Small, Shiny Dung Beetle
A fact-filled picture book about the life cycle of dung beetles with a large fold-out map (ages 4 to 8)
Mary Auld author Hannah Bailey illustrator Sally-Ann Spence editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Mama Makes Books
Published:2nd Oct '25
Should be back in stock very soon
Did you know that an adult African elephant can poo up to 20 times a day, producing over 100 kg of dung. So why isn't the savannah covered in it? Because of the mighty dung beetle!
Small, Shiny Dung Beetle tells the story of a female dung beetle, who meets her mate on a fresh pile of elephant poo. Learn about her life cycle (more interesting than a butterfly's) and the super-strength it takes to keep the planet tidy. Because dung beetles don't just eat elephant poo. They could be in a field near you.
This book will feed the curiosity of the youngest of readers who are:
- keen to know how the world works
- fascinated by nature
- enjoy learning new information
The story is carefully written for children learning to read, with additional factual captions for more advanced readers.
And here’s the WOW-factor – a large fold-out map of Africa at the end with diagrams and a fun I-Spy game to take children back into the book to find and identify animals in the pictures.
Small, Shiny Dung Beetle is part of the Start Small, Think Big series of science-based picture books:
- Aimed at children aged 4 to 8
- Covers KS1 primary science subjects that children learn at school
- High-quality educational content, beautifully illustrated
Small, Shiny Dung Beetle explores the story of a little green beetle involving fights, theft, navigation by the stars, and a lot of determination and hard work. It covers the life cycle of insects, parts of an insect, food chains, and the different types of dung beetle. The book focuses on the African savannah and shows the beetle’s important role in cleaning up and enriching habitats across the world.
Each book in the series is set in a different habitat and part of the world:
Small, Sparkling Raindrop (Southeast Asia/wetlands and the water cycle)
Small, Speckled Egg (polar regions and the life cycle of an Arctic tern)
Little, Brown Nut (Amazon rainforest and the life cycle of a Brazil Nut tree)
Tiny, Floating Coral (Great Barrier Reef and the life cycle of coral)
Fluffy, Flying Seed (meadowlands and the life cycle of a dandelion)
Small, Shiny Dung Beetle (African savannah and the life cycle of...
Beautifully presented, the book is designed to withstand repeated readings and would make an excellent addition to any bookshelf, not only for KS1, but also offering support to older children who are less confident readers.
* Through the Bookshelf *I particularly like the two levels of text as the reader follows the dung beetle’s extraordinary journey from mating to producing a family. Many primary science topics are covered in this volume. The giant fold-out map of Africa is stunning, and overflowing with fascinating facts.
-- Janet Syme * @janet-writes1 *The story is told by the dung beetle herself and, it makes for fascinating reading, informing readers about grassland habitats, metamorphosis and predation as well as the role played by decomposers and recyclers in a healthy ecosystem. Recommended for all school libraries and the home.
* LoveReading4Kids - Staff Pick *This book is jam-packed with facts and information not just about the dung beetle but about the African Savannah and the animals who live there. The illustrations are beautiful with lots of elements for children to spot, aided by an eye-spy on the large, fold-out page at the end.
* Books for Topics - Book of the MonISBN: 9781916780149
Dimensions: 230mm x 230mm x 10mm
Weight: 322g
28 pages