015-06-24T13:13:01-04:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 3-6","Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Nonfiction","Browse by Format_Early Reader","Browse by Format_Picture Book","Browse by Subject_Animals \u0026 Dinosaurs","Browse by Subject_Science \u0026 Nature"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":799,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":2738491949066,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"95552","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":799,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":99,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"deny","barcode":"9781580895552","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/behold-beautiful-dung-beetle-cover.jpg?v=1586785600"],"featured_image":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/behold-beautiful-dung-beetle-cover.jpg?v=1586785600","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":"Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle book cover","id":2449553031247,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":600,"width":600,"src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/behold-beautiful-dung-beetle-cover.jpg?v=1586785600"},"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":600,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/behold-beautiful-dung-beetle-cover.jpg?v=1586785600","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/pages\/cheryl-bardoe\" title=\"Cheryl Bardoe bio\"\u003eCheryl Bardoe\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/pages\/alan-marks\" title=\"Alan Marks bio\"\u003eAlan Marks\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDung is a precious pile of food and drink for these beetles.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimple science text and dramatic illustrations give a close-up view of the fascinating world of the dung beetle. When an animal lightens its load, dung beetles race to the scene. They battle over, devour, hoard, and lay their eggs in the precious poop. Dung is food, drink, and fuel for new life—as crucial to these beetles as the beetles are to many habitats, including our own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBack matter includes instructions for finding dung beetles, fun facts, glossary, and a selected bibliography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Get the Scoop on Animal Poop\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/get-the-scoop-on-animal-poop\"\u003eGet the Scoop on Animal Poop!\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"The Beetle Alphabet Book\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/the-beetle-alphabet-book\"\u003eThe Beetle Alphabet Book\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/behold-beautiful-dung-beetle-spread.jpg?17380105230234805645\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eCheryl Bardoe, author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCheryl Bardoe is the author of two Orbis Pictus Honor books, \u003cem\u003eMammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eGregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas\u003c\/em\u003e, as well as \u003cem\u003eThe Ugly Duckling Dinosaur: A Prehistoric Tale\u003c\/em\u003e. She lives near Hartford, Connecticut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/pages\/cheryl-bardoe\" title=\"Cheryl Bardoe bio\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Cheryl Bardoe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlan Marks, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlan Marks began his career illustrating for magazines and newspapers in England. His first children's book \u003cem\u003eStorm\u003c\/em\u003e, written by Kevin Crossley Holland, won the Carnegie Medal. Alan now illustrates a wide variety of subjects, from nursery rhymes to war poetry. He is the illustrator of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book \u003cem\u003eA Mother’s Journey\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eBehold the Beautiful Dung Beetle\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePlanet Zoo\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Spirit of the Forest\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eLittle Lost Bat\u003c\/em\u003e, and more. Alan lives in an old house in the Kent countryside with his wife and two daughters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/pages\/alan-marks\" title=\"Alan Marks bio\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Alan Marks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCook Prize Honor Book\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJohn Burroughs Riverby Award for Young Readers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAAAS's Science Books \u0026amp; Films Best List\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNSTA\/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnimal Behavior Society Outstanding Children's Book Award\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Junior Library Guild Selection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite its slightly unsavory habits, this important beetle deserves a chance to shine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBardoe eases into discussing dung by mentioning that an animal, somewhere in the world this very second, is \"lightening its load.\" Beetles flock to one dung pat by the thousands, sometimes getting there a mere 15 seconds after it was dropped. There are three different types of dung beetles--dwellers, rollers and tunnelers--and as Bardoe nonchalantly describes, each \"has a different way of enjoying the poop.\" From rolling smooth balls of dung (and performing acrobatic moves to transport it) to getting into fights to catch the fancy of a mate, these tiny beetles are quite entertaining. Each double-page spread contains text in two fonts: The larger-type text is chatty and informative, while the smaller provides more detail. Both sets are immensely readable. Golden, watercolor sunsets and vast open plains surround the text. Compelling close-ups show deep tunnels and every part of the beetle. The exalted tone of the title and cover illustration of a dung beetle in a triumphant, legs-to-the-heavens stance may seem a bit excessive at first. But no doubt by the end, readers will find it difficult not to join in the adulation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn excrement-er, excellent-read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReading Today\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt might seem unlikely that anything could make the humble dung beetle particularly interesting, but this book has done just that. Filled with watercolor and pencil illustrations, the book describes three different types of dung beetles (dwellers, tunnelers, and rollers) and the work they do in removing fecal materials from where they have been dropped. It's fascinating to learn what those beetles do with all the dung they collect and to know that dung beetles make efficient use of the materials that others might disdain. This one is sure to be a hit in the elementary grades because of its subject matter and the sparkling writing that matter-of-factly describes the daily labors of dung beetles and how quickly they can remove dung. The back matter includes interesting facts such as the number of dung beetle species and the observation that they don't eat their own dung.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile transforming animals’ waste products into life-giving material, dung beetles perform a vital cleaning service to the environment. This overview of the three types of dung beetles sometimes uses fanciful language, e.g., the “dung-pat pie fresh from the oven,” but rather than distract, it lightens the topic. Often arriving within 15 seconds of the “drop,” the dwellers, rollers, and tunnelers compete fiercely for control of the fresh poop. Each species extracts nutrient-filled moisture from the warm material, either on the spot (dwellers) or as they roll it off or push it into tunnels. Vivid watercolor and pencil illustrations show the life cycle of these flying, crawling creatures. The narrative is divided on each spread, with brief text on one page and a more detailed explanation on the other. The lowly dung beetle was exalted in ancient Egypt, and its vital role in nature is beautifully recognized once again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Somewhere in the world right now an animal is lightening its load,\" begins this informative and self-aware introduction to one of nature's unsung ecological heroes. Bardoe describes the energetic rush of dung beetles just after an elephant has, um, provided for them, outlining the difference between dwellers (who \"dig right in\"), rollers (who roll dung balls away), and tunnelers (who dig down below the pile). The book also covers reproduction and growth stages and briefly notes the Egyptian celebration of the insects as scarabs. The book could use some more detail (it never states how big dung beetles can get, for instance, or how long they live), and the simple main text and more informative secondary texts aren't well differentiated. It's still a useful and lively overview, though, and it's enhanced by Marks' watercolor and pencil illustrations, which imbue the dung beetles' world with vitality and imagination: clever cutaways revealing the underground world of the tunnelers are set against the backdrop of grasslands populated by trundling elephants and graceful giraffes. End matter offers brief information about how to find dung beetles, some additional facts, a glossary, and a short bibliography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle book cover\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/behold-beautiful-dung-beetle-cvr.jpg?12038323203679565990\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/behold-beautiful-dung-beetle-hires.zip?13195876222830640421\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/Dung_Beetle_Study_Guide.pdf?10969939700963989503\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Discussion \u0026amp; Activity Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-555-2\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-726-2 EPUB\u003cbr\u003e ISBN: 978-1-60734-620-3 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 5-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e9 x 9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCorrelated to Common Core State Standards:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReading Informational. Grade 2. Standards 1, 3-8, and 10.\u003cbr\u003eReading Informational. Grade 3. Standards 1-5, 7, 8, and 10.\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}