Children's Books

This book is the perfect learning tool for parents and teachers who are interested in teaching youngsters about the life cycle of butterflies, from egg and larva to pupa/chrysalis and the adult stage. Written in a conversational tone, this resource uses colorful artwork and simple, oversized text to explain different aspects of a butterfly's life. Don't be surprised if after reading this book, young readers dash outside to check out the lepidopterous activity in the backyard. 28 pages

This book has been enchanting toddlers for generations. It's a much loved picture book bringing the life cycle of a butterfly (albeit in much simplified form) to its little fans. A classic among children's literature, perfect for home, library and nursery classroom. Multiple editions including as Big Board Book. 24 pages

Every spring, butterflies emerge and dazzle the world with their vibrant beauty. But where do butterflies come from? How are they born? What do they eat--and how? - With a simple, rhyming text and glorious colour-drenched collage, Lois Ehlert provides clear answers to these and other questions as she follows the life cycle of four common butterflies, from their beginnings as tiny hidden eggs and hungry caterpillars to their transformation into full-grown butterflies. Complete with butterfly and flower facts and identification tips, as well as a guide to planting a butterfly garden, this butterfly book is like no other. Pages 40

 

 

With a little help from the Cat in the Hat, Sally and Dick observe a small miracle in their own backyard--the metamorphosis of an egg into a caterpillar into a chrysalis into a bright new butterfly Along the way, beginning readers will find out how butterflies see thousands of images at once, drink nectar from flowers, avoid predators, and can be identified by size, shape, and color. Readers will also follow the amazing migration of millions of monarchs. 48 pages

Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Lang have teamed up again to create this gorgeous and informative introduction to the world of butterflies. From iridescent blue swallowtails and brilliant orange monarchs to the worlds tiniest butterfly (Western Pygmy Blue) and the largest (Queen Alexandra's Birdwing), an incredible variety of butterflies are celebrated here in all of their beauty and wonder. Perfect for a child's bedroom bookshelf or for a classroom reading circle! (goodreads.com) -  Chronicle Books, 2015, 40 pages

For children and adults alike... Odair, one of the Designers of All Things and grandson of the esteemed inventor of the rainbow, has been banished to the insect laboratory as punishment for his overactive imagination. But he still dreams of one day creating a cross between a bird and a flower. Then, after a helpful chat with a dog... This is a delightful book appealing to children’s creativity and allowing them to learn about morphology. There are opportunities for role play. Why not stop reading at key places and let the children develop the story?  42 pages

AGES: 5 to 8 and anyone believing in dreams and wanting to give beauty to the world.

(This book is currently out of print, but many school libraries may still have a copy.)

  

Bugs, of all kinds, were considered to be "born of mud" and to be "beasts of the devil." Why would anyone, let alone a girl, want to study and observe them? One of the first naturalists to observe live insects directly, Maria Sibylla Merian was also one of the first to document the metamorphosis of the butterfly. In this visual nonfiction biography, richly illustrated throughout with full-color original paintings by Merian herself, the Newbery Honor–winning author Joyce Sidman paints her own picture of one of the first female entomologists and a woman who flouted convention in the pursuit of knowledge and her passion for insects. 160 pages

 

 

By now you've probably heard that bees are disappearing, but they aren't the only species at risk. Populations of fireflies, butterflies, and ladybugs have all been declining in recent years, too. This middle grade nonfiction publication explains the growth, spread, and recent declines of each of these four types of insects. Exploring human causes, like the Baltimore electric company that collected fireflies to attempt to harness their phosphorescent lighting source, to natural occurrences, like the mysterious colony collapse disorder that plagues bee populations, master nonfiction storyteller Mark Kurlansky shows just how much bugs matter to our world. 2020, Bloomsbury, 176 pages.