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Lanky legs

Felicia Macheske - Author

This is a focused, interactive introduction to praying mantises: readers examine photographs and clues, make a guess, and then learn factual information about the insect’s life.

More about this book

"Young children are natural problem solvers and always looking for answers, especially when it involves interesting insects. Guess What: Lanky Legs: Praying Mantis provides young curious readers with striking visual clues and simply written hints. Using the photos and text, readers rely on visual literacy skills, reading, and reasoning as they solve the insect mystery. Clearly written facts give readers a deeper understanding of how the praying mantis lives. Additional text features, including a glossary and an index, help students locate information and learn new words"--

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Problem-solving· ExplainedVisual literacy· ExplainedReasoning· Explained

Consider

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

problem-solvingvisual literacyreasoninginsects

Non-fiction

Themes in Context

Learning through insect investigation

Readers use photographs and simply written hints to solve an insect mystery, alongside facts about the praying mantis.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The book presents insect learning as an observation-and-reasoning activity, with factual material extending the initial mystery.

Talk about: Which visual details does the book treat as useful clues, and how does the final information change the reader’s understanding?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

It may suit a child who enjoys asking questions and working things out, while the glossary and index create opportunities to notice new words and find information independently.

What Deserves Attention

The insect focus and photographs may invite close observation. An adult can preview them if realistic insect imagery may matter to the reader.

A Conversation Worth Having

Which clue helped you most, and what would you still like to find out about praying mantises after the mystery is resolved?

Reading Approach

While examining each photograph or hint, invite a prediction. Afterwards, use the glossary or index together to revisit one unfamiliar word or fact.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Learning through insect investigation: The exact sequence of clues, answers and factual explanations is not established.

Book information

Limited information

Relevant to: Learning through insect investigation

Lanky Legs: Praying Mantis (Guess What)

Limited information

Checked: 19 September 2026.

Relevant to: Learning through insect investigation

Lanky Legs: Praying Mantis

Limited information

Checked: 19 September 2026.

Relevant to: General book context

Benefits, discussion questions and reading approaches are suggestions. Your knowledge of your child remains part of the decision.

Heidi

Heidi

Lanky legs

At a Glance

Discover

Consider

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

Themes in Context

Learning through insect investigation

Why It May Be Worth Reading

What Deserves Attention

A Conversation Worth Having

Reading Approach

What remains unconfirmed