The Bee Is Not Afraid Of Me: A Book of Insect Poems

By Emma Dai'an Wright

Can you imagine a world without bees? Did you know that dung beetles are awesome recyclers? Insects pollinate, recycle and are an important food source for many animals – they're tiny but mighty superheroes of the animal kingdom. This is an anthology of wild and wonderful children's poems which will educate and excite youngsters about the fascinating world of insects.

With factual notes alongside the poems, and black line illustrations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Emma Press
• Release date: Feb 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9781912915125

Emma Dai'an Wright

Emma Dai'an Wright (1986) is a British-Chinese-Vietnamese publisher and illustrator. She worked in ebook production at Orion Publishing Group before leaving in 2012 to set up The Emma Press with the support of the Prince's Trust. She has since published over 500 writers across more than 70 books, including poetry anthologies for adults and children, short stories, and translations. In 2016 The Emma Press won the Michael Marks Award for Poetry Pamphlet Publishers. She lives in Birmingham.

Book preview

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‘Never has there been a more important time to inspire the younger generation about the wonder of insects, which are arguably the most important group of animals on the planet. These gorgeous and educational poems evoke a sense of wonder which will hopefully ignite a spark in young readers and translate into a respect and passion for the natural world.’

Dr Sarah Beynon, founder of The Bug Farm (thebugfarm.co.uk)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

‘True bugs are suckers’ by Celia Berrell was first published Double Helix magazine in 2016.

‘Archie’, ‘The Change’ and ‘Flesh-fly’ by Anneliese Emmans Dean were first published in her book Buzzing! Discover the poetry in garden minibeasts (Brambleby Books, 2012).

THE EMMA PRESS

First published in the UK in 2021 by The Emma Press

Poems © individual poets 2021

Selection © Fran Long and Isabel Galleymore 2021

Illustrations and design © Emma Dai’an Wright 2021

All rights reserved.

The right of Fran Long and Isabel Galleymore to be identified as the editors of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

ISBN 978-1-912915-11-8

EPUB ISBN 978-1-912915-12-5

A CIP catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library.

Printed and bound in the UK by Imprint Digital, Exeter

The Emma Press

theemmapress.com

[e-mail]

Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, UK

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INTRODUCTION

Can you imagine a world without bees? Have you ever considered that dung beetles are awesome recyclers? Did you know there are an incredible 20,000 insect species in the UK alone, with more being discovered each year? Insects pollinate, recycle and are an important source of food for many animals. They truly are our superheroes!

I have always been fascinated by nature, having grown up in the countryside and enjoyed many an hour in the great outdoors. In 2018 I was lucky enough to work at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History as part of a Heritage Lottery Funded Project, learning more about the incredible British Insect Collection. As I delved into their world, my mind was blown by the ability of these tiny creatures and their crucial role in our ecosystem.

Did you know that insects’ superpowers have inspired new technologies? For example, drones inspired by cockroaches (who can squeeze into tiny spaces) are used to explore earthquake sites, while butterfly wings have been the inspiration behind anti-glare mobile phone screens.

Read on to discover more about the fascinating world of insects who are multi-talented ‘aerial gymnasts’, ‘champion chompers’, ‘skin shedders’, ‘poo rollers’, ‘high flyers’ and so much more besides.

Fran Long

CONTENTS

Questions for an entomologist, by Myles McLeod

Insect Hotel, by Kate O’Neil

Cabbage white, by Becky Kleanthous

I... by Becky Kleanthous

Moth, by Elli Woollard

Not cricket, by Elli Woollard

Termite, by Elli Woollard

Ask a katydid, by Celia Berrell

Rockin’ Bug Band, by Diana Murray

True bugs are suckers, by Celia Berrell

Life cycle, by Susan Byrne

Fritillary, by Stephen Bone

When