The city under the back steps

Evelyn Sibley Lampman

This book is about two children, a brother and sister, who are cruel to some ants under their back steps. The ants shrink the children down to ant size, and the children have to live with the ants as part of the colony. Lots of information about ants; a great introduction to ant behavior. The book also has a great moral focus; reverence for life, respect for all creatures, walking in another's shoes, do unto others...etc. I loved, loved, loved this book as a child; I was fascinated with the science I was exposed to, and enchanted (and a little scared) by the idea of being the size of an ant.