Bye, bye, butterflies!

A boy is delighted to see children releasing butterflies off of a rooftop (shouting "Bye, bye, butterflies!" as they do so) while walking with his father; months later, his class receives its own box of tiny caterpillars that he learns will also transform into butterflies. Larsen playfully depicts the caterpillars' development from striped and polka-dotted grubs to cocoons, as the children-cartoon caricatures with exaggerated eyes and oversize heads-observe and document the subtle changes. When Charlie and his class finally release the butterflies, another boy glances up to the rooftop and waves to Charlie. A tender story about life cycles, metamorphosis, and a common childhood experience. Ages 4-up. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

K-Gr 2-When Charlie first sees children releasing butterflies into the sky for a school project, he is a chatty little boy whose father encourages his quiet listening and observation. Then it is time for him to begin school and eventually to participate in the same project, watching caterpillars grow until it is time to release them. This is a realistic story about growth and change, not just for caterpillars but for children, too. Playful cartoon illustrations enhance the pleasing tone. Value-added endnotes contain lots of butterfly facts for budding scientists.-Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.