One of my favorite times of year is when the monarch butterflies flutter across our deck. Their migration is one of the most magical events to witness and you can’t watch without a sense of wonder and awe. I am so happy to introduce a lovely picture book that captures the beauty of these incredible insects.
HELLO, LITTLE ONE: A Monarch Butterfly Story
by Zeena M. Pliska (author) and Fiona Halliday (illustrator)
Page Street Kids May, 2020
32-page picture book for ages 4-8 and all those who love monarch butterflies
Setting: nature
Themes: monarch butterflies, life cycle, friendship, loss
The story begins…
Coming out of my egg, I see…
green.
I crawl from green leaf
to green leaf.
Eating and waiting.
Waiting for something
other than those green leaves.
Everything is green.
Little Caterpillar begins life in a world of green until he sees Orange, a magnificent monarch butterfly. Orange befriends Little Caterpillar and explains the ways of monarchs. Little Caterpillar loves to hear about the trees, water, and laughing children that Orange sees and longs to fly. Sadly, Orange explains that she will not be there when it is time for Little Caterpillar to emerge from its chrysalis in this beautiful story of friendship, loss, and transformation.
Why you need to add HELLO, LITTLE ONE to your bookshelf:
- The lyrical, uplifting language in HELLO, LITTLE ONE, is beautiful to read aloud.
- This friendship story between Orange and Little Caterpillar gently develops with question and answer dialog, as the older monarch encourages and instructs her young friend.
- The author’s experience of working with young children has resulted in a book that honors a child’s intelligence and curiosity about the natural world. It is field with information, wisdom, and heart.
- The last page includes a bibliography and an illustrated life cycle of the monarch butterfly which is just right for young children.
- You will want to spend extra time exploring the rich and luscious illustrations. Orange and Little Caterpillar are shown expressing their emotions in a soft and natural way. The vibrant colors of the insects and their world are a perfect tribute to these beautiful creatures.
Take a peek under the jacket flap. I wish I could frame this!
Here is a link to a downloadable book to create a garden for monarch butterflies.
You can get free milkweed seeds here.
Enjoy this time-lapse video of the metamorphosis of a monarch butterfly.
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