From bestselling author and illustrator Eric Carle, the creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar , comes another classic tale about one very clumsy click beetle. A perfect gift to share with the child or grandchild in your life. When a little click beetle falls onto his back, he seeks the help of a wise old click beetle. "Look at me," says the more experienced click beetle, giving a loud CLICK and flipping onto its feet. But try as he might, the clumsy little click beetle just can't get the hang of it--or can he? In the tradition of The Very Hungry Caterpillar , Carle creates a winning story of perseverance and pride in achievement complete with an ingenious fiber-optic microchip that truly gives voice to the valiant little beetle as it CLICKs its way through the colorful pages and somersaults into your heart. Praise for The Very Clumsy Click Beetle : "Sure to be loved and requested again and again, Click Beetle is a well-crafted story, joyfully illustrated, that speaks to the hearts of young children." -- Library Journal "At once stark and sophisticated, Carle's trademark collage art fills the pages of his latest Very volume."-- Publishers Weekly "Carle's trademark artwork, featuring large, colorful collages set against expansive white space, is--as always--a strong attribute."-- Booklist Eric Carle first published The Very Hungry Caterpillar in 1969, fully intending to create a series of interactive creature books for children. The beloved busy spider, quiet cricket, and lonely firefly books followed, but the artist's quest was not truly complete until The Very Clumsy Click Beetle was born. Carle, who says he'd rather watch a bug attempt to climb over a pebble than join an expedition to Mount Everest, appreciates the small things in life: the Eyed Elator ( Alaus oculatus ), to be exact--unremarkable except for that when this beetle falls on its back, it can't roll over to get up. Instead, it will stretch and release a snap mechanism that clicks and flips the beetle through the air, and ideally, back onto its feet. The very clumsy click beetle has no trouble with the clicking and flipping part, but it does have trouble landing on its feet. The young beetle tries and tries again, encouraged by an ambling turtle, a slithering snail, and a scurrying mouse. Finally, when a curious boy approaches, the beetle takes coaching from a wise old click beetle ("QUICK, CLICK and FLIP!") and succeeds. Children will love the bright, bold, tissue-paper illustrations that tell this story of perseverance, as well as--of course--the unusual clicking sound (emanating from an electronic chip with built-in battery and light sensor) that accompanies this playful book. (Click to see a sample spread. Copyright 1999 by Eric Carle. Permission of Philomel Books.) (Preschool and older) --Karin Snelson Pres-Grade 2-Carle's charming little hero gets stuck on its back and can't get up. An elder click beetle advises the youngster how to right itself, but it can't quite get the hang of flipping itself over on its legs. Encouraged to keep trying by a turtle, a snail, a worm, and a mouse, the small creature becomes more and more discouraged as it keeps landing on its back. When a curious boy starts investigating, the beetle becomes frightened and finally executes the perfect click and flip to land on its feet. The book features a clicking sound effect at the end, courtesy of a strategically placed microchip. Done in colored tissue-paper collage, the illustrations burst from the pages and are charmingly rendered. When the boy is introduced, readers see him from the beetle's perspective, as just two huge feet. Sure to be loved and requested again and again, Click Beetle is a well-crafted story, joyfully illustrated, that speaks to the hearts of young children. Jane Claes, Texas Woman's University, Denton Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. This winning addition to Carle's ouevre stars a clumsy click beetle, an insect whose distinctive locomotion is explained in an opening note: when it falls on its back, a click beetle cannot roll over. Instead, it stretches, clicks, and then flips through the air. After being shown how to land on its feet by a wise mentor, this young beetle is ready to strut its stuff. But as an earthworm, turtle, snail, and mouse saunter by, the beetle can land only on its back. The threat of a young boy's outstretched palm finally motivates the bug to get going. All of Carle's "Very Special" books feature some added sensory feature. Here, the microchip that replicates the insect's noise is a well-placed surprise. Carle's trademark artwork, featuring large, colorful collages set against expansive white space, is--as always--a strong attribute. Although Carle treads familiar territory here, preschoolers won't mind; they'll relate to the protagonist's cry of "Look at me!" and the final acknowledgment, "You have done it!" Julie Corsaro Praise for  The Very Clumsy Click Beetle : "Sure to be lov