When a war rages between three colonies and thieves, robbers, and slave hunters infiltrate his home, young and inexperienced Willy must figure out how to stop them and win the unstoppable battle… but how?
Shhh, Don't Tell the Kids They're Learning!
Who knew there was so much going on behind the scenes of our annual summer picnics? While we may gripe and complain about ant attacks targeting our watermelons and potato salads, until now, we have been blithely unaware of the battle below. Thank you, Aunt Haggis, for pulling back the corner of our picnic blankets to expose the secret underworld of the ant kingdom.
Targeted to 7 to 13 year-olds, The Checkered War is sure to captivate and delight its readers with intrigue and suspense. The Harvester, Carpenter, and Blood Red Slave Hunter ant colonies are at war with one another providing the perfect venue for readers to eavesdrop on their secret battle plans and strategy. Will the workers finish their battle assignments in time? Will the soldiers’ conditioning be enough to withstand the coming onslaught? Will the queen be captured? Will the ants in the nursery be carried away to safety in time of the invasion? Which colony will prevail?
The Checkered War is a memorable journey from beginning to end. The watercolor illustrations add not only beauty to the reading experience, but a tangible anchor to those readers who have a more visual learning style. The “Ant Fact” sections brought great joy to this educator’s heart as Aunt Haggis integrated the drama of storytelling with actual scientific knowledge. Bravo!
The Vocabulary of the Ants Was So Fun and Very Entertaining to Read
In this book, The Checkered War, the author Aunt Haggis, has the ability to humanize each ant in a very descrirptive dialogue on each and every page. The vocabulary of the ants was so fun and very entertaining to read. The creative verbage and the imagination that was captured within each character was very inviting and held you captive to see what they would say and do next.
It was very interesting to read about all the facts that the author shared with us as each chapter concluded.
Who knew that a book about ants would prove to be so relatable to our human lives? When I read each page I could imagine in my mind's eye exactly what the events would have looked like by the detailed and vivid writing by the author. It will make me think twice when I see a colony of ants on my sidewalk.
Can't wait to see what Aunt Haggis is going to write about next. I would recommend this book to everyone who wants an adventure!
Great Read...Very Entertaining for the Kids
I got this book for my three girls (ages 8, 9, and 13). Honestly, I was a little nervous about the book for girls...I really didn't know what to expect. To my surprise, it was VERY entertaining for them. They absolutely loved it. Definitely worth it for this read.
A creative, “antsy,” fun fictional read fortified with facts. The children’s- youth literature book, “The Checkered War” presents a fictitious conflict of ant colonies whose storyline is carefully crafted and then supported by real scientific “Ant Facts”. The intrigue of ant colonies going to war against each other creates a compelling backdrop for describing ant lifestyles and behaviors. The comparison to human behavior gives the reader pause for thought. The illustrations are colorful and validate the facts and fiction. It is a worthy recreational and reality read.
