Centipedes and Millipedes

I was a little put off by the ‘Mucky Minibeasts’ surtitle for this series, thinking the message of the book might be that centipedes and millipedes are in themselves dirty, even unhygienic. I need not have worried; the approach of the book to these fascinating creatures is entirely positive – and very informative. i.e. I learnt quite a lot myself.Illustrated in colour throughout, and with most pages carrying just one sentence, the book is clearly intended for children. But for what ages? They may be at least seven before they can read the book for themselves, but the ideal, I think, would be for a parent or other adult to take an interactive part in reading the book and helping with the search for centipedes and millipedes outdoors; also in deciding which are which.You will discover the differences between the two; that both are mainly active at night; what they eat; and – something it may not occur to you to ask – which creatures like to eat them. They are bad news for slugs, but completely harmless so far as humans are concerned; a particular friend of gardeners. Some varieties of both occurring in other parts of the world are brightly coloured. It may be a comfort for some people to know that the largest centipede in the world is only 30 cms (one foot) long, and is found a long way away – in South America.This is a great introduction to the study of nature, especially as live samples are likely to be found within just a few steps of your own front door.

Filled with beautiful illustrations this is a different kind of fact book. It will appeal to those children who like muck and dirt and especially those who have a bit of a scatological obsession. Perfect for kids who love creepy-crawlies or who are doing a mini beast topic in school.

It’s a well worded and illustrated book, both my kids really enjoyed reading it and learning facts about bugs. I even learnt the difference was the amount of legs on a segment. The pictures are well done and it’s fun informative.