Bugs Have Feelings, Too

Marie Gerbasi's 2020 debut pairs genuinely distinctive bug character artwork — each creature with its own personality and emotional life — with embedded insect facts and a straightforward message that all living things deserve kindness. The dual teaching value, natural curiosity plus empathy, is well suited to both home and classroom use, and Brightly's inclusion of it on their insect books for classrooms list indicates positive educational reception. The caveats are worth naming: the bugs are imaginary rather than real species, which limits the factual educational value, and the book is indie-published with minimal critical or awards coverage and limited distribution. What it does have is a genuine sense of personal passion from the author-illustrator, and that authenticity comes through on the page.