Ralph Masiello's Bug Drawing Book

Unlike many simplified books for children to draw various things, this one isn't dumbed down too much. I have a 6-year-old who is a budding naturalist and who pays a lot of attention to the details of the things he studies. Where other bug books just show some random cross hatching on the dragonfly wings, this one cares about the artistry of those wings.I actually didn't purchase this book for drawing alone -- since starting "school work" my 6-year-old had taken to rushing through pages of work and it was quantity over quality. I thought that by working on drawing projects we might work a little on taking time and doing one's best. I looked at some of the author's other drawing books but they looked a little more complicated -- we chose this one because they seemed the simplest illustrations to begin with, and of course as a buding naturalist my son loves most bugs anyway (as long as they stay out of the house). He isn't a little Picasso (maybe that's a bad example, though at least Picasso was a child prodigy in art -- when he drew more realistically -- and my son isn't) but he has still come up with some nice drawings. Maybe one side of the his creepy crawlies might be smaller than the other side or slightly more angled, but he has still created illustrations -- thanks to this book -- that he is proud of and that as his mother I'm happy to stick up on the family blog or into the family scrapbook... most of all it DID help him start to think about taking his time, and I have watched his penmanship begin to improve again.It's a good springboard in science, too -- while beginning with this book we also watched the BBC series "Life in the Undergrowth" which was all about creepy crawlies. They complimented each other well and as he chose things to draw he could tell me things he had seen in the documentaries which helped me to know he was really learning from them, without me playing the annoying parent/teacher and trying to extact it all out of him in some way that would make him more self conscious.We'll definately be trying the author's other books later.

Today we didn't have to go anywhere: Today was a stay-home-and-draw day. My almost-five-year son had finished coloring his Hallowe'en pictures, so I thought he might like to draw some spiders and spiderwebs. I was right.The directions in the Bug Drawing Book are simple enough that my son could follow them (if I was right there talking him through them), and yet the illustrations are interesting and complex enough that I can see him using this book as reference for many years. I'm especially grateful that Mr. Masiello examined the spiders and insects up-close so that I did not have to.

Ralph Masiello’s drawing books are amazing. My kids are really enjoying the step by step instruction, which is clear and easy to follow. They have four of his books and want the whole collection. We enjoyed this book so much that we bought one for friends.

Ralph Masiello's drawing books are so liberating for people, both kids and adults, wanting and learning to draw. I have the entire collection in my classroom library and they are always a favorite go to choice for "center time."

My kids and I love Ralph Masiello's drawing books. We have this bug one, ocean, fairies, and dragons. My 5 and 7 year old can recreate the drawings easily and I even like joining in with them.

I liked the way he shows the next lines to draw, and gives a color pic on the next page.It is a birthday gift for my grandaughter, haven't given it to her yet, but I think she will enjoy it.

Kids loved it. Great instructions

I ordered this drawing book for my 6 yo son, who is very creative and enjoys art, but is more abstract with his drawings. When first presented with the book, he felt totally confident in following the steps to create insects, and was inspired to create a whole scene full of a variety of insects. The book is beautifully done, easy to follow and inspiring to the young artist. I highly recommend it!