The Insect Folk (Nature Lessons for Young Explorers)

Step to the pond’s edge, lean over the mossy log, and watch the air come alive. Margaret Warner Morley turns everyday sightings into living story—swift dragonflies, fairy-like mayflies, quiet stoneflies, silverfish in dark corners, comical walking sticks, and the tuneful tribes of grasshoppers and katydids. Each short chapter opens the door to a new neighbor and a true habit: look closely, notice kindly, and let facts sing. Morley speaks directly to children, urging them to observe first—“Look more than you read”—then supplying the words that help their noticing stick. A generous contents leads from “Our Pretty Dragon Flies” through “The Grasshopper Tribes,” “The Great Bug Family,” and watery folk like the Water Boatman and Back-swimmers, with a handy glossary at the end.

Readers gain more than insect knowledge: this book nurtures careful observation, clear description, patient reasoning, and a gentle respect for living things—virtues that deepen delight indoors and out.

Margaret Morley’s “Nature Lessons for Young Explorers” series helps children slow down and really look at the world: to notice tiny movements, ask good questions, and delight in small discoveries.  Written in a style that is both gentle and curious, her stories remain concrete, beginning with what a child can see and touch, inspiring wonder before quietly leading them into the science.

Complete and Unabridged