A Butterfly is Patient by Diana Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long
This week’s Book of the Week is A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long. Chock full of brilliantly detailed and colorful illustrations, this book is definitely going on my list of favorite non-fiction picture books. As you read, you learn about the lifecycle of a butterfly, from tiny egg to fully-winged adult. Hutts Aston and Long also provide fun facts about the insects, including what they like to eat and that their wings actually have scales on them (did you know that?? I sure didn’t!).
I would recommend this book to older elementary students because of the higher level of vocabulary, but this could also be read with a younger audience while just reading the larger bits of text and ignoring the more difficult smaller sections. Something that might make this book a bit harder to understand is the use of cursive text, which some children may struggle with. This is a great opportunity for caregivers to read this with their children. I think it's always good to read together, no matter the age!
Positives: beautiful illustrations, informational, engaging
Negatives: cursive might be difficult to read for some children