Some ants spend their days working, following orders, and doing whatever the queen tells them. ANT Mary has other ideas. In My ANT Mary, a lively children’s book written by Milt Lowe and illustrated by Stephen Bibb, readers meet an independent little ant who enjoys doing things her own way. While the other ants gather at picnics, Mary prefers climbing trees. She lives alone in a stinky sneaker, enjoys napping on flowers, and can lift an entire apple without breaking a sweat. Her unusual habits worry her best friend, ANTony, who narrates the story with an affectionate mix of admiration and concern. Things get complicated when the Queen of Ants demands that Mary behave like everyone else in the colony. Mary makes an effort to fit in, but following the queen’s rules leaves her unhappy. Determined to find a place where she can live on her own terms, she sets off on an adventure that takes her far beyond the familiar surroundings of her ant colony.

Mary’s travels provide some of the picture book’s funniest moments. She tries living at a bee farm, where she discovers that getting stung isn’t much fun. A stay at the zoo proves equally uncomfortable when the animals’ nighttime noises keep her awake. She encounters alligators with frightening teeth, visits a circus where the clowns fail to amuse her, and even journeys to a freezing place called ANTartica, where one enormous sneeze sends the other bugs flying. Each destination offers a new experience and another opportunity for Mary to discover what makes her happy. Lowe keeps the storytelling playful, using short sentences, amusing situations, and ant-related wordplay to engage young readers. The story also benefits from ANTony’s presence. His affection for Mary gives the adventure an emotional connection, and their friendship becomes increasingly important as Mary searches for a place to call home.

Stephen Bibb’s colorful illustrations bring Mary’s adventures to life with exaggerated expressions, dramatic settings, and plenty of visual humor. Mary herself is an appealing character, with enormous blue eyes and a distinctive purple hat decorated with a white flower. Her expressions and body language help communicate her feelings throughout the story. The illustration of her enormous sneaker home is especially entertaining, showing a discarded white athletic shoe nestled among towering blades of grass. Other memorable scenes include Mary facing a huge, open-mouthed alligator, confronting an angry bee against a golden honeycomb, and shivering beside an igloo beneath a glowing green sky. The illustrations frequently emphasize how tiny Mary is compared with the world around her, giving her adventures an entertaining sense of scale. The combination of richly colored backgrounds, expressive insect characters, and imaginative environments offers young readers plenty to examine as the story unfolds.

At the heart of My ANT Mary is a warm story about individuality, friendship, and finding happiness while making a positive difference in the lives of others. After visiting approximately twenty different places, Mary discovers that what she’s been missing is her friendship with ANTony. She returns home, and the two move into her beloved sneaker together. When the queen once again demands that they conform, Mary stands up for herself and explains that she and ANTony intend to work independently to help sick, injured, and elderly ants. It’s a satisfying development that gives Mary’s independence a meaningful purpose and shows how friendship can inspire generosity and cooperation. The ending also introduces young readers to the idea that contributing to a community can take different forms. With its adventurous heroine, silly situations, imaginative illustrations, and affectionate portrayal of an unconventional friendship, My ANT Mary offers children ages four to eight an entertaining story about discovering where they belong, embracing their interests, and finding their own ways to help others.

Pages: 40 | ASIN : B0CQF6SQ2Z