Review by Booklist Review
This brightly illustrated book leads off with a six-stanza, rhyming poem about caterpillars. With one exception, phrases from the verse reappear sequentially in bold red letters on the pages that follow, along with a paragraph or two discussing the ideas suggested, if not directly stated, by those phrases. Six or more photos, drawn from a variety of sources and clearly reproduced, appear on a typical spread, along with colorful captions, arrows, borders. Although the poem itself is quite good, and the text and photos explore subjects it raises, more direct headings identifying different topics would have brought greater clarity to the presentation. The extensive back matter includes a page on caterpillar anatomy, a glossary, lists of recommended books and websites, a list of scientific and common names for species mentioned, and two appealing and well-designed activities laid out on double-page spreads. 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 4-This basic introduction to caterpillar reproduction, development, diet, survival, habitat, and anatomy is combined with powerfully clear photography that will captivate a wide audience. The book has two levels of text: simple capitalized red letters that swirl across the pages for the youngest readers to more complicated paragraphs easy enough for third or fourth graders to enjoy. The book opens with a simple six-stanza poem that begins, "Caterpillars smooth,/Caterpillars hairy./Munching in a giant bunch./Lunching solitary" and swings through caterpillar movement, growth, camouflage, development, and metamorphosis. Each paragraph includes a smoothly written explication that will prepare children to take a 12-question "Pop Quiz" and play "Match the Caterpillar to the Moth or Butterfly." The text concludes with information about the anatomy of a caterpillar and scientific and common names of butterflies and moths. Lois Ehlert's exemplary Waiting for Wings (Harcourt, 2001) is for younger listeners while Darlyne Murawski's Face to Face with Caterpillars (National Geographic, 2007) is for third- to fourth-grade readers. Singer's Caterpillars will serve both groups when the other popular titles are checked out, which they usually are.-Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA (c) Copyright 2011. 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.
