Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends! I’m fluttering about, just like the character of today’s awesome book…excited to share this brand-new story with you! And tomorrow, you are in store for another treat when debut author Zeena Pliska stops by. (And guess what? She is generously offering a pb manuscript critique as a giveaway  prize…woo hoo!) We’ve already met the talented illustrator, one of my fellow Stormies, Fiona Halliday. She chatted with us earlier this year when her author/illustrator debut, Numenia and the Hurricane, launched.

HELLO, LITTLE ONE: A MONARCH BUTTERFLY STORY

Written by: Zeena M. Pliska

Illustrated by: Fiona Halliday

Published by: Page Street Kids (May 2020)

Ages: 4-8

Themes: Monarch butterfly, life cycles, friendship

Synopsis: From Amazon:

Caterpillar crawls from leaf to leaf, eating and waiting, all alone in a big, green world. Then Orange appears―Orange floats, and flits, and flies, graceful and beautiful. In this sweet, moving story of intergenerational friendship, a small caterpillar is befriended by a glorious monarch butterfly, and together they learn to see the world through each other’s eyes.

Why I love this book:

• The life cycle of a Monarch, told in such simple language that the youngest child can understand it…but with such depth of emotion, adult readers will have tears in their eyes.
• Glorious illustrations – can you embody a caterpillar and a butterfly with emotion? YES…if you are talented like Fiona Halliday!
• Kudos to debut author Zeena…in addition to being a fabulous #STEM book, this is a perfect friendship story.

RELATED ACTIVITIES:

Photo courtesy: https://artfulparent.com/marbled-paper-plate-butterfly-craft/

For detailed instructions to make the paper plate butterflies: https://artfulparent.com/marbled-paper-plate-butterfly-craft/

And please enjoy the trailer below:

Please remember that our favorite books need our support – if you can, please buy a copy from your indie bookstore – you will be supporting your local businesses at the same time. Amazon and Goodreads reviews are also much appreciated. Libraries will be reopening at some point, and many even have an online option for patrons to request a book be purchased for the library’s collection. And last, but certainly not least, please share this good news with your friends and on social media.

Make sure to leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway of a manuscript critique from Zeena…why not share what insects fascinated you the most when you were a kid.

For more wonderful picture book reviews and activities, please hop over to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday post.

And don’t forget to be back tomorrow for a fabulous Q&A with author Zeena Pliska.