The Little Nature Explorers series (2 titles) introduces common natural processes in short, rhyming verse and colorful illustrations, printed in board-book form for little hands. Butterflies Soar presents the metamorphosis of a butterfly, leading readers through the stages from presumably very hungry caterpillars to chrysalises and, finally, butterflies. Double-page illustrations give wide but up-close views of the critters in their habitats while a repeating patterns of action verbs and short descriptive phrases carry readers through. "Crunch, crunch, munch, / Caterpillars lunch." The sing-song text, coupled with the soft, warm artwork make these appealing, accessible options, and the repetition of action verbs builds the groundwork of a nature-based vocabulary. Preliterate fans of Phyllis Root's charming Flip, Flap, Fly (2009) will appreciate these gentle nature primers.

PreS-K From leafy snacks to snug cocoons to unfurled wings, delicate watercolorlike textures reveal how caterpillars metamorphose before happily taking flight as monarch butterflies. Along with Wildflowers Grow , this series captures quietly remarkable moments in nature in gentle, short rhymes with carefully selected verbs winding through soft, expansive compositions. VERDICT Children are never too young for the fascinating details surrounding the monarch. This is a perfect addition to the natural science shelves.