Fun to learn about different bugs and the power of an ordinary June beetle. Great way to introduce the notion of everyone having some kind of special ability, even if it means just hugging & being big enough to break webs.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Burt the Beetle shares with his readers what kind of insect he is and that he doesn't bite. A fun read for little ones.

Very cute kids book that not only educates about cool insects but also has a nice lesson about how willpower and doing what's right can lead to good things even without natural advantages. Charming.

If ELEPHANT & PIGGIE taught science.

We follow Burt the Beetle as he hilarious introduces us to a different bugs. Wholly original and fun. I read with my six-year old daughter, taking turns to read sections. She laughed often, and we both came away having a greater understanding of many of the bugs we find in our own backyard.

Highly recommended.

Oh Burt...always trying to figure out what he's good at. I wasn't really sure what to expect with the way this story started, but I found myself rooting for Burt with each page. Watching everyone else discover what they're good at and trying to be all those things is hard. I loved this book for the non-fiction bug aspect but also for the social-emotional aspect that will certainly hit home with many children.
Burt finally found what only he could do best and it was a victory for sure!

Very colorful, funny and informative! I loved learning about different insects. The colorful illustrations and humorous descriptions take the fear and yuckiness out of bugs.

Burt is a very polite June beetle who learns about different bugs and their superpowers, like the ant, who can carry fifty times its weight and the dragonfly who can fly super fast. Burt wants to know if he has any superpowers; he's good at chasing porch lights and ending up on his back with his legs flailing, and his feet are super sticky, but those don't seem like useful superpowers compared to the other insects he meets during his travels. He gives great hugs, but are they a superpower?

Burt realizes that maybe June beetles don't have any special powers and he's just an ordinary bug. Burt feels sad and wishes he could do something extraordinary.

One day his insect friends find themselves in a life or death situation that none of their superpowers can help with, but what can Burt do to help? He realizes there is something helpful he can do and Burt the superhero saves the day!

The message of this graphic novel highlights how being special is as much about character as it is abilities.

This story is a wonderful way to share confidence and positive thinking with those little ones who feel ordinary or unimportant. It's adorably illustrated and packed with fun facts about the special abilities that certain insects possess. The author, Ashley Spires, writes a very engaging book for all the budding entomologists in the world.

I'll happily be reading this book to my grandchildren and highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Kids Can Press for a free ARC of this book.

This was a fun, graphic novel about Burt the Beetle and his lack of super powers. I think kids will enjoy learning about the different bugs and their super powers.

The illustrations were fun and engaging and the insect facts were "super" interesting.

Highly recommend this book.

Burt is a June beetle. Some insects have super powers. They can be super fast, have super abilities, or produce amazing things. Burt discovers he’s kind of average, or even below average in many insect areas. Does Burt have anything special about him?

A cute and educational little graphic novel. Kids will learn lots about June beetles and other arthropods (not just insects, there are some spiders included). Burt discovers that he may not have the flashiest of abilities, but he still has some important skills. I love that he's a good friend. A little burst of inspiration for those who think they aren’t anything special, and lots of great bug facts. Definitely getting a copy for our elementary library. Highly recommended for curious kids.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Burt may be the first June beetle you ever meet, but you won’t forget him. He’s friendly, helpful, and like most everybody, he wants to be super...at something.

Anyway, Burt knows a LOT of bugs that are super at doing whatever, or shooting out stuff or spitting. Which for bugs is cool. And the narrator—who tells us how neat every bug is—says that June beetles do NOT have super abilities. A little bit blunt, but that’s bug people for you!

I think Burt is pretty nice, and funny, (and a tiny bit silly). It might be a little bit, um, scary, but you’re brave, right? If Burt can handle it, you can for sure! I think you’ll enjoy his adventure through the (secretly educational) story about him and some of his new friends!

(I think being super might be overrated, but I didn’t write the book. Ashley the famous writer did. She’s super. Really.)

This is a fun picture book or "read-along" for many ages, but the illustrations must be shown along with the story!

P.S. Be sure to read the trading-card type pictures at the beginning and end of the book. Maybe you’ll see one of your super abilities there!

Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite! by Ashley Spires is a nonfiction graphic novel for young readers currently scheduled for release on June 1 2021.

Meet Burt, a ten-lined june beetle. He's sure he belongs in the category of bugs with superpower-like abilities. No, he can't carry 50 times his weight, like ants. No, he's not able to spray paralyzing venom, like some termites. No, he can't release a bad smell to repel predators, like stink bugs. What june beetles are known for is chasing porch lights and flailing their legs in the air --- does that count? Maybe Burt will just have to accept the truth. June beetles don't have any special abilities. But when some other bugs find themselves in perilous trouble that even their superpowers can't get them out of, Burt suddenly realizes there is one thing that he can do to save his friends --- and it's something that only a june beetle can do!

Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite! is another winner from Spires. Burt is a beetle that wants to be a special as all the other creatures around him- but his positive attitude and good hugs are not nearly as cool as what everyone else can do, right? I loved he facts about june beetles and all the other critters Burt runs into. I also liked the personality of poor Burt, as he tries to look on the bright side even as he starts to doubt himself. I think many readers, or all ages, will recognize the spiral of doubt and worry that Burt feels. I think we have all been there at some point. And the understanding that some of the more goofy aspects of Burt's are what enables him to come to the rescue and keep himself safe. I really enjoyed the balance between science facts and the silly vibe that keeps the reader turning pages. The illustrations are equally interesting and engaging. It would do well both as a fun read and a starting point in lower grade classrooms talking about insects, nature, and character traits. I think young readers that like nonfiction about nature, humor, and graphic novels and picturebooks will greatly appreciate this book.

Such a cute book about insects and their superpowers. Illustrations are bright and colorful. Lots of insects and how they use their powers to survive and catch prey for dinner. I highly recommend this book for kids of all ages. I loved it! Thanks to #netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

5 stars = Outstanding!

This was delightful - exactly what I expect from Ashley Spires! Smart, funny, informative. Her illustrations make BUGS cute! Don't miss the end papers. This is a must buy for me.

Burt is a ten-lined June beetle who wants a superpower like the ant, who can carry 50 times its weight, or the termites who can spray perilous paralyzing venom at their enemies. Burt can do lots of things ... like?... mmmm... give super hugs... but are they a superpower? Maybe he doesn't have one after all. He's good at chasing porch lights and ending up on his back with his legs flailing in the air but those things don't qualify to make you superior to the average bug. Poor Burt he feels sad and wants more than anything else to feel empowered to do something extraordinary.

One day some other bugs get into a jam that no one else can rescue them from. Burt realizes there is one helpful thing only he is capable of doing and ta! da!... it's superhero Burt to the rescue.

Bestselling author Ashley Spires fun book will have kids engaged from cover to cover. The message of the book highlights how being special is as much about character as it is abilities. The clever book is educational as it cites facts that point out special powers that certain bugs possess. The book is spot on for beginning readers and a great introduction to graphic novels and comic books. Kids will love the humour and wit. "Burt The Beetle Doesn't Bite" will initiate conversations on caring, positive thinking and initiative. I highly recommend this book.

Here are my pros and cons Burt the Beetle Doesn’t Bite:

Pros
1. I am a huge fan of Ashley Spires’ books. I’ve reviewed several of them already and I will read everything she ever publishes.
2. I love that her books are so varied in topic, but they all teach the reader about something, such as friendship, controlling tempers, being creative, overcoming fears, or simply having a positive attitude! Every book she writes has a beautiful lesson wrapped up inside a whimsical and often comical story!
3. This graphic novel style story is full of insect facts and I guarantee you will learn something you didn’t know before!
4. I thought it was hilarious how Burt kept falling on his back and had to ask his friends for help getting right-side-up!
5. I love that the story emphasizes that everyone is special, just in different ways. And being friendly and helpful to others is always a great quality.
6. There are some terms in this book that may be challenging for younger readers, but if parents use this as a learning opportunity, I see this as a positive attribute rather than negative.

Cons
None.

Summary
This would be an adorable book for the budding entomologist in your life, but it is also a great book for any kid who thinks they aren’t special or aren’t as good as someone else.

Honestly, I would almost blindly recommend any book from this author. I simply adore her stories.

Thank you NetGalley and Kids Can Press for a free eARC of this book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Burt the beetle is a sweet book about a June beetle who feels ordinary - no extraordinary strength, speed or other powers like all the other bugs around him. His awkward, but big-hearted, attempts to be as interesting as the other bugs repeatedly end up in adorable failure. That is, until his friends end up in a sticky situation, and Burt discovers how his very ordinary skill set can become super-powers when used right. Even his hugging turns out to have super side-effects!

This book was beautifully written and illustrated and had perfect comedic timing, making my 6 yo and I laugh out loud several times. I really enjoyed getting to share a book with him about how our ordinariness can be super when we confront a problem with courage and heart, and a bit of creativity.

Ashley Spires has written an absolutely charming children’s book, combining fun facts about bugs with a superhero theme. Burt the Beetle Doesn’t Bite is a gorgeous full color graphic novel style picture book, perfect for a book discussing the various superpowers certain bugs have. Burt the Beetle, a June bug, is on a mission to find his own superpower (hint: it isn’t biting) throughout the book, comparing himself to the other insects he comes across. He may not have the same skills as other bugs in the book, but at the end, he finds his own special powers and manages to save the day.

This is a fun book to share with the young book lover in your life.

Equal parts hilarious and educational, Burt the Beetle teaches readers about the “superpowers” of all sorts of different bugs, narrated to poor June beetle Burt who doesn’t seem to have any special skills...or does he? A great book for kids who love science or all things bug, it also teaches kids that our superpowers may be those skills that we least expect, and that everyone can be a hero in the right place and at the right time!

This is such a great story that works both as a read-aloud, or a beginning reader's book. Kids who are afraid of bugs may grow to think about them differently. It's of course also the story of a bug who doesn't know his superpower- and plenty of kids can relate to that.

This is a delightfully entertaining graphic picture book that combines facts about numerous insects with a very entertaining storyline narrated by Burt. My kindergarteners adore it - and it has the advantage of using humor that adults will enjoy as well. Parents have enjoyed it, increasing the children’s interest in insects. “Awesome insect super facts” are included at the end. A wonderful addition to any library!
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review