MOTH & BUTTERFLY

Change is in the air!

Two caterpillars romp happily through a garden, but something is about to happen! Minimal, energetic text and brightly colored illustrations full of kid appeal tell the tale of the two friends and capture the excitement of change in this exuberant introduction to the concept of metamorphosis and the differences between a moth and a butterfly. The story artfully incorporates the idea of change and the appreciation of differences and similarities between two friends with the concrete differences between the two insects that develop over the course of their life cycles; initial commonalities are described (legs, spots, eating habits) before the friends disappear into pupae to undergo metamorphosis, and then “POP!” Each appears in a new winged form (a moth and a butterfly), and differences are succinctly enumerated (color, movement, camouflage, sleep cycles). Warmth abounds, and life continues as the two friends see young caterpillars and greet them with a cheery “Happy Metamorphosis!” The simple text includes speech bubbles that add to the excitement and fun, and the author’s choice to focus on one big word and concept (metamorphosis) rather than a hefty vocabulary or the full life cycle (eggs are unmentioned) makes this a great choice for the very young.

A deceptively simple mix of engaging story, appreciation of differences, and introduction to moths and butterflies.