Waiting for Wings: A Vibrant Rhyming Book About Butterfly Transformation for Children (Ages 4-7) - Hardcover

Ehlert, Lois

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0152026088 ISBN 13: 9780152026080

Publisher: Clarion Books, 2001

Synopsis

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 color-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.

About this title

About the Author

Lois Ehlert was the author-illustrator of many picture books, including Caldecott Honor–winning Color Zoo, Leaf Man, Pie in the Sky, In My World, Growing Vegetable Soup, Planting a Rainbow, and the best-selling Waiting for Wings.

Reviews

K-Gr 2-A beautifully woven blend of information about caterpillars, butterflies, and the gardens that attract them. Vibrant colors jump off of white backgrounds to show realistic-looking butterflies and flowers in Ehlert's signature cut-paper-collage style. The artist is creative with paper size. Overall, the book measures 10 by 12 inches. Open the front cover, however, and readers see a smaller internal page that actually blends its illustrations into the endpapers surrounding it. The pages then become increasingly larger until they are full sized to showcase the butterflies in search of a flower garden. Ehlert deftly documents the caterpillars' life cycle. "Caterpillar changes now begin-body and wings take shape within. When it's time, each case is torn-wings unfold; new butterflies are born!" The story completes its arc with the butterflies ready to begin their life cycle again. The remaining pages identify the various butterfly and flower species showcased in the story, depicting the adult, the caterpillar, chrysalis, and an example of the type of leaf it eats. Information on how to grow a butterfly garden rounds out this stellar presentation.-Lisa Gangemi Krapp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Ehlert (Hands; Market Day) again spreads her creative wings to deliver this inventively designed picture book about caterpillars' metamorphosis into butterflies. Nestled against a verdant spring-garden backdrop formed by the front end paper and opening page, readers will find a small book within the book. On each of the smaller pages, which are artistic extensions of the main background spread, Ehlert unfolds a rhyming text explaining how caterpillars lay eggs and form "a case in which to grow" before "wings unfold; new butterflies are born!" A series of half and full pages show the brilliant butterflies taking wing, flitting among bold cut-paper-collage flowers in vibrant pinks, purples, yellows, reds and oranges. The brief and cheery tone serves as an inviting introduction into a fascinating life cycle. Several closing pages contain detailed information on butterflies, a visual glossary for butterfly and flower identification (including ways of recognizing butterflies by their caterpillar and chrysalis markings) and suggestions for growing a butterfly garden. On the whole, Ehlert soars with a masterful blend of art and natural science. A must for budding lepidopterists. Ages 3-7.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Ages 4-6, older for reading alone. In a field, butterfly eggs stick to leaves, then hatch. Caterpillars eat and "make a case" in which to grow. Then the cases tear and butterflies emerge, pumping their wings. They sip nectar from the flowers, then fly back to the fields to lay their eggs. Following this simple story, a colorful spread depicts the caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly stages of the Buckeye, Painted Lay, Monarch, and Tiger Swallowtail butterflies. Three more pages lay out basic information about the physical characteristics, life stages, and food of butterflies; pictures of the flowers that butterflies favor; and advice on planting a garden that attracts butterflies. The large format allows for an unusual device: the first half of the story takes place in one small section of the field, which is represented on a double-page spread. Small pages at the bottom of the spread turn so that minor changes to the eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalises can be shown within the larger framework. Although this concentrates children's attention on the subtle changes taking place, the overall consequence is a rather static first half of the book. However, that in turn heightens the effect of flight when the butterflies finally take off, glowing in silhouette against a white background. Ehlert's sense of form, color, and design inform every page but are seen to best effect where garden and butterflies combine in a glorious riot of pink, purple, red, yellow, orange, green, and tawny hues. The short, rhyming text reads aloud well, telling the story without anthropomorphism. An original and vivid introduction. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0152026088
• ISBN 13: 9780152026080
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Ehlert Lois
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40