For many, the arrival of colorful butterflies each spring is a signal that at long last winter is well and truly over, and a reminder that it is time to do some planting in the garden. It is also a time to slow down, even if it is for just a short while, to enjoy the beauties of nature. Butterflies are especially precious because most of them live for such a short time. Wear a bright colored shirt and sit in a sunny place and you may find yourself taken for a flower. There is very little to compare to the experience of having a butterfly walking across your hand or cheek. For that brief moment you can be a child again and feel that thrill of wonder.
For children butterflies offer an even greater pleasure. The extraordinary lifecycle that an observant and patient child can watch for his or herself is almost like magic. They can find and keep a caterpillar in an aquarium, and if they care for it properly, they can watch the creature turn into a pupa and then hatch into a butterfly. They then get the incredible pleasure of letting "their" butterfly go, to watch it fly off into the sky.
For many of us are learning about butterflies also means that we learn that many butterfly species are endangered. It is a state of affairs that we, on a personal level, can do something about, and it is something that children can do something about. Feeling empowered, children can plant butterfly gardens and they can raise funds to support butterfly protection programs. Being able to make a difference is a gift that has no price.
"A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera, butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a larval caterpillar stage, an inactive pupal stage, and a spectacular metamorphosis into a familiar and colourful winged adult form. Most species are day-flying so they regularly attract attention. The diverse patterns formed by their brightly coloured wings and their erratic yet graceful flight have made butterfly watching a fairly popular hobby.
Butterflies comprise the true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), the skippers (Superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (Superfamily Hedyloidea). Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some are known to migrate over large distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Butterflies are important economically as one of the major agents of pollination. In addition, a number of species are pests, because they can damage domestic crops and trees." Excerpted from the opening entry in Wikipedia.
The following sites have information that kids may find particularly appealing and useful.
Children's Butterfly Site.
All About Butterflies.
This selection of books offers the reader everything from the scientific description of butterflies (and their relatives the moths), to gentle picture books about the caterpillar that wishes it could fly. You will find other titles about butterflies in the CLCD database.
Contributer: Marya Jansen-Gruber
Book Reviewer and Writer
mjansengruber@mindspring.com
Beautiful Butterflies
Meish Goldish
The text is very similar to that in True or False: Butterflies & Caterpillars by Melvin and Gilda Berger. There is less information but still plenty for very young students to absorb about this beautiful insects. Pages also have a little inset that presents some salient fact such as all insects have an exoskeleton. It was disappointing to see the use of the word beak rather than the more correct term proboscis for the butterflies feeding tube. The pictures are excellent and you can see amazing detail and in some cases the fine hairs and scales on the butterflies body and wings. The issue of marking that help scare away potential predators is addressed, but not camouflage. The life cycle is described and a caterpillar is shown eating its own shell after hatching. It was also interesting to learn that a caterpillar molts about four times before it creates a chrysalis where it goes through a metamorphosis (the word is not used) and becomes a winged insect. There is mention of the role butterflies play in pollinating plants and that there are about 18,000 kinds of butterflies all over the world except Antarctica. The last pages include a discussion of invertebrates and a contain a four word picture glossary, index, three additional books to read and on line site of the publishers and a two sentences about the author. Useful for the early elementary students and a good library purchase. 2008, Bearport Publishing, Ages 5 to 8, $21.28. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 978-1-59716-589-1
Bliss, Blueberries, and the Butterfly
Jill L. Donahue
Illustrated by D.C. Ice
Bliss loves picking and eating blueberries with her mom. One day Bliss, enchanted by a beautiful blue butterfly, becomes distracted from her picking and follows a butterfly through the woods. Suddenly she realizes she has become separated from her mother. She looks down and notices the trail of blueberries left from the hole in her bucket, and young readers will excitedly predict the outcome and quickly read on to discover that the trail of blueberries brings Bliss safely back to her mom. This fun, appealing, and suspenseful story is one in the series of “Read-It Readers” leveled books. The predictive text, containing high frequency words and controlled vocabulary, is aligned to support a young reader’s developing skills. The appealing, charming, and colorful illustrations on each page support both the acquisition of reading skills and the love of reading. Young readers who enjoy the outdoors, family fun, adventure, and a happy ending will delight in sharing this attractive easy-to-read story about Bliss, a butterfly, and picking blueberries. 2007, Picture Window Books, $19.93. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Susan Borges (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4048-3206-0
ISBN: 1-4048-3206-8
ISBN: 978-1-4048-1222-2
ISBN: 1-4048-1222-9
Bloom!: A Little Book About Finding Love
Maria van Lieshout
Bloom is an unusual pig. She would rather dance and sing and admire the flowers than jump into a puddle. When she spots a butterfly, she thinks it is a dancing flower and begs it to dance with her. She is heartbroken when it flies away; she vows never to love again. She refuses another pig’s invitation to play in the puddle, but when the other pig brings her a flower, and then shows her a puddle filled with flowers, Bloom agrees to join him there. The pink ink used for the minimal text and for Bloom’s body reinforces the sentimental love story. A very delicate, sketchy black line depicts her, the flowers, and the friend who finally arouses an appropriate reaction. There are no objects or background; just the two characters and a few flowers are all that is needed to illuminate this convincing evolution of love. 2008, Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan, $12.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-312-36913-2
ISBN: 0-312-36913-1
Bob and Otto
Nick Bruel and Robert O. Bruel
Bob and Otto, two worm-like creatures, are good friends, playing happily together in the springtime, but one day Bob feels he needs to climb up a tree; somehow he feels it is important. Otto prefers the ground. As Bob climbs higher, Otto digs lower. Each eats; then Bob sleeps for many days while Otto continues to dig beneath the roots of Bob’s tree. Then Bob emerges, now transformed and flying around the tree, thinking of how he misses Otto, who feels the same. They meet on the ground, where Otto feels sad, thinking that if he had climbed the tree he might also be able to fly. He feels he is “just a worm” who has wasted his time digging. But Bob reminds him that he has helped the tree to grow the leaves Bob ate. He has done his job, and he is still his best friend. “And friends are important.” This quiet, moral story is visualized in softly painted scenes of a world as seen from a worm’s point of view. Naturalistic suggestions of grass, flowers, and tree trunks are enough to make us part of that world. Pages portraying the parallel lives and a few which include action-charged details provide basic facts in attractively accessible formats. The esthetically designed double pages offer a visual base for the tale’s sweet sentiment. 2007, A Neal Porter Book/Roaring Brook Press, $15.95. Ages 3 to 6. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-59643-203-1
ISBN: 1-59643-203-9
Butterflies
Jennifer Hurtig
The “Backyard Animals” series includes nine titles about animals that can be found in cities and town around the country. Butterflies, coyotes, deer, opossums, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, sparrows and squirrels are featured in the series. Each animal is introduced with a large photo and information about where they live and a few characteristics that make them special. A brief history provides information about the development of the species worldwide. A large photograph of the animal provides information about their specific body parts and how they help it survive in nature. The animal’s life cycle and what it eats are illustrated with photographs. Details about where humans are most likely to interact with the featured animal and myths from various cultures make the information more relevant and interesting to young readers. Butterflies are insects. Their life cycle begins as an egg. They hatch to become caterpillars and, after a stay in a chrysalis, become butterflies. There are 18,500 species of known butterflies. Butterflies may have evolved from moths that lived 65 to 135 million years ago, the time of the first flowering plants. Some butterflies migrate many hundreds of miles to find warmer weather. The monarch butterfly travels up to 2,000 miles from Canada or the northern United States to warmer weather in Mexico or California. The fastest butterflies can fly 30 miles an hour. Large photographs and sidebars with factoids make this a nice way to learn about common animals children might see in their neighborhood. 2008, Weigl Publishers, $24.45. Ages 6 to 9. Reviewer: Kristin Harris (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-59036-683-7
ISBN: 978-1-59036-684-4
ISBN: 1-59036-683-2
ISBN: 1-59036-684-0
Butterflies
Teresa Wimmer
Science curriculum in the primary grades usually includes the study of insects, making this early reader an excellent choice for cross-curriculum support in first and second-grade classrooms. Big, bright close-up photographs will captures kids’ interest and help draw them into the text. Simple sentence structure, a plain typeface, and plenty of white space add further appeal for new readers. And there’s enough information packed into the text to satisfy budding entomologists. The “Hands-On” activity--making a caterpillar habitat--would benefit from more detailed instructions, but overall, this is an excellent early reader as well as an excellent science supplement. Back matter includes a glossary, index, and suggestions for further reading. This book is part of the “My First Look at Insects” series. 2007, Creative Education/The Creative Company, $22.80. Ages 6 to 8. Reviewer: Barbara Carroll Roberts (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-58341-455-2
ISBN: 1-58341-455-X
Butterflies
Kate Davies
Illustrations by Jana Costa
This Usborne First Reading (Level 4) book is perfectly organized and simply written for beginning readers. The book’s small size is ideal for little hands, and the large print and the bright colorful illustrations bring to life a variety of butterflies and their life cycles. A soft palette of greens and yellows follow the caterpillar as he eats through leaves becoming bigger and bigger until he is ready to form a chrysalis. Jana Costa’s detailed paintings allow readers to see step-by-step what is happening inside the pupa until the butterfly slowly emerges to dry its wings in the sun before flying from flower to flower seeking sweet nectar. A very brief glossary defines the new words nectar, proboscis, and pupa, and a simple index makes it easy to find specific information. Teachers could use this in tandem with Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar in primary grades to teach this basic life cycle. 2008 (orig. 2007), Usborne, $8.99. Ages 5 to 7. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7945-1940-7
Butterfly, Butterfly
Petr Horáécek
Eric Carle’s Very Hungry Caterpillar is now a classic known and loved by children everywhere. This title is very likely to become an addition to that list. The beautiful, vibrant color illustrations with cleverly designed holes, completely compliment the text. One day while playing in the garden, a small girl named Lucy sees a beautiful butterfly. The next day, the butterfly is nowhere to be found. But Lucy, dressed in a red and black polka dotted dress, discovers many additional and wonderful things. These include a pink earthworm, a brown spider, a green beetle, a family of “spotty red ladybugs,” purple caterpillars, and a blue dragonfly. Still, Lucy yearns to find the butterfly. Her long search yields nothing, so she finally lies down in the grass to watch the sky. The last page reveals a gorgeous pop-up butterfly flying above Lucy’s head. This very special book should be included as a first purchase for every library’s children’s collection. 2007, Candlewick Press, $ 12.99. Ages 3 to 6. Reviewer: Sylvia Firth (Children's Literature).
The beautiful butterfly that Lucy sees begins this simple tale filled with surprises. After a day of play, chasing the butterfly, Lucy cannot find it, so she begins to search for it. Here the book begins to introduce colors along with creatures, for she finds a pink earthworm, a brown spider, a green beetle, red ladybugs, a snail with an orange shell, purple caterpillars, a blue dragonfly, and a yellow bee. As we turn the pages, well-placed cut-outs allow colors to show through in the right places for previous and succeeding pages. When Lucy finally tires of her search and lies down to rest, she and the reader get the biggest surprise of all. Acrylic paints are roughly applied to produce the double-page scenes in Lucy’s garden. They also color the cut-paper figures of our heroine and of the other characters that are pasted on the grass, bushes, etc. The bare-bones story supplies the framework for this natural history adventure where colors add sparkle to the green and sky-blue setting. A shiny silvery background makes the colors of the front cover stand out, while large-sized creatures dominate the end-papers from front to back. The final pop-up butterfly makes an appropriate conclusion. 2007, Candlewick Press, $12.99. Ages 3 to 6. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3343-1
ISBN: 0-7636-3343-7
The Butterfly in the Sky
Dana Meachen Rau
The "Benchmark Rebus" collection is designed to ease the way for early readers. Young hands can easily hold these small format books. The book begins with twelve words, and the photographs that will be substituted for these words in the following text. The photographs are clear and easy to understand. A caterpillar is eating leaves. It has many legs to be able to hang onto the leaves. When it is ready, it finds a branch and changes into a pupa. In two weeks a butterfly emerges. Each sentence includes at least one and generally two, photographs in the place of words. The scale of the photographs is compatible with the size of the text. A large photograph on the opposite page illustrates the story. The butterfly flies in the garden, keeping watch for hungry birds. The butterfly mates and lays eggs that hatch as caterpillars. The caterpillars start eating right away. Four words are defined at the end of the story, as well as providing references for other books and websites about butterflies. 2007, Benchmark/Marshall Cavendish, $22.79. Ages 4 to 6. Reviewer: Kristin Harris (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7614-2311-9
ISBN: 0-7614-2311-7
Caterpillar to Butterfly
Sally Symes
Illustrated by Sharon Harmer
This interactive board book may take a little skill on the part of young children. The fuzzy caterpillar can be seen through a plastic cut-out on the cover. This caterpillar is attached to the opening page by Velcro. Once freed, it is on an elastic string that can be pulled through a hole in each page. Readers learn that this caterpillar has eaten his way through a green world and then moves into a blue world and a red world. The refrain on each page is a variation of “Red is good and red is fine, but there must be more to this life of mine.” Then the caterpillar moves into a pink world and finally a brown one. There he spins a snug cocoon (a paper one in this case). The finals spread shows his metamorphosis when he turns into a bright, colorful butterfly in a big pop-up spread. The book is teaching about the butterfly’s life cycle and also throwing in a lesson about colors along with plenty to discuss on each of the pages. 2008, Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, Ages 3 to 5, $8.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4169-4753-0
ISBN: 1-4169-4753-1
The Crawly Caterpillar
Judith Nicholls
Illustrated by Mara van der Meer
The life cycle of a butterfly is a popular topic for children’s books. In this board book, which is part of the “Little Scholastic” series, kids learn that a small yellow egg (not so small in the illustration) is the start of the phenomena. From the egg a fuzzy caterpillar emerges and the one on the page is indeed fuzzy, giving toddlers a tactile as well as visual experience. This caterpillar is hungry and it eats lots and lots of leaves and it grows and grows. Then it is time to turn into a chrysalis and there is once again a textured item for toddlers. Finally a butterfly emerges and it too has a tactile element. The real surprise is on the last page where the colorful butterfly is ready to leap off the page in the pop-up. An easy to comprehend explanation of the metamorphoses. 2008, Scholastic, $7.99. Ages 1 to 3. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-545-03026-7
ISBN: 0-545-03026-9
Face to Face with Caterpillars
Darlyne A. Murawski
The enlarged photograph of a caterpillar on the cover makes it look like some incredible alien monster. How did Murawski get all of these fantastic photographs? The opening spread shows the lengths a photographer will go to in order to get just the right shot--even if it means lying on your back with the ants biting like crazy. In addition to all of the fascinating information about caterpillars, the photographs show the incredible variety among these creatures--hairy, colorful, speckled, mottled, smooth, prickly--they seem to come in endless variations. Caterpillars may eat a variety of plants or just a specific kid of plant and, while they are great eating machines, caterpillars are also food for many others. As a result, they have developed some interesting defenses such as false faces, looking like a spider, blending in with the background, and bright coloring to warn that they taste bad. Caterpillars molt and may go through four to seven stages between molts (instars) before becoming a pupa. The final pages address how readers can help protect the caterpillars so they become moths or butterflies, and also how the reader can become a budding animal photographer. If a young reader is working on a report, the facts-at-a-glance, the glossary, and the find-out-more sections will be particularly helpful. The latter includes printed materials as well as web sites. An excellent book for school, public library, and home use. Look for other titles in the “Face to Face” series. 2007, National Geographic, $16.95. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-4263-0053-0
ISBN: 978-1-4263-0052-3
ISBN: 978-1-4263-0053-0
ISBN: 1-4263-0052-2
Fancy Nancy Bonjour, Butterfly
Jane O’Connor
Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
Fancy Nancy never uses a short plain word when a fancier one will do. She loves to speak in French and is positive that butterflies understand French. Her friend Bree is having a butterfly birthday. The cake, the invitations, the costumes all carry out the butterfly theme. Nancy is excited to dress as an iridescent azure butterfly. But the best laid plans of a little girl sometimes go awry. When Nancy’s mother uses fancy words to inform her about the fiftieth anniversary party of her grandparents, fancy words do not make Nancy feel any better. Mad is not a strong enough word--she scowls, she sulks, she storms around the house. What can her parents do to help her accept the inevitable? How can Nancy forget to be furious long enough to have fun? Jane O’Connor is an editor at a publishing house. She continues to offer a thoughtful and important message. Robin Glasser’s full page art captures the attention with gorgeous flowers, dressed-up dogs, twirling children and of course, exquisite butterflies. 2008, HarperCollins Publisher, Ages 4 to 7, $16.99. Reviewer: JoAn Watson Martin (Children's Literature).
ISBN 978-0-06-123588-7
Fly, Butterfly, Fly! = Vuela, mariposa, vuela!
Dana Meachen Rau
The "Go, Critter, Go!" series, part of the "Bookworms" leveled reading program, is designed for emergent readers. It contains six books, each of them illustrating the characteristics and behaviors of a variety of small animals such as earthworms, butterflies, and spiders. The information is presented in short, predictable sentences that highlight the name of each animal and its attributes. The pictures provide eye-catching and detailed views of the animal under study. Each book has 21 pages of text, with the last spread providing a summary picture gallery for the key words in the book. A simple index follows, and information about the author and the consultants bring the books to a close. In this book, readers learn that butterflies have four wings, six legs and come in a variety of colors. These facts--a major construct of nonfiction and informational text--can be distinguished from fiction and/or opinions. Children can make their own butterfly observations outside or in the science center and compare their findings to those in the book. They can also use this book as a starting point to researching other fiction and nonfiction books about butterflies. 2007, Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, $15.95. Ages 5 to 7. Reviewer: Melissa J. Rickey (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7614-2814-5
ISBN: 978-0-7614-2790-2
ISBN: 978-0-7614-2649-3
ISBN: 0-7614-2814-3
Fly, monarch! Fly!
Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
Minna, Pip, and their parents visit the interactive Butterfly Place where they observe the monarch butterfly’s metamorphosis. Greeted by Bert, the Butterfly Man, they examine each stage of development, even trying on a caterpillar suit to experience first-hand the process of molting. Bert takes the kids to a series of aquariums where they can see the changes taking place within the chrysalis and view a newly emerged butterfly. Party blowers help explain the function and operation of the butterfly’s proboscis, and a large migration map clearly shows the monarch’s route to Mexico and back. Cheerful cut-paper collages support a lively text that entertains as it teaches. There is advice for planting a butterfly garden, directions for making a monarch magnet, and a helpful list of places to visit to learn more. The crisp layout and chatty tone make this ideal for primary grade children. 2008, Marshall Cavendish, $16.99. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7614-5425-0
ISBN: 0-7614-5425-X
The Furry Caterpillar
Felicia Law
Illustrated by Claire Philpott, Karen Radford, and Xact Studio
Three animal friends, Bamboo, a loveable panda, Velvet, a knowledgeable zebra, and Beak the bird are, as per usual, sitting on their favorite log in the middle of a magical forest. Before long, Beak and Bamboo are squabbling over the item that Beak plans to eat. Beak realizes that his egg for breakfast has become Bamboo’s fuzzy caterpillar pillow. The caterpillar grows and grows as they argue over ownership of the animal until finally, fully grown and transformed into a butterfly, it flies away to lay an egg (and possibly begin the argument all over again). Several pages of the book feature two-tiered writing, with information about the life cycle of a butterfly shown in a slightly smaller font that is separate from the regular storyline. The last page of the book features “fun facts” and an online source for further information. The problem with some of the books that are structured this way is that the plot seems designed to follow the information, rather than the information enriching the story. This book, happily, is an exception, and the adventures of Bamboo, Beak, and Velvet are sure to please younger readers. Even the recommended online source, which is not always particularly helpful, comes up with a few great websites for photographs and information about butterflies. Parents and educators could easily use this book for discussions on science, nature, and friendship. 2006, Picture Window Books, $23.93 Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Meagan Albright (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4048-2599-4
ISBN: 1-4048-2599-1
It's a Butterfly's Life
Irene Kelly
Kelly’s book takes young readers on a journey through the life of a butterfly. The main text includes numerous facts about the 17,500 types of butterflies and 160,000 types of moths in the world. After a quick comparison, the text focuses on butterflies and fascinating facts about their lives. Kelly takes readers through the lifecycle as, two weeks after hatching, Monarch caterpillars grow to 2,700 times their original weight. Then the caterpillars molt and grow new skin five times, doing their best to survive threats along the way. Readers can watch the caterpillar make a chrysalis and emerge as a butterfly. Along the way, sidebar text provides additional details to help readers understand a butterfly’s life. The colorful drawings are realistic with just a hint of cartoon quality; caterpillars almost smile up at readers as they turn the page. Vocabulary words are woven throughout the text with illustrations to demonstrate meaning. The final pages show some endangered and extinct species and offer amazing but true facts. The lively illustrations really bring the text to life. Sure to enchant children as well as their teachers and parents. 2007, Holiday House, $16.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8234-1860-X
ISBN: 978-0-8234-1860-2
Luna Moths: Masters of Change
Sandra Markle
Spectacular photographs, detailed diagrams, and clear, concise text outline the uniqueness of the lunar moth’s body both inside and outside. Beginning life as a tiny caterpillar, the lunar moth molts five times before it spins a cocoon, where it stays until winter turns to spring before emerging as an adult. There is a logical sequence to the text, beginning with the definition of an insect, a description of the differences between a moth and a butterfly, then moving on to the life cycle of a moth, and ending with the life of the adult moth, which continues the cycle. Eating habits and defense mechanisms along with lots of carefully labeled “moth facts” are included as is a glossary and an index. Budding scientists will enjoy learning how to create a moth garden to attract and study moths, as well as directions for going on a cocoon hunt to retrieve and care for a cocoon until the adult moth emerges. Respected authority Sandra Markle has once again produced a stunning science book for curious young readers. Part of the “Insect World Series.” 2008, Lerner, $27.95. Ages 6 to 10. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8225-7302-9
ISBN: 0-8225-7302-4
Meadow Dance
Dennis Rockhill
Imagine going to sleep dreaming of butterflies, waking up covered with butterflies, and then flying in the sky with butterflies. If this intrigues you, then Meadow Dance will delight you. Filled to overflowing with lush, colorful illustrations, each double-page spread features a developing butterfly in either the far left or far right corner depicted in black and white. Growing from caterpillar to butterfly while the girl sleeps, the book unfolds into a magical celebration of life and summertime. A perfect picture book for summer time reading, the simple text works well with the illustrations and will encourage reading aloud. This book could be used for introductory science discussions about butterfly development. A part of the “Wonderlands Series.” 2007, Raven Tree Press, Ages 5 to 8, $16.95. Reviewer: Debra Lampert-Rudman (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-9741992-5-2
ISBN:978-1-932748-70-3
Monarch and Milkweed
Helen Frost
Illustrated by Leonid Gore
The symbiotic relationship between the milkweed plant and the monarch butterfly is explored in this well researched and very readable book. Acrylic and pastel illustrations handsomely follow the journey of the monarch as it arrives in spring to lay eggs on the milkweed. The pale green leaves provide sustenance for the caterpillar that pushes out of the egg and a sturdy support for the chrysalis that in time splits open to release a magnificent monarch butterfly. As summer turns to autumn the monarch rides the winds to Mexico and the milkweed pods burst, scattering seeds that will unfurl into new plants in the spring--just in time for the monarch’s return. Simplicity is the key in explaining one of nature’s more delicate life cycles, and the soft palette and gentle text is accessible for emerging readers or as a read aloud to the very young. The endpaper map details the monarch’s incredible journey. 2008, Atheneum, $17.99. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4169-0085-6
ISBN: 1-4169-0085-3
The Monarch's Progress: Poems with Wings
Avis Harley
The metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly--in this case, a monarch--has been the subject of many books. In her eighteen poems, Harley provides considerable information about the life of these creatures. Also, she uses the subject as an opportunity to teach a poetry lesson--her work includes haiku, sonnet, limericks, and other poetic forms. One of the more successful examples is her series of acrostic poems relating to the four stages of a monarch’s life. Other forms are also intriguing; for example, the concrete zigzag shape of “Catching a Butterfly1” really does remind you of the crazy path butterflies seem to take. The abecedarian poem “Wintering Over” does take some poetic license when it uses “X-odus” for the letter “X,” but it is still quite a clever poem. In addition to the poetry, Harley has created the illustrations, which are reprised as thumbnails on the final pages to provide even more details about monarchs. There is plenty here for parents and teachers, whether they are seeking science, poetry or just the pure pleasure of reading about an appealing subject--monarch butterflies. 2008, Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press, $16.95. Ages 7 up. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-59078-558-4
Queen Alexandra's Birdwing: The World's Largest Butterfly
John Stidworthy
The largest butterfly in the world? Why, Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, of course! Actually, considering that this amazing insect can only be found in one tiny part of Papua, New Guinea, one can be forgiven for not having this butterfly’s name on the tip of the tongue. Wingtip to wingtip, the Birdwing can be up to 12 inches long. For perspective, consider that the Monarch butterfly’s wing span can be up to 4.8 inches long. Aimed at emerging readers, the book uses simple text and large print without “dumbing down” the content. Topics covered include habitat, diet, life cycle and behavior. But real life examples--the Birdwing is compared to the size of the book--and a chart offering comparisons to other butterflies give readers a perspective they can easily grasp. Indeed, if the dearth of fun facts does not draw in the reader, certainly the high-quality photographs will. Appropriate for children in kindergarten through third grades, the book is written at the second grade/emergent reader level. One of fourteen titles in the “SuperSized!” series about the world’s largest animals, each book includes a table of contents, a glossary, an index, a bibliography, and an online resource guide. This is a well written resource that will enhance any life science curriculum, not to mention whet the appetite of kids interested in one really fascinating, albeit rare, insect. 2007, Bearport Publishing Company, $21.28. Ages 5 to 9. Reviewer: Kris Sauer (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-59716-395-8
ISBN: 1-59716-395-3
True or False: Butterflies & Caterpillars
Melvin Berger Gilda Berger
Butterflies are beautiful creatures and the photographs used to illustrate this book present them in close-up detail. There are wings with beautiful colors, antennae with knobs on the end and feet that are touching the flower where the butterfly has landed. The text is set up such that a statement is made and then the question—“True or False?” follows. Kids can guess, turn the page and see if they were right. “Butterflies need the sun’s warmth to fly or feed.” Yes, that is a true statement. Also true, butterflies do not chew their food, they have a long proboscis which they use to drink nectar and water. Readers learn plenty of other facts relating to butterflies choice of flowers for food and that a butterfly tastes with its feet, and antennae are used for touch and smelling. In addition their wings are made up of overlapping scales and some butterflies have perfected camouflage or other characteristics that frighten off possible predators. There is a difference between butterflies and moths and some butterflies migrate thousands of miles. The butterfly lifecycle is detailed and as noted, throughout the book there are eye-catching illustrations. At the end there is a two page index. Difficult words have been presented phonetically and are explained within the text. An informative and attractive book for any child and especially those fascinated by insects. A good resource for home, school and public libraries.
2008, Scholastic, Ages 5 to 8, $4.99. REVIEWER: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 978-0-545-00392-6
ISBN: 0-545-00392-X
Velma Gratch & The Way Cool Butterfly
Alan Madison
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
When Velma Gratch enters first grade, all the teachers have marvelous memories of her two “practically perfect” older sisters. Poor Velma struggles to find a subject in which to excel. A visit to the Butterfly Conservatory with her classmates becomes a field trip neither Velma nor her classmates will forget and is the vehicle which Velma needs to prove she is way cool. As she walks through the exhibit, the timid girl desperately want a butterfly to touch her and she holds her breath as one gentle monarch lands on her finger. There it stays on the bus ride home, all the next day in school, even through ballet and soccer. Velma proudly parades her butterfly to the park with the whole class and principal following to release the monarch for its long trek to Mexico. Velma has done something as marvelous as her sisters. This celebration of one child overcoming her timidity and undergoing her own metamorphosis is nicely balanced with butterfly information from metamorphosis to migration. It does take a stretch of imagination to believe the butterfly would stay of Velma’s fingers for several days but her joy is so infectious it is easy to cheer her on. The bright, energetic illustrations move the story along. You cannot help but like Velma; she is way cool. 2008, Schwartz & Wade, $16.99. Ages 5 to 9. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-375-83597-1
ISBN: 0-375-83597-0
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For more books about butterflies see our butterfly reviews for books from:
2007
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