Starred Review ALA Booklist (Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2001)

Starred Review For reading alone. In a field, butterfly eggs stick to leaves, then hatch. Caterpillars eat and make a case in which to grow. Then the cases tear and butterflies emerge, pumping their wings. They sip nectar from the flowers, then fly back to the fields to lay their eggs. Following this simple story, a colorful spread depicts the caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly stages of the Buckeye, Painted Lay, Monarch, and Tiger Swallowtail butterflies. Three more pages lay out basic information about the physical characteristics, life stages, and food of butterflies; pictures of the flowers that butterflies favor; and advice on planting a garden that attracts butterflies. The large format allows for an unusual device: the first half of the story takes place in one small section of the field, which is represented on a double-page spread. Small pages at the bottom of the spread turn so that minor changes to the eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalises can be shown within the larger framework. Although this concentrates children's attention on the subtle changes taking place, the overall consequence is a rather static first half of the book. However, that in turn heightens the effect of flight when the butterflies finally take off, glowing in silhouette against a white background. Ehlert's sense of form, color, and design inform every page but are seen to best effect where garden and butterflies combine in a glorious riot of pink, purple, red, yellow, orange, green, and tawny hues. The short, rhyming text reads aloud well, telling the story without anthropomorphism. An original and vivid introduction.

Starred Review for Publishers Weekly

Ehlert (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Hands;<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC""> Market Day) again spreads her creative wings to deliver this inventively designed picture book about caterpillars' metamorphosis into butterflies. Nestled against a verdant spring-garden backdrop formed by the front end paper and opening page, readers will find a small book within the book. On each of the smaller pages, which are artistic extensions of the main background spread, Ehlert unfolds a rhyming text explaining how caterpillars lay eggs and form "a case in which to grow" before "wings unfold; new butterflies are born!" A series of half and full pages show the brilliant butterflies taking wing, flitting among bold cut-paper-collage flowers in vibrant pinks, purples, yellows, reds and oranges. The brief and cheery tone serves as an inviting introduction into a fascinating life cycle. Several closing pages contain detailed information on butterflies, a visual glossary for butterfly and flower identification (including ways of recognizing butterflies by their caterpillar and chrysalis markings) and suggestions for growing a butterfly garden. On the whole, Ehlert soars with a masterful blend of art and natural science. A must for budding lepidopterists. Ages 3-7. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Apr.)

Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2001)

Ehlert's clever design is perfectly aligned with the stages of the butterfly life cycle: the book begins as a smaller book-within-a-book, starting with very small pages when the subject is eggs and caterpillars, reaching full size with the butterflies that feed on flower nectar and lay the next generation of eggs. Illustrations and text are packed with important scientific details in this marvelous presentation.

Kirkus Reviews

With each spread opening to an explosion of bright, gorgeous color, Ehlert ( Market Day , 2000, etc.) takes a close-up look at the life stages of four butterflies, all of which are seen amidst a profusion of the plant life on which they subsist. Several shorter split pages, lining up with the stems and flowers on the standard-sized pages add extra measures of suspense and surprise as the author tracks her subjects' physical changes. The next set includes long, narrow pages that follow the flight to the flower garden. There, readers will need sunglasses to view the extravagantly hued varieties of butterfly-attracting flowers. Finished with the story, fanciers will find two pages on identification, more detailed descriptive information, and advice about starting a butterfly garden. (But don't remove those sunglasses.) Unfortunately, the main text—a singsong jingle—doesn't measure up to the eye-popping art. In order to serve the rhyme, Ehlert repeatedly has her butterflies "eat" nectar, even though, as explained in the appendix, they actually drink it—but this still makes a riveting introduction to the science and (visually at least) the poetry of these splendidly attired insects. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-7)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-A beautifully woven blend of information about caterpillars, butterflies, and the gardens that attract them. Vibrant colors jump off of white backgrounds to show realistic-looking butterflies and flowers in Ehlert's signature cut-paper-collage style. The artist is creative with paper size. Overall, the book measures 10 by 12 inches. Open the front cover, however, and readers see a smaller internal page that actually blends its illustrations into the endpapers surrounding it. The pages then become increasingly larger until they are full sized to showcase the butterflies in search of a flower garden. Ehlert deftly documents the caterpillars' life cycle. "Caterpillar changes now begin-body and wings take shape within. When it's time, each case is torn-wings unfold; new butterflies are born!" The story completes its arc with the butterflies ready to begin their life cycle again. The remaining pages identify the various butterfly and flower species showcased in the story, depicting the adult, the caterpillar, chrysalis, and an example of the type of leaf it eats. Information on how to grow a butterfly garden rounds out this stellar presentation.-Lisa Gangemi Krapp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.