The Insect Wonderland: Verse and Illustration by Sybil Kent Kane

The Insect Wonderland is a relatively unknown gem that is totally unique among children's literature. Classic poetry and breathtakingly beautiful detailed illustrations celebrating nature and the importance of insects to the interdependent web of life on our planet.

The Insect Wonderland is not only a beautiful children's book, but also a loving tribute from the author's niece, who vowed to publish it.

Sybil Kent Kane was born in 1902 and studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts under Joseph Pennell. This book is the result of her love of nature, art and poetry, and she worked on the beautiful pen and ink watercolors until blindness prevented her from finishing it.

After her death in 1994, the manuscript with artwork was discovered under her bed, needing only the completion of the cover and type placement. Her niece, Carol Kane Simerly, published this beautiful legacy for generations to enjoy.

Each letter of the alphabet is represented by an insect and the accompanying poem explains a bit about its life. Katydids come to life with violins and cellos. Inchworms roll out tiny measuring tapes and ants don carpenter caps, complimented with tiny construction tools.

The whole alphabet is represented and each insect is depicted faithfully and with detail. Only the sweet faces of the little inhabitants show the difference between a technical field guide and a children's book.

The illustrations are charming and the poetry delightful. The Insect Wonderland is a labor of love that spans 2 centuries and over 3 generations, now shared with the world.

Each insect is represented accurately and its habits faithfully described, right down to firefly larvae eating snails.

The beautiful pen and ink illustrations, with color, are vintage examples of the type of work popular in the middle of the 20th Century and they remind me of the images John R. Neill created for the famous Wizard of Oz series that spanned over 50 years. Suitable for inquisitive toddlers, or young readers anxious to read books on their own, this exquisite book is rich with information tailored to youngsters.

This truly is an educational book that can be appreciated by readers of all ages. Wonderful verse to read aloud to your loved ones.