Sparkling, brightly coloured Christmas beetles usually appear in the heat of December — a sign that the festive season has begun.

But recently they have been hard to find. We aren’t seeing them in the eucalyptus trees, or dancing around lights at night. These shimmering, shiny beetles are disappearing from our summers. Where have they gone?

Where Are All the Christmas Beetles? takes us on a lyrical discovery of these fascinating creatures and explores the possible reasons for their decrease in numbers.

Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 5 to 9.