Review by Booklist Review
A girl finds a bright yellow and black bug; or, as her mother explains, a caterpillar. Determined to raise it herself, the girl makes a home for it in a terrarium, lining the floor with paper towels and adding fresh milkweed daily. She watches it change from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. After the mother explains why they must set it free, the girl gives it her own name, Hope, and releases it. The back matter includes a word-and-picture matching game, tips on raising monarchs, and a full-page presentation explaining the generations and migrations of monarchs within a 12-month period. While the fictional story is a bit stiff, the large-print text is accessible to young readers. Clear, colorful photos offer good views of the caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly. While there are many books available on monarch butterfly development, this one targets a younger audience than most. For larger collections.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-A little girl is in her mother's garden when she spies an unusual caterpillar. Her mother takes her and the insect to a butterfly center where they discover that their caterpillar will turn into a monarch butterfly. Taking the creature home, the girl is able to observe what happens during its life cycle. Monroe does an excellent job using appropriate scientific vocabulary along with dialogue to keep readers interested. The text is large and bold, making it accessible to emerging readers. There is also limited text on each page, which keeps the book from being too long for a read-aloud. The photographs are clear and help delineate the action, making it equally useful in elementary classrooms or with families exploring the subject. There is a "For Creative Minds" section that also helps extend the text; it includes a diagram of the butterfly's life cycle, vocabulary matching, and additional facts about monarchs.-Susan E. Murray, formerly at Glendale Public Library, AZ (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
With Linda Love. Nana Butterfly, seemingly some kind of expert, tells Hope that the scary insect she found will grow into a butterfly. Hope cares for the caterpillar, and, sure enough, it does; Hope names it after herself. The first-person narrative wavers in and out of the childlike at random, and photographs vary widely in quality and appeal. Appended information and activities may satisfy budding entomologists. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
