Braun, Sebastien. Big Bug Log. Nosy Crow, 2016/17. 16p. $9.99. 978-0-7636-9322-0.
Die-cut holes and small flaps are the main interactive feature of this cartoonish look at bugs. Dressed in clothing, these insects live in a log that looks like a house, with furniture, windows and doors (thus the flaps); it is like a bug version of an apartment house. There is a paragraph of text and dialogue balloons on each spread, which describe Bugsy’s search for his grandma’s residence. Although this should hold up to library circulation, it is not particularly memorable or useful for storytime.
Mansfield, Andy. Find the Dots. Candlewick Studio, 2015/17, 12p. $15. 978-0-7636-9558-3. 
This clever pop-up book is similar to those of David Carter (The Happy Little Yellow Box, Simon, 2012), with many three-dimensional elements including folding pages, sliders, and wheels. The text instructs the reader to “Find 4 green dots” and similar dots by manipulating the pop-ups. The book begins with a search for one dot and ends with 10, making this a counting book as well. This is far too delicate to circulate, but would be great for a storytime on colors.
Weston, Laura. The Butterfly Garden. Big Picture Press/Candlewick, 2017. 14p. $14.99. 978-0-7636-9317-6.
With just a word or two per spread, this shows how an egg on a leaf grows to be a monarch butterfly. The illustrations are lino prints, using black on white backgrounds. But on each spread there are flaps imbedded into the artwork that open to show colored elements, such as a caterpillar, chrysalis, or butterfly. Because monarchs stop along the California coast, this will be particularly relevant to many Bay Area communities. Great to pair with Eric Carle’s Very Hunger Caterpillar for storytime, this will hold up to library circulation due to the board cover and pages, and the way the flaps are part of each spread.
Penny Peck, San Jose State University iSchool
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