Parents' Guide to

Du Iz Tak?

By Jan Carr, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Bugs speak gibberish and marvel at nature in joyous book.

Book Carson Ellis Picture Book 2016
Du Iz Tak? Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 3+

Based on 2 parent reviews

jlusk333
jlusk333 Parent of 2-year-old
March 19, 2022
age 3+
Teacherof1stmomoftwo
Teacherof1stmomoftwo Adult
May 25, 2019
age 3+

Worth the time and initial “what’s happening here?!”

I love this book. I thought it was written in another language at first. Then I looked up one of the words and found out it’s a made-up language on purpose. When I re-read it with my 6 yo, we had fun figuring out the clues.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In DU IZ TAK? two bugs come upon a small sprout poking out of their little patch of ground and wonder about it ("Du iz tak?"). As the sprout unfurls and grows, so does the conversation. The bugs knock on the door of a log house to consult another bug friend, who brings a ladder so they can climb up and investigate. They build a fort, complete with pirate flag, but when a spider builds a web over it all, the angry bugs shake their fists at him ("BOOBY VOOBECK!"). Just then, a bird swoops down to eat the spider. The bugs again enjoy their fort, especially when a beautiful flower blooms atop it ("Unk scrivadelly gladdenboot!"). Alas, the flower wilts, but right nearby, a beautifully patterned moth emerges from a cocoon. Winter comes, then spring -- bringing more sprouts! "Du iz tak?" asks a new bug passing by. And so the cycle continues.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

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.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the made-up language in Du Iz Tak? Can you figure out what the bugs are saying? How? If you read the story again, do you find more clues?

  • What happens in the last pages? What do you think will happen after that? Do you think the story will start all over again or something different will happen?

  • How long do you think it took the plant to grow and sprout the flower? How long do you think it took the cocoon to open? How can you tell the seasons changed?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate