You need a working knowledge of bug to understand this story, but don’t worry, it’s an easy language to pick up. ‘Du iz tak?’ asks a dragonfly, studying a green shoot. ‘Ma nazoot’ replies his elegant companion. They decide it’s a plant and watch excitedly as it grows, building a wonderful tree house amongst its leaves, and exclaiming when it produces a scrivadelly gladdenboot. There’s drama when a spider moves in, meanwhile a subplot silently unfolds: a caterpillar forms a chrysalis, emerging as a beautiful moth in a stunning, wordless night-time scene. The seasons come and go, almost unnoticed, so absorbed are we in the insects’ story. Children will love the world portrayed, and love too the fact that adults need to decode this new language just as they do.
In her follow-up to the internationally acclaimedHome, Carson Ellis invites readers to imagine the dramatic possibilities to be found in the natural world ...even the humblest back garden!
With gorgeous, exquisitely-detailed illustration that will appear to children and art-lovers alike, and a wonderfully playful invented language, we soon find ourselves speaking Bug ...Du iz tak? What is that?
In this video Carson explains how she created the special insect language in the book.
Graham creates the atmosphere not through excessive description his prose is quiet, low key. Rather it is his illustrations that draw us in. The rain streaks across the pages, the water sprays out from under the traffic wheels. Above all there are the details, the different perspectives, nothing is forgotten. [...] Exceptional. * Books for Keeps *
With beautiful illustrations that are full of detail and whimsy, Carson Ellis has created an imaginative and quirky world, hidden away at the bottoms of the garden. Written in an entirely invented language, this playful book cleverly shows how meaning can be found even without understanding the words. A brilliant book for children who are making their first tentative steps in learning to read. A delightfully unique tale that his the possibility to change with every reading. * Carousel *
This story is written in bug language , an idea that borders on lunacy but is in practice a joy and a quirky triumph. It is enormous fun reading this book aloud and trying to decipher exchanges between talkative insects... It is a refreshing change from the worthily educational: only the most duty-bound parent could be bugged by this. * Observer *
Author
About Carson Ellis
Carson Friedman Ellis is an artist who lives in Portland, Oregon. She is known for both her children's book illustrations, and album art.
