Du Iz Tak?

This delightfully inventive book featuring industrious insects and a playfully made-up language calls for kids to reread and pore over the art so they can puzzle out what the bugs are saying. Du Iz Tak? works on so many levels. The bugs marvel over a growing plant, encouraging readers, too, to closely observe nature. The story adheres to the natural order -- growth and death, seasons, food chain -- while adding plenty of fanciful detail. The bugs build a tree house in the leaves, and a cricket plays a violin, sending music into the night. And though the growth of a plant may be slow going, author-illustrator Ellis imagines plenty of action, including squabbles over the tree house and a marauding bird.

The Jabberwocky-like made-up language is pure silly fun. Since kids are still in language-learning mode, very actively decoding their primary languages, they'll jump to this fresh language-learning challenge. This highly original book's a definite keeper.