My Book of Butterflies

Starred review from July 1, 2021
An author/illustrator shares his favorite butterflies from around the world. Spreads showcase one to four butterflies. The brightly colored, remarkably textured collage illustrations steal the show; "the layering of these paper collages reminded me of the scales in butterfly wings," Val�rio writes in his introduction. Factual information about butterflies' habitats, diets, wing patterns, and more are included. The book lacks a table of contents (though there is an index); its primary system of organization seems to be based on the color-coded legend that opens the book (along with spreads about a butterfly's life cycle and body parts), showing which areas of the world the butterflies live in and what page numbers they fall on. It's a book built for browsing, and the title underscores that it's a collection of this author/illustrator's personal favorites. His introduction, all about his fascination with butterflies as a child in Brazil, successfully establishes a personal connection with readers. And his sense of wonder compels the page turns: "Amazingly," he writes at one point, "the black pattern on the underside of this butterfly's wings looks like...it is wearing a team jersey!" It's as if he is right there with readers, exclaiming over his delight in these creatures. Moments of humor make it all the more enjoyable: "Insects don't read maps so some of the butterflies in this collection can be found on more than one continent." (This book was reviewed digitally.) A visual treat. (glossary, further reading) (Informational picture book. 4-10)

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Starred review from September 1, 2021

PreS-Gr 1-This beautifully illustrated and informative picture book introduces readers to a variety of butterflies found around the world. A brief introduction by the author describes his connection to the topic by explaining how he grew up watching the butterflies and caterpillars in his family's vegetable garden in their yard. This is followed by a clearly illustrated and labeled explanation of the stages of metamorphosis-the butterfly's life cycle. The majority of the book consists of illustrations and descriptions of a wide range of butterflies, large and small. These descriptions appeal to the reader's five senses and help promote understanding. For example, a description of the Rocky Mountain Parnassian describes the sound it makes: "These butterflies are fast flyers whose strong wings make a flapping sound as they zip through the mountain meadows where they live." The illustrations, created with paper collage, acrylic, and colored pencil, are clearly showstoppers and work beautifully with the text. Back matter includes a short glossary, recommended sources and websites, and an index. The endpapers are also worth studying. The front ones show the butterfly's caterpillar form, while the back ones show the mature butterfly. VERDICT A wonderful book to use when studying animals and how they adapt to their environment, but also an excellent model of how to skillfully present information in an appealing way. Also, a great book for browsing.-Myra Zarnowski, City Univ. of New York

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