Bug on the Bus

PreS-Gr 1–This early reader follows a crew of animals as they board a bus for an exciting trip. Everything is going well—except for Slug being slow—until Skunk boards the bus. After everyone else leaves, Bug and Skunk find friendship on the bus and play games together at their destination. The text uses simple sentences with a repeating format and structure, and the vibrant and colorful mixed media and watercolor illustrations bring emotion and movement to the story. There are several pages dedicated to Slug’s slow arrival at the bus; however, the animal drawn is clearly a caterpillar and not a slug at all. (An author’s note to the grown-ups explains that the made-up character is a slug caterpillar with more legs than a real slug caterpillar.) If readers can overlook this affront to the gastropods of the world, the story will delight and elicit giggles from young readers.