From the series Animal Diaries: Life Cycles
A Butterfly’s Life
Reading Level Grade 2Interest Level Grades PreK – 3Copyright 2012
Reviewed
From the series Animal Diaries: Life Cycles
Reading Level Grade 2Interest Level Grades PreK – 3Copyright 2012
ReviewedA young child from the northern United States spots a Monarch butterfly laying eggs and keeps watch as the eggs hatch and the caterpillars munch away on leaves. Readers will follow along as the narrator observes the butterflies’ behavior up close, including the amazing metamorphosis of caterpillars into adult Monarch butterflies and their migration to Mexico. Colorful photos, diagrams, and clear, age-appropriate text will engage young readers as they explore the life cycle, natural habitat, physical characteristics, diet, and behavior of these beautiful insects. The diary format models scientific observation and critical thinking–and encourages children to keep notebooks recording their own investigations into the natural world.
Part of the Animal Diaries: Life Cycles series, this book chronicles the mysterious and colorful sequence of a butterfly's maturation. Formatted as a series of latesummer diary entries written by an inquisitive young boy, the book describes events from two butterflies mating in his backyard through their fall migration south and eventual return the following summer. Photographs combine with kidfriendly maps and illustrations to display migration patterns and metamorphosis in a vibrant manner. The text, though written from the point of view of a child, is insightful and straightforward while still maintaining an ageappropriate reading level. Also included is a science lab that explains the process of growing butterflyfriendly plants like verbena and milkweed in window pots and transplanting them outdoors to provide food and nectar to growing insects. A list of science terms is explained through an illustrated glossary. This book explains a complicated process in a factual, understandable, and attractive style.
Booklist
Written in a science journal format, this information picture book will pique young children's interest about butterflies. Sam keeps track of each butterfly he sees and chronicles what they are doing. Fullpage photographs accompany the journal entries along with text boxes, small illustrations and labels. One day Sam finds over 50 monarch butterfly eggs under the leaves of milkweed plants. The supplementary text box states that female monarchs lay about 400 eggs. In addition, the book includes a table of contents, index, more information about butterflies, science vocabulary and a science lab. This is the perfect text to share during a science unit on butterflies or to have available for silent reading. Children will enjoy viewing and reading this book to learn more about our world.
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