A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long - review

I swear to God, I thought the last thing I needed was One More Butterfly Book. And I also thought, when I saw that this book had been nominated for a Cybils Award in the Nonfiction Picture Book category, for which I am a first-round judge, that maybe I had finally outgrown my susceptibility to Sylvia Long's gorgeous watercolors and graceful calligraphy.

After all, I am well aware that A Seed Is Sleepy and An Egg Is Quiet - I have bought those books, I have gifted those books, and I have recommended those books. They make good baby shower gifts, among other things. I mean, as well as being informative and inspiring. I thought there was probably not one more serene natural subject worthy of Ms. Long's well-researched scrutiny and Dianna Hutts Aston's tranquil prose.

But holy crap, I could stare at this thing for hours. Lovely.

So if you have Waiting for Wings and Arabella Miller's Tiny Caterpillar and Laurence Pringle's An Extraordinary Life in your school or classroom library and you thought you were done, well, better make a little room on the shelf. And give your kids sketchbooks and some colored pencils - they're going to want to go outside and draw something.

 

Something like this owl butterfly, caligo memnon, with a 5-inch wingspan.

Comments

[TipTheCowdog]

Yes! I love books that feature believable characters, such as animals. I think they are easier for kids to relate to and easier to learn morals from. So many books and movies for young children these days are unbelievable, such as aliens or wizards or monsters. Have you noticed this trend? Why do you think this is?

For my children's book, "The True Adventures of Tip the Catahoula-Leopard Cowdog", I made the main character a cute little puppy who turns into a bull-scaring cowdog. You can read an excerpt, if you'd like, at http://barbaragourley.authorsxpress.com <-my blog.

Thanks!