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Caterpillars: What Will I Be When I Get To Be Me? – My 6th book in the Giggle & Learn Series, coming, July, 2023! Here’s its first review.

I’ve traveled from Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute to the California Academy of Sciences sharing fascinating facts about common creatures. See me in action on my YouTube channel.

Patt McCloskey reading at the library

The Giggle and Learn series began in 2015 when my wife Patt, a librarian, asked for a “funny but true” worm book to read to children.

Original cover for the book that would become We Dig Worms!

I painted a simple worm book on brown paper bags. It was a big hit at the library. I sent one copy off to one publisher, TOON Books, New York City.

Cover Design by Françoise Mouly, TOON Books

Françoise Mouly liked the idea. She is the publisher of Toon Books and the art editor of The New Yorker magazine. She made We Dig Worms! into a real book and we’ve worked together on 5 more books: The Real Poop on Pigeons!, Somethings Fishy!, Snails are Just My Speed!, Ants Don’t Wear Pants!, and Caterpillars: What Will I Be When I get to be Me?

Françoise Mouly Meets The Worms

REVIEWS

WE DIG WORMS! “By focusing on the questions kids ask and the way they ask them, the book moves along quickly and provides accurate, intriguing information. An excellent primer for worm enthusiasts and an excellent easy reader for graphic novel fans.” – Booklist

THE REAL POOP ON PIGEONS! “Budding naturalists who dug We Dig Worms! will, well, coo over this similarly enlightening accolade. Another feather in McCloskey’s cap.” -Kirkus Reviews 

SOMETHING’S FISHY! “More comedic than your straight-forward educational work, but as with McCloskey’s other books, a fun read. –Comics Worth Reading

SNAILS ARE JUST MY SPEED! “With hip and fun graphics, just enough ‘ick’ factor, and plenty of facts, this title offers beginning readers a great deal of information about snails and slugs…What a delight!” -School Library Journal

ANTS DON’T WEAR PANTS! “McCloskey continues his trade-mark humor….Insect-loving kids won’t want to pass this volume up.” – School Library Journal’s Good Comics for Kids

At Firefly Bookstore, Kutztown, PA photo by Andy Russell, Kutztown U