Monarch Butterflies: Explore the Life Journey of One of the Winged Wonders of the World

Gr 1-5–Nonfiction units are an important part of the elementary school curriculum, and butterflies are certainly in the top five perennial subjects. Hobbie’s title ticks off all the boxes. The text is beautifully illustrated and packed with fascinating facts. A wide variety of topics is detailed. For example, caterpillars have terrible eyesight, but butterflies have excellent vision. Readers will be amazed to learn, “The caterpillar will grow to 2,000 times its original size!” Close-up diagrams of the caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly introduce new words such as spiracles, hemolymph, and frass (caterpillar poop). Migration, lifespan, food, and predators are also explained. A final section discusses how children can help monarchs and grow their own, cautioning against ordering kits online. Colorful pictures of insects, wildlife, milkweed varieties, and other alluring blooms illuminate the text. A table of contents, an index, a glossary, labeled diagrams, maps, sidebars, and further resources are included.