Violet Mackerel’s Natural Habitat by Anna Branford

This is the third book in a chapter book series about Violet Mackerel, first introduced in Violet Mackerel’s Brilliant Plot. Violet is a 7-year-old who lives with her mother, older sister, and older brother. Being the smallest in her family, she feels affection for small things. So when she finds a ladybug in her yard, she makes a home for it in a glass jar. But it turns out that a glass jar is not the best habitat for a ladybug and the ladybug is dead the next morning. Violet’s older sister, Nicola, who shrugged Violet off when she suggested that Nicola use ladybugs for her science fair project, now feels bad and she and Violet create a life cycle of the ladybug project in which the ladybugs are made from fabric and beads, so the real ladybugs can stay in their natural habitat. A sweet story about family relationships that also teaches a science lesson. I’d recommend all the Violet Mackerel titles – they are sweet family stories for primary grade school children and Violet is a creative and smart character with an unconventional but loving and loyal family.