Amazon.com Reviews

"In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf." So begins Eric Carle's modern classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.More than 12 million copies of this book have been sold in its original, full-sized edition, and the beloved tale of science and gluttony has been translated into 20 languages. This five-by-four-inch miniature edition is truly tiny, with tiny type, but it is a nice size for small hands to hold and flip through the pictures. Despite its diminished state, the book is complete in every detail, following the ravenous caterpillar's path as he eats his way through one apple (and the pages of the book itself) on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on, through cherry pie and sausage--until he is really fat and has a stomachache. And no doubt you know what happens next! Kids love butterfly metamorphosis stories, and this popular favorite teaches counting and the days of the week, too. A fun gift package for caterpillar fans. (Baby to preschool) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (146)

A fun, witty, classic tale.
We have this book in a small and large size together with anEric Carle videotape that has the story. A young caterpillar is bornand begins to eat his way through the world and through many foods that you child will be able to identify. These foods are eaten on each of the seven days of the week, an added bonus, as your child begins to learn that Sunday is a different day that Monday. The caterpillar gets very fat. He builds a cocoon and then emerges a large beautiful butterfly. My 3 year old does not tire of this story. He learns about nature, food and the days of the week in one absolutely stunningly illustrated book. You can't get much better than this for young children. If you have young children, or if you are looking for a gift for a 4 year old and younger child, this book is highly, highly recommended. Enjoy.

Perfect spring reading!
This is one of my all-time favorite children's books. One sunny day, a caterpillar pops out of an egg. He is very hungry and begins searching for food. Now, many of Eric Carle's books have gimmicks--the tactile web in THE VERY BUSY SPIDER and the chirping in THE VERY QUIET CRICKET, for example. The gimmick in this book is that the caterpillar eats holes through all the food, holes that are actually punched into the pages of the book. It's a good gimmick, actually. Also, many of Carle's books teach conventions--telling time in THE VERY GROUCHY LADYBUG and animal sounds in THE VERY BUSY SPIDER, for example. This one teaches the days of the week. On Monday, the caterpillar eats this, on Tuesday he eats that, and so forth. Very cute. Eventually, he becomes a fat caterpillar. He then spins himself a cocoon, where he rests for two weeks. And when he emerges...well, you can guess the results. It's a wonderful story. Best of all, the text is very simple as are the illustrations, so the book will appeal to toddlers as well as the pre-K and kindergarten crowd. In fact, it may appeal more to toddlers, because the story is so very simple. I know I read it as a kindergartener. I loved the holes but found the story rather boring. I read it to my two-year-old this spring, however, and he went nuts over it. The days of the week were lost on him, but he was fascinated by the caterpillar turning into a butterfly--he had no idea! Can't tell you how many times we read it. We also re-enacted it, crawling on the floor and eating, spinning ourselves into cocoons, and popping out with fluttery wings. In fact, he was so taken with the caterpillar-to-butterfly phenomenon that I ordered some caterpillars (I used "Insect Lore"--they are on-line--but I'm sure there are lots of other places to get them). We read THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR at each stage of their development and then right before we released them as butterflies. It was the highlight of our spring.

Never understood the charm; still don't
This is not one of my all-time favorite books. It strikes me as tedious, boring, and silly. I would never have bought it for my one-year-old.

Unfortunately for me, a friend gave it to him for his birthday. Fortunately for him, though, Jack loves it. I rarely get out of it without at least three repetitions.

The pictures are kind of pretty, in a modern art sort of way.

A good book to give as a gift to someone else's child -- that way, you won't have to read it endlessly.

A Classic!
I loved this book as a child, and it is now one of my daughters favorite books. This is a MUST HAVE for all children.

Perennial favorite
While on occasion I can persuade the youngster to read Michael Holt's "Rise & Fall of the American Whig Party" with me, she seems to prefer the caterpillar. Who am I to argue? I would have been disappointed if someone hadn't given us this book when she was born, and it remains one of my guilty pleasures, I suppose. We got an extremely cute onesie to go along with the book as well. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Walter makes his third appearance in yet another unapologetically silly picture book, this one dedicated to "everyone who's ever felt misjudged or misunderstood." The story begins when animal gas expert Professor Kompressor pays a visit to Walter's family, equipped with a contraption that looks like a cross between a vacuum cleaner and an old phonograph: "I understand your dog has a farting disorder," he says. At first it seems as if the professor's prescription of powders and potions is working, but one day, young Billy and Betty see Walter floating like a helium balloon over the trees, so full of pent-up gas he has become airborne. Unable to release his gas, the unfortunate dog floats over hill and dale for days and days. The formula for these books requires the much-maligned Walter to redeem his gaseous self by saving the day (he gasses out burglars in the first one and helps catch bank robbers in the second). Here, even more absurdly, he saves millions of butterflies from a freezing windstorm by letting rip a warm cloud of air that melts the frost off their wings.Colorful, crisp, almost three-dimensional art, generated with a digital painting and collage technique, gives the book a bizarre, sophisticated style that both complements and elevates the cheap laughs. (Ages 6 to 9) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very cute!
My 2 1/2 year-old daughter and I love this book! The illustrations are bright and fun and the story really is adorable! It's a fun, imaginative story and it's gotten us hooked on the Walter series.

Funny, different, and a little out there!
I read this book and think Walter is very cute. I like the idea of using the farting dog to interest kids in reading. Kids enjoy farts, so why wouldn't they want to read about them? lol. The illustrations are bright, colorful, and the people in them have a photo quality. There are spiders hidden on every page and half the fun is trying to find them. The storyline is more than a little out there, but kids might buy into it more readily than adults. All in all, good book and I'd definitely recommend it to kids & parents with a sense of humor. Just imagine Grandma & Grandpa reading it aloud!

appaling, but incredibly good and funny
I'm not into potty humor, i'm not into any of the other potty humor type kids books or cartoons, I just loved this book though. The subject should be really weird, I mean a book about a dog with perpetual farts? it wasn't though it was just hilarious, perhaps because of the potty humor. I liked the book almost almost more than my little sister did. ... Read more

Book Description

A caterpillar comes to school in a jar. The class watches the caterpillar each day as it grows and changes. Soon, it disappears into a hard shell called a chrysalis. Then the chrysalis breaks, and a beautiful butterfly flies out of the jar! This is a perfect beginner's guide to the mystery of metamorphosis.

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children 1997 (NSTA/CBC) ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Perfect Butterfly Book for Preschool-Third Grade
I am the director of a lower school (pre-k-2nd) and we have used this book for years. It is the perfect way to introduce children to the wonderful world of metamorphosis. And if you can also actually get the Painted Lady Butterflies and "grow" them in your class, it is an invaluable experience. We have our children keep journals and then buy them each a copy of this great book (it's cheap in paperback) and they get to keep the experience forever. One correction to another review: painted ladies and all butterflies do spin chrysalids, not cocoons. They look similar, but the chrysalis usually has little specks of gold in it, which is where the name comes from. Yes I am a huge fan of this book--and a huge fan of butterflies. This author also has a lovely book about honeybees, called Honeybees.

THE Book to accompany Butterfly Houses, Pavillions
We got this book in addition to a home "Butterfly Pavillion" by InsectLore. It prepared my son and us for what to expect as the Painted Lady Butterflies were developing through each stage. So even during the lulls in the action, we could spark some anticipation. Which heightened the whole process for my 5 year old.
We also found out this book is used at his kindergarten for their butterfly learning.
This is the first Let's-Read-And-Find-Out book we've bought and were impressed enough to want to get the other books in the series.

lovely story, but...
The only complaint I have about this book is that the caterpillar disappears into a chrysalis -- not a cocooon. The last Painted Lady butterflies we had (a watch-your-caterpillar-change-into-a-butterfly kit) all spun cocoons - no chrysalis!

A peek inside a mystery
This book is the perfect accompaniment to spring! Even if you can't bring a caterpillar into your classroom, you can still share the magic and mystery of their turning into butterflies with this wonderful book. The tone is so kid-friendly, kids will be learning without even realizing it. A great resource!

I share it with all of my classes!
This book is perfect for 3rd grade and under. I normally use it as a read-aloud, although this would be just fine for them on their own. Great book! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Doreen Cronin (Click, Clack Moo: Cows That Type) and cartoonist Harry Bliss (illustrator of A Fine, Fine School) shed a whole new light on a creature that spends most of its time underground: the earthworm. Written in diary form, this truly hilarious picture book tracks the ins and outs of a worm's life from the perspective of the worm family's young son. Take June 15's entry: "My older sister thinks she's so pretty. I told her that no matter how much time she spends looking in the mirror, her face will always look just like her rear end. Spider thought that was really funny. Mom did not." Except for the fact that he can't chew gum or have a dog, the boy likes being a worm. He never has to go to the dentist ("No cavities--no teeth, either"), he never gets in trouble for tracking mud through the house, and he never has to take a bath. As long as he can remember Mom's rule "Never bother Daddy when he's eating the newspaper," all is well. Bliss's endearing cartoonish illustrations of anthropomorphized worms are clever visual punchlines for Cronin's delightfully deadpan humor. For example, "June 5: Today we made macaroni necklaces in art class" sounds normal enough until you see the worms wearing one piece of macaroni around their necks, taking up a good part of each worm's body. Children and adults alike will adore this worm's eye perspective on the world. (Ages 6 and older) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Humorous and different
My 3 1/2 year old son loves this book, and so do his parents! I bet my son will think twice next time he wants to step on a worm. I really recommend this book because it's really funny; some of the things I have to explain to my son, in a humorous way of course, but that's part of our bonding while book-reading. It's a great book.

Worms aren't so "oooo-yucky" after all
This is an excellent book for both boys & girls. In a whimsical manner the reader/listeners are taken through a worm's world showing all from the trivial to the most important aspects of their lives. With his little red baseball cap, our subject says good morning to a line of ants one at a time taking him all day. He points out the dangers he faces and explains his most important jobs. What an excelent way to learn about such an unusual creature in our world. Good for story times for 5 & 6 year olds as well.

Why Play on Fears
The author and illustrator are both terrific in imagination and talent. My only criticism is in the one part that plays on children's minds in a negative way. We are told that there are "three reasons" that it is good to be a worm - 1- you don't have to worry about tracking in mud (Fine - that's fun!); 2 - you don't have to take a bath (but kids love baths, until we start to instill this cultural idea that one should resist taking a bath ); and 3 - you don't have to go to the dentist (this is really annoying. Children are so afraid of dentists as it is, why make it worse) Surely there could be 2 other items for this scenerio besides dentists and baths. Just my opinion and, yes, it may be a cultural norm for kids views, but why botch an otherwise fun book. Not for me.

Hilarious!
My daughter and I borrowed this book from the library yesterday and I have to say it's the first book in a long, long time that has sent the both of us into giggling fits. It reminded me of Gary Larson's The Far Side, but for kids. Also some of the humour is pretty subtle for a new 4 year old, but knee-slappingly funny when you get it. The illustrations are a perfect fit for the story in terms of style and content. Don't forget to check out the inside covers of the book - the snapshots and captions are just as hysterical as the rest of the book.

We both highly recommend this book!

Great for beginning readers
My grandson is a beginning reader. He loved Diary of a Worm. He read it with some difficulty at first and then reread it about 5 times,with much laughter each time. After the 2nd time he could read it easily. This is the kind of book which makes a child want to read. ... Read more

Book Description

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is inarguably one of the most popular children's books of all time. Now, here is the Spanish board book version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, filling an important niche for the youngest of Spanish-speaking children. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

So cool!
In case you aren't familiar with this book, it is about a caterpillar who eats and eats and eats. The board book version has holes in the pages so the reader can see what he has eaten. It is so cute! The illustrations are adorable and the kids love it! We are a bilingual family so my boys have the Spansih version. It's super and very durable!

A wonderful way to introduce Spanish into the classroom or y
This is a wonderful Spanish translation of a classic. This story flows whether you are reading in English or Spanish. Children are so familiar with this story that they embrace the Spanish easily. This translation is a must have in the multi-lingual classroom. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

The three-time Caldecott medalist tells the tale of two ants who decide to leave the safety of the others to venture into a danger-laden kitchen. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

"Two Bad Ants" learn a valuable life-lesson.
"Two Bad Ants" was first published over ten years ago, but I somehow overlooked it. This gem is worth adding to your collection of children's books, and it's one that children enjoy hearing over and over again. Best of all, "Two Bad Ants" is a book that YOU won't tire of READING aloud to your kids!! What I love about this book is that Van Allsburg isn't afraid to use big words in a book for children; simplistic books are great for kids who are trying to learn to read, but they need books with more complicated vocabulary in order to increase their understanding of language. Van Allsburg really delivers with this well-written, suspenseful, entertaining tale of two ants who discover a scary world they'd never dreamed existed: a modern kitchen, replete with electrical appliances and the inherent dangers thereof. Van Allsburg delivers the story's message simply and directly on the last page of the book: the ants learn that they belong at home and that will be happiest in their familiar surroundings. The easy life they'd envisioned could be theirs in the strange new indoor world of the house was more dangerous than they could have imagined, and wasn't worth the trouble.

The drawings are simple and clean, and the color-pallette is limited, which makes for fewer distractions. The artwork is really fantastic, but the vivid pictures Van Allsburg draws with his rich, descriptive complex sentences are even more satisfying. This is a book that my children and I will enjoy for years to come.

"Two Bad Ants"
If you are looking for a great kids book, I recommend the book by Chris Van Allsburg, Two Bad Ants. This book captivates the reader with its descriptive text as well as its exciting story line. The book is about two ants who, instead of helping the colony by getting food, decide they will stay where the food is and live alone. They quickly learn that living by themselves is not an easy thing to do. They encounter many hardships and obsticles, finally realizing that they need the colony. Read this book and find out what happens to the two ants and whether or not they make it home.

ants are cool
I think this is great book because it is about 2 ants that go in a house and think that a sink is a water fall and think that grass are big woods and think that salt are big dimens and then fall into a big bucket of salt and took it home this is why I like this book and I think this is a great book

Two ants enter a whole new world (someone's kitchen)
The ant world is all excited because world has come that a marvelous crystal has been discovered in a faraway place. The queen declares the crystal to be the most delicious substance she has ever eaten, and so the ants go forth in a long line to bring her back more of the same. After marching through an a dark forest (of grass) and climbing a mountain (otherwise known as a brick wall) the ants find themselves in a strange world without wind or the smell of dirt and grass, with smooth shiny surfaces, all leading to the sea of crystals.

What has happened is that the ants have made their way in the kitchen of a home and that should be enough to let you guess what those delicious crystals happen to be. Two of the ants decide that the treasure they have found is so great they went their comrades return to the colony, these two stay behind. But then they discover that some of the strange things in this brave new world are pretty dangerous.

The idea behind "Two Bad Ants" is pretty interesting, but the story does not develop it as much as you would think and having it illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg is pretty much illustrative overkill. Certainly taking a different perspective on the ordinary world of their kitchen is something that should prove interesting to young readers, but what should have been a strength of this book, its essentially "realism," is abandoned as the two (bad) ants brave a series of dangers that take more of a traditional comic turn.

But the ultimate irony is that this 1988 book would have been more impressive if it had been done by someone other than Van Allsburg. From the artist that brought us "The Polar Express" and "Jumanji," just to name two Caldecott Medal winner books, "Two Bad Ants" comes across as a trifle. How is that for an exacting standard of excellence?

Hmmmmmmmmmm......
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the graphics in this book. They are really beautiful with a faux-woodcut style that is pretty fresh. If you haven't seen a copy, your eyes will thank you for tracking down a copy.

The title is great. Provocative - Unfortunately it implies a sense of humor to the story, which it lacks. It isn't funny (I mean situationally, verbally funny would be beyond it's target audience). For a book that has at most a paragraph of text, spending twice as much time on the story arc (ummmm... that would have been twenty minutes?) would have resulted in a full-on classic. As it stands 2/3rds of it is perfect and the last element does not hold it's own. I realize kids don't need Wagnerian intricacy, but adults reading the book to them them 4 dozen times, would have appreciated a smidge more depth, intent, beauty or humor to the story.

Bewilderingly, the greater goal of teaching responsibility & obedience is a bit lost while also making youngsters inquisitive about garbage disposals, toasters and electric outlets. !??! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

great images
I read this book to my class of first graders and they loved it! This book is well-written and uses wonderful descriptive words to paint a vivid picture for the kids. They connected to the story and wanted to hear it again!

A Magical Experience
I read this story to my three little children. After I did so in a kind of hushed whisper, we all looked at each other like we just discovered a magical place together. My oldest, who is 7, leaned her head back self-consciously, in a kind of surprise, to stop her tears from spilling over. There is so much youthful joy and discovery and poignancy in the story. What a beautiful book, not just in its words, but in the sepia-tone illustrations.I put it on MY wish list for Christmas!

A young boy awakens to the importance of life beyond himself
This is a true to life story of a young boy's excitement over fireflies he catches on a warm, Summer night. The author beautifully depicts the wonder and exhilaration the boy feels as he catches hundreds of fireflies in his glass jar. As he lies awake in bed that night he watches as the fireflies moonlike glow begins to fade away. He knows he must make a decision. At the conclusion the boy awakens to the importance of life beyond himself, and it is beautiful. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Babies and toddlers who loved the "real" ladybugs in Ten LittleLadybugs will adore the nine sparkly, three-dimensional butterflies inGood Night, Sweet Butterflies. Each glitter-covered butterfly flitsthrough a color-themed spread which offers a place for the little winged oneto sleep: "on red roses as a red robin sings good night," is the textaccompanying a psychedelic, color-saturated image of birds, flowers, andvarious insects. The meter of the rhyming text is a bit off, which makes ithard to read the book rhythmically, but little ones are likely to be soenthralled with the illustrations that it won’t matter. The thick,kid-friendly pages are easy to turn and hard to tear; the butterflies aresecurely mounted, but not impossible to remove, so it might be a good ideato keep this one for reading together. (Ages 2 to 6) --Jennifer Lindsay ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Good Night, Sweet Butterflies
My 23-month old daughter loves this book. The butterflies are pretty and sparkly, the illustrations are bright and colorful, and the text is flowing and poetic. She asks to read this book nearly every night. It's also a fun way for her to learn her colors!

My Daughter's New Favorite
This book is absolutely beautiful. A brilliant bedtime story with vibrant colors and gorgeous illustrations. Each page teaches a different color and the illustrations boldly burst with that color. ..., is how the book starts off and we are then led all around this color dreamland. ...The butterflies in the book are popped out and sparkly. As we turn each page the color butterfly we are reading about disappears. Each page mentions the color twice and an animal. The last page reunites all the butterflies and the colorful animals as we say goodnight...My daughter loved this book since she was 4 months old. The colorful illustrations keep her interested and she likes to grab at the popped up butterflies. A delightful story I enjoy reading again and again. I sometimes even read it to myself. The purple page is MY favorite.

My daughter loves it
My daughter 1 year old really likes this book. I bought it because of its similarity to the 10 little ladybugs book. It has the same sort of colorful illustrations and I like it better as the ladybugs are not as pretty as the sparkly butterflies. This book teaches colors as each of the butterflies finds a place to stay for the night.

Beautiful book !!
Each page has a color theme that is comparible with the color of the butterfly. Lovely.

Wonderful book with educational value
I bought this book for my 1 year old daughter because it has some beautiful illustrations. Little did I know, we would be reading this book daily at bedtime. Now she's 17 months old and she knows all of her colors, but not just the color pictures in the book. You can ask her to bring you something red and she will bring you the nearest red toy she finds! I attribute much of her progress to this book. Mom likes it too! ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Sweet Story, Beautifully Illustrated
My two year old son loves The Very Quiet Cricket; and this book, along with "Brown Bear, Brown Bear...", have been his bedtime favorites for months. Toddlers and parents alike will enjoy the repetitive and rhythmic nature of the verse (my son heaves a very dramatic sigh every time I read "...but nothing happened, not a sound." The simplicity of the tale lends itself nicely to parental embellishment, which is great for those who like to add a bit of their own drama to a story. I love the fact that I can tailor my reading of it to suit the hour or my son's mood, making it shorter or longer, exciting or soothing. Eric Carle's illustrations alone make this book a worthy addition to any child's library.

I agree with the reviewer who complained that this is not "first reader" material, but I would add that "The Very Quiet Cricket" is more about the joy of reading than about teaching the mechanics of sounding out simple words.

Attention getting illustrations
The Quite Cricket book is another favorite from Eric Carle. I have almost every book he has written. My favorite is The Very Hungry Caterpillar but this is a tie for second.. I loved how he illustrated all the other insects in the story especially the dragonfly. The large drawings would hold the attention of a young child. This isn't a book for a new reader some of the vocabulary is a little difficult. The only draw back to this book is when the battery that makes the cricket sound dies, it is rather expensive to replace.

Great Illustrations & Story, but...
My 8 1/2 month old is fascinated by the wonderful artwork and the chirping sound. I expect he'll enjoy the story when he can understand the words. However, there's an inconsistency in the text that drives me crazy. The three crickets are referred to as "he" and "she," but the praying mantis and worm are referred to as "it." Argh!

Our child loves this book!
We received this book as a gift and Grandma ended up getting the board book version for our daughter because she loved it so much (and wanted to look at it more often than we did)! The illustrations are great, like in all of Eric Carle's books.

She loves getting to the end of the story, but will also turn back to look at favorite pages.

We have a few of the other Eric Carle books and enjoy them as well, but this one stands out right now and it doesn't look like her interest is going to fade any time soon.

Very Provocative Bugs
The Very Quiet Cricket is a great book, and while difficult, I suspect most children will like this much more than their parents suspect. Like all of Eric Carle's books, my son (2 ½) loves The Very Quiet Cricket. The art is, as always, amazing, and he really enjoys repeating the phrases on each page. The formula seems to draw out his inquisitiveness; this book nearly always stimulates more enjoyment than others do. In particular, he enjoys the chirping sound the book makes when you turn to the last page. He'll ask to have the book read to him as many as four times in a row.

This is a challenging book for young kids, more so than many of Carle's others. I think the interesting insects and provocative words and sounds are part of why my son likes it so much. It may be some time before he really masters that vocabulary, but I love that Carle challenges his young readers in this way. I can unconditionally recommend this book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A perfect springtime accompaniment to actual bugs, Insectlopedia swarms, buzzes, and slithers with poetry and paint. Douglas Florian, creator of the award-winning Beast Feast, On the Wing, and In the Swim, has succeeded again, this time with a delightful infestation of 21 spider and insect poems and paintings, awash in watercolor and collage on primed brown paper bags.

Well-loved for his clever wordplay (complete with endearingly shameless visual and verbal puns), Florian manages to seamlessly blend science with pure whimsy. Take "The Praying Mantis," for example: "Upon a twig/I sit and pray/For something big/To wend my way;/A caterpillar,/Moth,/or bee--/I swallow them/Religiously." His rhythmic chant "The Weevils" begins, "We are weevils./We are evil./We've aggrieved/Since time primeval." Add a few inchworms, moths, and whirligig beetles, and you have the blisteringly funny, stingingly clever Insectlopedia, the perfect book for emerging entomologists and budding poets alike. (All ages) ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great fun, even for kids who aren't "insect lovers"
This is a book of poems about insects. The poems are great; their content is funny and rhythmic. Through the poems we learn about the various insects. Some have very creative text formatting such as the inchworm; the text is shaped like a humped-up inchworm. The illustrations are very creative collages that are unique compared to most other children's books.

I began reading this when my first son was 2 years old and he loved the poems then and he loves them now. Neither of my children are otherwise very interested in reading about insects but this book captures their interest and they laugh hysterically at some of these poems. After reading these they have found some of the more unusual insects such as the walking stick outdoors and called it to my attention. We've owned the book for 3 years, every once in a while my now-5 year old will find it and get excitedly proclaim "we haven't read this in a long time" and begs me to read it again (and again and again).

Some of the insects featured are the inchworm, tick, walking stick, praying mantis, monarch butterfly, daddy long legs spider and army ants.

The poems are so much fun I don't mind reading the entire book two or three times in a row. A fun book to read to young children. This is good reading for just plain fun or to introduce poetry or to enhance learning about insects and nature.

It's great! (Ethan 5) It's Wonderful (Alissa 6)
We just love reading Insectlopedia! My 6 year old daughter andmy 5 year old son both think it is a great read. Ethan & Alissalike the poem about the Whirligig Beetles the best.

Excellent Book Filled with Info!
I read this book while sitting in the Dr.'s office this week. It was not only fun to read, but educational as well. At 27 I learned some interesting things about insects! And the illustrations are outstanding, especially for adults who can look further into the artwork.

enchanting poems not only for children
Florian created a wonderful book of poems that captured the youthful joy and echantment of the insect world. Each poem is unique and the accompanying illustrations are whimsical and fun. Both parents and children will love this book.

A pure delight!
As a children's author myself, I look at a LOT of picture books each year. INSECTLOPEDIA was one I simply had to have. The poems and art are equally witty, and it seems to me the perfect gift book, to be enjoyed and appreciated by children (and adults) of all ages. Every time I show it to someone, we find something new to delight us in the art work. A wonderful book! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Every young child should be introduced to this story, as great a classic as its predecessor, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This colorful picture book describes a spider's day. Blown onto a farmyard fence, she starts to spin a web. The other animals ask if she wants to play, but in every case "the spider didn't answer. She was very busy spinning her web." The book is touchable: elements including the strands of web are embossed on the pages and you can follow them with your fingertips. But the best thing by far is Carle's familiar, yet still breathtaking skill as an illustrator. Especially in this large 11.5-by-8.5-inch format, his cow, goat, and dog (just to mention three favorites) capture the essence of each animal in a way few artists can hope to approach. (Baby to preschool) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Beautifully illustrated story for young children.
I love this story of the determined spider who is blown on a fence and begins to weave her web, too busy to play with the other animals. She catches her fly at the end. The typical farm animals are represented and young children will be able to identify the animals by the pictures and can make the noises of the animals portrayed. The web can be felt with the fingertips, although my son was never and is still not impressed with this feat, although his mother is. Eric Carle is a masterful illustrator and story teller. If you have never read his books to young children and seen the fascination of a 2 year old sitting and waiting for the page to be turned, you are missing out. He does not have one bad book. His illustrations are stunning. We have a LOT of books at our house and this one is chosen at least once a week for a bedtime story. Highly highly recommended.

Terrific for toddlers
My two-year-old and I love this book. It's about a spider who blows in, lands on a fence post, and spends the entire day building a web. She keeps working as various animals tempt her to do other things. At the end of the day, she catches a fly in her web and then falls asleep, tuckered out from her busy day. This book has several things going for it. First, it is a very simple narrative, making it one of the first stories that your child will be able to understand. Second, it is repetitive. Toddlers LOVE repetition and it is good for them. It helps them stay focused on the story, and gives them a chance to "read" something themselves, because they will naturally recite the repetitive bits as you come to them. Last of all, this book has several animals and the noises they make--very important for that fund of knowledge you are building. Oh, and I forgot the kicker: The spider web is made of some sort of 3D glue, making it tactile. My son loves running his fingers along it. I would have given this book 5 stars, but I love Carle's THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR even more!

Cute
This is a cute story about a spider who drops in on a farm. All the farm animals greet her and invite her to play. But the spider spends the day building her web instead. The book is fun and informative, and not at all scary. The pages are doubled so they are easy to turn, but be careful, because inquisitive little fingers may reach inside the pages and rip them. The book has about 350 words.

silent
I liked this book but it was too short. I mostly liked this book because of the spiders web you get to feel. I wouldn't mind reading it again.

The Very Busy Spider
This book is about a spider that is spinning its web while alot of animals came and ask it to play.
The moral of the book is that after your done working you can have fun. It is a good book for young kids because it has colerful pictures and it teaches about spiders and what they do.
I woul say the age rating is 3 to 6. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lois Ehlert, beloved illustrator of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom andmany other bold, beautiful picture books has outdone herself with this gorgeous(seriously breathtaking) celebration of butterfly metamorphosis. "Out in thefields, eggs are hidden from view, / clinging to leaves with butterfly glue. /Soon caterpillars hatch. They creep and chew. / Each one knows what it must do."As the gentle rhyme unfolds, we turn the small, partial pages that form thelarger spread of fabulous foliage in this lush, oversized book. Before our eyes,the eggs turn to caterpillars, the caterpillars to cases, the cases to lovelybutterflies. "They pump their wings, get ready to fly, then hungry butterflieshead for the sky." The colors become increasingly dazzling, each butterflyspringing to life with Ehlert's color-soaked cut-paper magic. Several pages ofbackground material conclude the book, labeling different kinds of butterfliesat different stages of development, from the buckeye butterfly to the paintedlady to the monarch. A "Butterfly Information" page clearly labels butterflyanatomy and answers basic question about these fascinating fluttery insects, a"Flower Identification" page showcases butterfly-attracting flowers such as thepurple coneflower (echinacea), phlox, and lantana, and the last page offers afew pointers on growing a butterfly garden. (Ages 3 to 6) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Elegantly beautiful.
This is not a storybook, but it is a book to be loved. With interesting art in vibrant colors, the book describes the life cycle of the butterfly in poetry and then presents more detailed information on moths and butterflies -- and about which flowers will attract them. The inventive art, on odd-size pages, is outstanding. Some of the art is geometrical, some looks like paper cutouts layered to look three-dimensional. And don't worry about the dust jacket -- if it rips, just pitch it -- the gorgeous art is repeated on the book cover itself.

Waiting For Wings Soars!
This delightful story explains the life cycle of the butterfly in a clear, enjoyable way that young children will understand. The rich language with many action verbs and the author's clever use of rhyme make this book appealing to young children. The size of the illustrations are consistent with the story grammer as the pictures are largest at the point of climax in the story- when the butterflies are ready to fly. The illustrations are very brilliant in color which will appeal to young children. The end papers and title page are illustrated and a part of the story. The cover opens up to a large flower garden with the title on the right side. Descriptions of butterflies, flowers and how to grow a butterfly garden are included.
This book will help young children gain a better understanding of nature and enhance their early literacy skills at the same time.

Toddlers and Babies, too!
I have a three year old daughter who must be read to before sleeping. I also have a three month old baby girl who is often in the bed with us while we read. Often, the baby is restless and cries before we finish our books. Waiting for Wings is a fabulous solution. I find this interesting AND educational for my toddler. In addition, the colors are bright and contrasting, allowing my baby to be entertained while the book is read.

Just O.K.
... I was disappointed when I actually got the book. It may be good for the 1-3-year-old set, but my 4-year-old is much more sophisticated about butterflies than this book addresses. For the same money, there are alot of other books that have more beautiful artwork. Don't waste your money-check this one out from the library instead!

My daughter loves this book!
My 3 year old daughter loves this book! Beautiful drawings of flowers and butterflies. The drawback was that for a couple months after getting this book, we had to read it every night, and we had to name every butterfly on every page. "What kind of butterfly is this?" "That's a Monarch butterfly." "What kind of butterfly is this?" "That's a Tiger swallowtail butterfly." I'm sure that's good in the long run, but holy cow, she was obsessed with this book! :) Thankfully, the obsession dwindled a bit, and now we can enjoy our occasional readings of the book together. I do recommend this book! ... Read more

Book Description

In Ten Little Ladybugs, one by one, ten tactile bugs disappear.Where did they all go?Young ones will love finding this out as they feel their way through the sturdy, colorful pages of this innovative book.The cute critters provide a hands-on learning experience and the rhyming text reinforces the counting concept.Interactive, educational, adorable - this magical countdown book adds up to a whole lot of fun.See why over 800,000 have been sold to date! ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Baby's First Love
At four months of age, this was the first book that our son really took note of, allowing us to read all the text. He loved to touch the three-dimensional ladybugs on each page. The paintings are colourful and original, and now that our little boy is over 18 months old, he likes to name the creatures on each page, and point them out to us. It is also a counting book (for future reference). This sort of book is preferable to a book about one character. For the baby-toddler, variety is key. Each page has a new bug or creature to see. Babies like repetition, but they are not interested in page after page of the same picture. There's a fun rhythmn to the simple text, but it's the colourful illustrations and three-dimensional ladybugs that we've enjoyed most. It's a special book that we keep on the night-time books shelf, or the mum-and-me-in-the-afternoon table. Costs a bit more than Barney or Elmo, but worth it!

My 10 month old LOVES this book!
This is one of my 10 month old's very favorite books. When he goes to his little bookshelf, this is the book he invariably pulls down and flips though. When I read it to him, he is totally riveted. When he flips through it by himself, I see him touching the ladybugs (since they're 3 dimensional) and exploring the holes on the left.

This book is brilliant and works on many levels. It's very melodic (great rhyming verses w/out being too sing-song-y). Example: "Ten little ladybugs, sitting on a vine. Along came a caterpiller, then there were..." turn the page and you get "nine little ladybugs...."

Plus, you've got each number on the page represented 4 ways -- on the right, you see how many ladybugs remain (i.e., 10 of them). On the left, you've got the number displayed ("10"), plus the holes add up to the same number, and then the verse at the bottom has the number written out ("ten little ladybugs...")

All the characters throughout the book (the caterpillar, the grasshopper, the turtle, etc.) show up at the end so you it's not like they come & go and are forgotten, and each page is beautifully illustrated. The book is also very well put together and I don't fear that the ladybugs are going to come off when my son grabs them. This book is very well used in our house and it's still holding up incredibly well. We highly recommend it!

Get this book for your baby!
A friend started reading this book to her son right after he was born. When I babysat him at 5 or 6 months he was holding the page down until I counted all of the ladybugs while he pointed to them with me. It was definitely his favorite book and I couldn't believe that he was tracking print left to right and turning pages correctly at this young age!
So now I buy all of my friends with new babies this book and their children all seem to love it!

A Must Have...
As a Child Development Specialist I understand the importance of reading to infants - so you can imagine my disappointment when my baby had an active resentment to my attempts to "read" to her.

Suddenly (like a light switch), at 13 months, my daughter became completely enamored with books. Ten Little Ladybugs is her absolute favorite... and we read it 5-7 times EVERY day. She pulls it out from the coffee table and crawls into my lap for story time. Both the writing and illustrations are magnificent.

Reading this book to my daughter is such a fun experience that I truly believe every child should be fortunate enough to have that important grown-up in their life share this magical book with them.

I now give this book as gifts to all baby and grandparent showers I attend.

cant get it out of my head
what a wonderfull book. the bight colors and the neat rhyme my 4 year olds know it by heart, and reads it from memory to her baby sister. i love houw it hels counting down. and the 3-d laddy bugs are great. this is just one not to pass up ... Read more

Book Description

One night a very lonely firefly goes off in search of friends. Each time he sees a flicker of light he flies off toward it, but none of them turn out to be fireflies. He sees a lantern, an owl's eyes, even headlights shining in the darkness. Will the lonely firefly ever find creatures like himself?

A classic in its own time, The Very Lonely Firefly is finally available in a beautiful board book format, perfect for the youngest readers and the smallest hands. And just as in the hardcover edition, the fireflies' lights actually light up, delighting children of all ages. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

The Very Lonely Firefly
My children (ages 2&4) adore this book. The text is a bit boring, but they look forward to the last page. They also have a tendency to leave it open, and the batteries have been replaced twice in the last 5 months -- (it takes 4 batteries that retail for $2-3 each, and I've only been able to find them at one electronics store). This seems to be too much maintenance for a children's book -- especially given that we enjoy Eric Carle's "no-maintenance" books just as much or more.

Great First Bedtime Book
I've been sharing this with my daughter since she was about 7 months old. She was a little antsy the first time through, but when we reached the lights she fell in love with the book. It is her favorite of the Eric Carle books (although she really likes sticking her fingers in the holes of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.) My daughter is now 20 months old and asks for this story every night. Her vocabulary is growing with each rereading and she is able to point out most objects (firefly, candle, lantern, dog, cat, flashlight, lights) to me. I am surprised at how much she enjoys it and find this is one book I don't mind reading every night.

The batteries are the only problem. The first set finally died after a year of steady use, and the second set didn't last very long. (I suspect she left the boook open all day.) I am having trouble finding replacements that don't cost more than the book, but the book is so enjoyable I don't mind.

The Very Lonely Firefly
My children love this book. The flashing lights for fireflies at the end is the icing on the cake! We have been out for the past 4 nights catching fireflies in a jar (and then letting them go) to watch them glow. My boys (ages 3 and 5) love all the Eric Carle books.

Buy it!
Okay, don't even hesitate on this book, just buy it! The fireflies light up at the end of the book and there just couldn't be any child anywhere that wouldn't be thrilled with this book. Mine just played and played with it and couldn't put it down. Still is one of his favorites and has to be read VERY frequently! This is such a cute, cute book and very well done. Plus, it has fireworks in it - another household favorite! It goes through and shows the many things that light up at night, explaining them very well. Just grab it and run - you won't be disappointed!

Where Are You?
The Very Lonely Firefly is a good book. This firefly is in search for another. He shines his light to attract others but can never find anyone. This book keeps you in suspense. He always finds a light but...It's never a firefly. To find out the ending of this book read The Very Lonley Firefly! ... Read more

Book Description

Written to be read aloud by two voices--sometimes alternating, sometimes simultaneous--here is a collection of irresistible poems that celebrate the insect world, from the short life of the mayfly to the love song of the book louse. Funny, sad, loud, and quiet, each of these poems resounds with a booming, boisterous, joyful noise.

In this remarkable volume of poetry for two voices, a companion to I Am Phoenix,Paul Fleischman verbally re-creates the "Booming/boisterios/joyful noise" of insects. The poems resound with the pulse of the cicada and the drone of the honeybee. Eric Beddows's vibrant drawings send each insect soaring, spinning, or creeping off the page in its own unique way.

Paul Fleischman has created not only a clear and fascinating guide to the insect world--from chrysalid butterflies to whirligig beetles--but an exultant celebration of life.

Winner, 1989 Newbery Medal
Notable Children's Books of 1988 (ALA)
1988 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
1988 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award Honor Book for Fiction/Poetry
1989 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
1988 Notable Trade Books in the Language Arts (NCTE)
Children's Books of 1988 (Library of Congress)
1988 Books for the Teen Age (NY Public Library)
100 Books for Reading and Sharing (NY Public Library)

Reviews (15)

What a great book!
This is a collection of beautiful short poems for children about a variety of insects. The children are supposed to read the poems together as if it were a dialog or play and the interplay of words is supposed to fit with the type of insect the poem describes. The book, illustrated by Eric Beddows, won the 1989 Newbery Medal for best contribution to American children's literature.

Great and Lots of fun!
Joyful noise is a great book to read with another person. It is filled with poems for two voices about insects. It has from Book Lice to Water Striders, House Crickets to Grasshoppers, Water Boatmen to Fireflies. I really enjoy reading it with one of my friends!!

An original idea
These poems about the lives of different insects are meant to be read by two voices, thereby mimicking the sounds or characteristics of those bugs. The book works rather well, especially the whirligig beetle poem. Appearing in bookstores nation wide in 1992, I remember being given this book at the age of 10 from my mother. At that particular age I was not interested in participating in a picture book, clearly designed for younger students. Had I received it at a younger age I think I would have liked it more. I would recommend presenting this book to a group of students, having them perform it together. That would be the best use of this singular text.

Wonderful
A real celebration of the insects. Fourteen neat poems - you can read just one side and enjoy the poems too if you don't have a partner onhand but listening to them read by two people is neat! Really great drawings throughout - obviously done by a nature lover. The poems are funny and at times like haiku too.

A Novel Way to Engage Children in Poetry
This book consists of fourteen poems about different insects. Each poem is written in two parts and must be read aloud to be truly appreciated. The two parts fit together, and when performed aloud, have a rhythmical sound. Having children act out the poems as they read them would be a great way to incorporate dance and creative movement. I would recommend this book for all teachers and parents who want to get children excited about poetry. ... Read more

Book Description

Hi dee ho! It's off to a picnic we go! One hundred very hungry ants hurry to sample the delights of a picnic, but marching in single file seems too slow for 100 empty tummies. The smallest ant of all suggests they travel in 2 rows of 50, four rows of 25 . . . and the division begins. One Hundred Hungry Ants is not only a spirited and whimsical story, but also serves as an enjoyable visual introduction to math. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

One Hundred Hungry Ants
This book was enjoyed by myself and the kids I read it to. The ants on their way to a picnic held our attention with anticipation of how the ants were going to form thier lines. The 100 ants changed formation several times and it shows of all the possibilites there are with using different rows with the same 100 ants. It's a good way to introduce higher numbers and can include lessons on adding, multiplying and even subtraction since the little guy took off in the end. I found very enjoyable because of the cute repitional phrase that allowed the kids to feel familar with this book very fast.

Fun, useful, and cleverly illustrated
My kindergartener and I were talking about money, one day, and he volunteered that he'd learned that ten dimes make a dollar when his kindergarten teacher read "One Hundred Hungry Ants". This book has no discussion of money, but it teaches that 100 equals 2 times 50, 4 times 25, 5 times 20, and 10 times 10, just the right lesson for him at that time. The rhythm of the rhyming works pretty well, and the pictures are very clever, adding a lot of enjoyment to the story. This one is worth reading again and again, if that's the kind of child you have.

How the ants come marching (by the numbers)
As you might guess from the title of this little book, one hundred hungry ants are marching towards a picnic to get some yummies for their tummies. However, marching single file in a line 100 ants long is going to take way too long to get from where they are to where they want to be and the littlest ant is worried the food will all be gone by the time they get there. So he comes up with the idea of marching in 2 lines of 50 instead as a way of getting their faster.

That is just the first of several ideas the littlest ant has about how to divide up 100 ants in this story told by Elinor J. Pinczes and illustrated with what I assume are colored wood block prints. There are plenty of counting books, but "One Hundred Hungry Ants" deals with issues of multiplication and division. It seems to me that the key thing here is that sooner or later in reading this book young readers will be anticipating the littlest ant next suggestion. The front flap of the dust jacket points out that this book provides the math skills young kids can use to make change for a dollar and that certainly has to be a good thing, well worth the learning.

Just a Mom's Humble Opinion!
There may be many books about math, but I have yet found any that go beyond 10 or sometimes 20. I found this book interesting, fun and quite beautiful with its slate blue muted tones. I thought the graphics where so calming. The added bonus was my 7 year old daughter enjoyed the book and wanted to read it over and over!

Great book for a 1st grade teacher!
I use this book every year with my first graders and they love it! They think the illustrations are funny, they eagerly predict how the ants will divide their lines next, they want to hear it read more than once (Read it again! Pleeeese Miss B?) The children also like to take it off the shelf in the classroom library and share/discuss the story later with a friend. This is one of my favorite math books, not only because it teaches a concept but also because it makes kids laugh! ... Read more

Book Description

Hey, little ant down in the crack

Can you hear me? Can you talk back?

See my shoe, can you see that?

Well now it's gonna squish you flat!So begins a conversation between a young boy and the ant trembling in the shadow of his sneaker. This playful story brings up questions about the ethics and peer pressure, encouraging the very youngest citizens to decide for themselves: to squish...or not to squish?! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Using ANTS to teach diversity.
"Hey, Little Ant," by Phillip and Hannah Hoose is one of my favorite children's books. Based on a real-life experience the author had as he watched his toddler squishing ants one day, this book is as powerful a teaching tool as I've seen come along in a very long time. In this classic, a Kid threatens to squish the book's hero Ant and a clever dialogue ensues. Allowed to plead its case, the Ant explains to the boy that he, too, has a special reason for being. Through cleverly rhyming verse, set to musical notes if you'd rather sing it, the Ant tries to negotiate for its life, citing the "Golden Rule" to solidify its case. The beauty of this tale is that it ends with a dilemma: "what do you think that Kid should do?" Leaving it open-ended is a tremendous way to generate dialogue with children. It gives them the opportunity to think the problem through and offer problem-solving solutions; it serves to empower them by giving them a voice. At a time in our society when schools are reluctant to teach values through character education, along comes a little book with a powerful message. As a counselor, I used it to teach middle schoolers how to deal with the people who are ANTS in their lives - who might bite them with their words or try to poison them with their actions - focusing on characteristics we might need like Awareness, Negotiation, Tolerance and Sensitivity. I give "Hey, Little Ant" as many stars as it can get and more. Don't miss this one; you will NOT be disappointed!

Changing Perspectives for Children
Kid: "Hey, little ant . . . ./See my shoe, can you see that?/Well, now, it's gonna squish you flat!"

This situation opens the book. The story then evolves into a dialogue between ant and kid to decide the ant's fate.

The kid feels like he can do what he wants if the ant cannot talk back, but his ant can. The ant begs for his life. Then the kid argues that ants don't feel, and no one will miss him. The ant points out that he will be missed. The kid argues that ants steal from people, and the ant protests that they only take a little. The kid says that his friends expect him to squish the ant, and the ant asks the kid to exchange places in his mind. "If you were me and I were you,/What would you want me to do?"

The book ends with "What do you think that kid should do?" This question is a nice set-up for a thoughtful discussion with your child. Unlike many books that proclaim the correct judgment, this one certainly suggests that the ant not be squished but leaves the question open. You can ask how your child's answer might change if other creatures are involved (a mosquito, a worm, a caterpillar, a butterfly, and so forth).

The rhyming scheme in the book is also set to music in the back, so you can also play and sing the book together.

Phillip Hoose is on the staff of the Nature Conservancy. His daughter and co-author, Hannah, was 9 when they wrote this book together. So another pleasure of changing perspectives here is to realize that parents and children can write books and songs together!

The illustrations are very wonderful. In several sequences, the two page spreads are developed vertically rather than horizontally. Ms. Tilley does this very well to portray the giant kid looming over the ant, and later the imaginary giant ant dominating the kid. Each illustration has a sense of movement and presence that makes them seem to come off the page. The details are very rewarding, and will encourages your youngster to look closely.

After reading this book, I suggest that you also talk about where parents and children should be more considerate of each other in what they ask and expect. The relative size differences there are important. You may be surprised to find that your children are a little