Going Buggy: Books, Toys, and Clothing for Mighty Girls Who Love Bugs

Butterfly Park

When this little girl moves from a rural home to a new city, she's thrilled to discover a place called Butterfly Park... except behind the gates, there are no butterflies. As she makes friends with kids in the neighborhood, they all try catching butterflies and releasing them in the park, but the butterflies just fly away. Then the girl realizes that the butterflies need flowers to tempt them to stay, and soon, she's recruited the whole community to help plant butterfly-friendly plants so they can all enjoy Butterfly Park together. Elly MacKay's incredible lightbox diorama illustrations, made from painted paper, steal the show in this exquisite book, which even includes a poster of plants to make your own butterfly garden.

Bug

This little girl loves insects so much that everyone knows her as Bug! While she's a natural at entomology, she struggles with math, but when her teacher entices the class with a trip to the museum — including its awesome bug room — if the students do well on their math test, Bug HAS to succeed! After some frustrating failed attempts at study, Bug realizes that, by counting spots on butterflies' wings and seeds dropped by ants, the insects she loves can also help her learn the math she needs! This charming story encourages kids to take initiative in their learning and realize how their passions can help them learn the things they need.

The Rescuer of Tiny Creatures

Young Roberta takes pride in her role as a rescuer of tiny creatures: insects and bugs that find themselves in harm's way, that just need a helping hand to set themselves right again. But a lot of her classmates think her interest in bugs is weird (and the earthworm slime on her hands is gross!) Then a swam of baby spiders appears in her school, and everyone is freaked out — except Roberta. With a little information, she's sure she can show them these little creatures aren't scary — and convince them to be rescuers of tiny creatures too. Kids will love Roberta's compassion and love of bugs, and this quirky and cute story will put a new spin on the value of insects!

Kaia and the Bees

Kaia is super brave, and she's DEFINITELY not scared of anything... or at least that's what she says. The truth is that, even though her dad is a beekeeper, she is terrified of bees! When a rogue bee reveals her fear in front of some friends, Kaia decides she has to overcome it... only to suffer another setback when she gets a painful sting. But when two bumbling bees get trapped in their apartment on honey-harvesting day, Kaia finds enough courage to let them free — and realizes she can do just about anything. This charming story, written by a real-life beekeeper, might just inspire a few new bee-loving kids.

Evelyn the Adventurous Entomologist

The True Story of a World-Traveling Bug Hunter

When Evelyn Cheesman grew up at the end of the 1800s, a proper English girl stayed neat and tidy; instead, she dug through grubby fields and forests, tracking down her beloved bugs. At a time when girls were expected to marry and raise children, she decided to pursue a career in science. She was hired to care for the insect house at the London Zoo and revitalized the exhibits, filling them with live specimens for visitors to admire! In the early 1920s, when women were expected to stay home, she went on multiple solo expeditions to distant islands, collecting over 70,000 specimens and discovering new species. This exuberant biography of a bug-loving pioneering scientist celebrates those who follow their passions and blaze their own trails.

Butterflies Belong Here

A Story of One Idea, Thirty Kids, and a World of Butterflies

A little girl who has recently immigrated to the United States feels "a little like a caterpillar... quiet and almost invisible." So she spends her time looking around her new home, and discovers that she doesn't see any monarch butterflies, even though she knows exactly what to look for. It makes her wonder if the butterflies belong there — and if she belongs there. But when the poster she makes about monarchs intrigues her classmates, she blossoms, and soon she's organizing her class to create a milkweed garden to sustain the migrating butterflies. Along the way, she finally starts to feel like this place could be home. This powerful story of community conservation is a reminder to kids that they can make real change — for themselves and for the world.

The Way of the Hive: A Honey Bee's Story

Nyuki (Swahili for bee) has just emerged, and already she has so many questions. Her patient mentor, Dvorah (Hebrew for bee) helps her find answers to some of her many questions, like why a queen bee sometimes leave her hive and where all the honey comes from. But some things have to be experienced to be understood — like when Nyuki finally listens to her inner voice, which tells her to go out of the hive in search of adventure! After avoiding predators, seeking out food, and mastering the way of the hive, Nyuki returns — just in time to pass her own wisdom on to Melissa (Greek for bee) before the first snow falls. This stunning graphic novel, part coming-of-age story and part education on bees, stars three delightful bee characters and plenty of accurate information, perfect for fans of the Science Comics series.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

11-year-old Calpurnia is curious why the yellow grasshoppers in her yard are so much bigger than the green grasshoppers. But it's Texas in 1899, and girls are supposed to devote their time to proper activities like needlework, not tromping through the grasses studying bugs. Still, Calpurnia recruits her grandfather, an avid naturalist, to help her figure out the mystery. As the pair grows closer, Calpurnia dreams of becoming a scientist, even as it becomes more obvious how difficult that will be for a girl in her time. This book will give tweens new perspective on the challenges that faced female scientists in the past. Calpurnia's story continues in The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate, while readers age 6 to 9 can check out the early chapter book series Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet.

A Girl of the Limberlost

Elnora lives on the banks of the Limberlost Swamp in Indiana with her embittered mother, who blames Elnora for her husband’s death while she was in childbirth. Elnora’s dream is to get an education, but her mother is determined to prevent it, and avoids earning the money Elnora needs for tuition, books, and school clothes by refusing to cut the timber on their land. Determined Elnora won’t give up, though, and finds unexpected ways to succeed — ones that might even win over her mother. This Mighty Girl classic celebrates the beauty of the natural world and the power of finding your own path.

Bug-Catching Puzzle Game

This playfully puzzle game from Melissa and Doug is perfect for the littlest bug lovers! The chunky and brightly colored wooden puzzle pieces fit neatly into their spots on the colorful board. Once you've got them there, use the "net" to catch bugs in your garden! As kids play, they'll build motor skills and develop their hand-eye coordination. This puzzle features ten brightly colored bugs, including a butterfly, a spider, and a bee, as well as the wooden puzzle frame and the magnetic net.

Bug Blocks

Learning about insects is as easy as A, B, C with this set of blocks from Uncle Goose! In addition to the letters of the alphabet, this traditional wooden block set includes images of a wide variety of insects, as well as close-ups of some of their patterns. With 28 blocks to explore, kids can identify insects, spell words, and much more! Kids will love learning more about the insect world, while parents will love that these blocks are made with sustainable Michigan basswood and finished with non-toxic, eco-friendly dyes and paints.

Backyard Bugs Counters

Enjoy bug-themed play — and make early math concepts fun — with these colorful, creepy crawly counters from Learning Resources. This set of 72 counters includes grasshoppers, bumblebees, beetles, spiders, dragonflies, and caterpillars which come in six colors. Kids can practice early math concepts like counting, matching, patterning and more! All of the bugs are packaged in a reusable plastic tub that's perfect for easy storage. It even comes with a list of suggested activities, perfect for bug-loving kids to start stretching their math skills.

Bug Log Kids

Budding entomologists can track and study insects, spiders, and more with the Bug Log Kids nature journal! Created by DeAnna Ortiz Brandt and Daniel P. Brandt, this journal includes 30 log pages that encourage kids to make observations about the insects they see, including the date, the location, weather conditions, the shape and size of the bugs, what sounds it makes, and more. There are also 8 photo/art pages for drawing art or pasting pictures, coloring pages for the days she doesn't see something new, a Life List to track all the bugs she's seen, and even a list of Log Tips to help her get the most out of her journal. It's a fun way to encourage bug-loving girls to observe the world around them!

Backyard Exploration Critter Case

Safely keep your insect subjects for longer-term study with this handy Critter Case! The plastic frame and easy-carry handle makes this case suitable to take both outdoors and in, while the high-quality mesh fabric on the sides allows easy observation of your insect finds. The hatch on the side allows you to set up a comfortable environment with branches, leaves, and so on to make your specimens feel at home, while the flat bottom keeps it stable and allows you to display it on a table or desk. And to give her a safe way to catch her critters, check out the Happy Giddy Bug Net for ages 3 to 8.

BugView Quick-Release Bug Catcher & Magnifier

Quickly — and gently — catch and observe bugs with this combination bug catcher and magnifier from Carson! This 8" long catcher has a 2 by 2 1/2 inch opening on the bottom that makes it easy to coax insects into the catcher, and an easy-to-use thumb-operated trapping slider that lets you catch even quick critters. The built-in 5X acrylic magnifier lens makes it easy to see every detail, and when you're done, a quick flick of the thumb lets you release it unharmed back into the wild. This bug catcher is the perfect choice for budding entomologists! Carson also makes this high-quality Magnifying Glass for 2X magnification and a 10X spot magnification for watching bugs in their natural habitat.

National Geographic Real Bug Dig Kit

Would-be entomologists and other bug lovers will be thrilled by this Real Bug Dig Kit from National Geographic! Inside the digging brick, kids will find three bugs preserved in transparent acrylic: a fortune beetle, a scorpion, and a spiny spider. Once they've dug their specimens out of the brick using the archeological tools, they can study them with the magnifying glass, and use the full-color learning guide to discover more about insects, arachnids, and arthropods. It's an exciting kit that encourages kids to develop a new appreciation for this mysterious and intriguing creatures!

Peek-A-Zoo Bee Shirt

Become a bumblebee with this colorful shirt from Peek-A-Zoo! These shirts let kids imagine themselves as all sorts of animals, with a design on the chest and their own neck and head replacing their favorite creature's. This shirt features a yellow background and a design of a bumblebee in mid flight. On the back, you'll find fun facts about real-life bees! This clever cotton-blend shirt is available in infant sizes 6-12 months, 12-18 months, and 18-24 months, and toddler sizes 2T, 3T, 4T, and 5T.

Bumblebee Pajamas

Snuggle up with a bumblebee friend with these pajamas from Leveret! These 100% fine cotton pajames are soft and cozy, with a tagless label to avoid irritating kids' skin. The top features a bumblebee graphic on a white background, while the bottoms are yellow and black striped just like a bee! These pajamas are available in infant sizes 6-12 months, 12-18 months, and 18-24 months; toddler sizes 2T, 3T, 4T, and 5T; and kids' sizes 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 years.

Types Of Insects Shirt

Budding entomologists will love this shirt celebrating common insect species from Types of Stuff! This detailed shirt features accurate illustrations of a variety of common bugs, from the dragonfly to the flea to two types of butterflies, as well as several other critters like mites, spiders, and caterpillars. This shirt is available in five colors, in 100% cotton or a cotton/polyester blend depending on the shade. Available in youth sizes 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12.

Monarch Socks

Show off your love of these beautiful butterflies with this pair of bamboo socks from Socksmith! This pair of 63% rayon from bamboo, 35% nylon, 2% Spandex socks features a vibrant print of flying monarch butterflies against an ivory background. You'll be amazed at the detail in the design, which captures their delicate and elegant wings! Available in one size which fits most women's shoe sizes 5 to 10.