San Francisco Book Review - Bug on the Rug
“…a fun rhymer with a story that will engage little ones without them ever knowing they are learning some good life lessons about friendship and getting along with others.”

Reviewed on 13 April 2022

Kirkus Reviews - Bug on the Rug
This is a pleasing, comical story about finding common ground, owning mistakes, and accepting differences. Readers will enjoy the hilarious proceedings conveyed through jaunty rhymes that scan well and the characters’ expressive mugging. Rhyming words and opportunities for rich vocabulary development are real draws.
Reviewed on 15 March 2022

Booklist - Bug on the Rug
“Throughout, the rhymes are inventive (the pug is “aghast” and has to work “fast”), and the rug rivals’ words have great texture, like the bug’s sniffling “BIZZLE. BIZZLE. BZZZ! BZZZ!” The cartoonlike illustrations are loaded with comic detail, including having the pug, bug, and slug all look repulsive, giving an “ewww” impact to their fights. Their varied tactics and thought bubbles are hysterical. A fun way to build reading skills through exposure to rhyming.”

Pug is snug on his rug. But what happens when along comes BUG?! With a claim to the rug?! The two engage in a hysterical, rhyming battle of wits and strength until Slug asks the necessary questions and helps them find common ground. Rhyming is an important developmental reading skill. It teaches phonics (decodable text) and helps young readers infer content. This is a fun story to build those skills--and is an epic read aloud!

Author: Sophia Gholz
Sophia Gholz is a children’s book author and lover of trees. She grew up in northern Florida, surrounded by oak trees and longleaf pine forests. But Sophia’s favorite type of trees are the willows she encountered while visiting Australia as a child. Favorites aside, she believes that all trees are equally important. Today, Sophia lives by the beach with her family, where she spends her time researching, writing, and dreaming about faraway places. The Boy Who Grew a Forest is Sophia’s debut picture book. For more, visit: www.sophiagholz.com.

Illustrator: Susan Batori
Susan Batori’s books include Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt! and Letters from Space. She worked in advertising before switching to children’s book illustration. Susan lives in Budapest, Hungary.