Red Legs

by Alice E. Goudey, Marie Nonnast (Illustrator)

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1966

Reviews

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

My almost-four-year-old and I both loved this simple nonfiction text about the life of a red-legged grasshopper. Unlike some of Goudey's longer books (like those in the Here Come the Animal series), this one can easily be read in one sitting, and it has a good number of illustrations that help keep young listeners engaged. There is a good mix of scientific vocabulary (such as the Latin name for the grasshopper and parts of its body, like spiracles) and preschool-friendly encounters with familiar animals who almost eat or harm the grasshopper, but miss him for one reason or another. This is both an entertaining read-aloud and an informative book for science-minded little ones.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know that I've ever seen a red-legged grasshopper. According to the Front Note:
[It] is one of our most common grasshoppers. He is found in grassy places almost everywhere in the U.S. except in the Western mountains.

Maybe that's the problem; I may be in the 'mountain belt' but I think we're on the plains. Oh, well, this provides basic information about grasshoppers, most of which would apply to any species.

The art is exceptionally well-done, especially the sparrow hawk.