Did you know some butterflies have fake antennas to confuse predators?
Did you know butterflies can use their feet to taste?
Did you know some butterflies hibernate like bears?
Did you know Monarch butterflies fly up to 2,500 miles to migrate south?
Discover these facts and many more in this new addition to the popular series that combines raucous amounts of humor with a surprising amount of information on beloved animal friends.
Suggestions for further reading. Full-color illustrations.
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These additions to Eaton's informational picture series (The Truth About Elephants, rev. 1/19; and others) are characteristically odd, exuberant, and instructive. Straightforward content is presented through expository text in a large, bold typeface. Lively cartoons offer additional details—and plenty of jokes. While human children are shown actively learning about the titular creatures, the butterflies and hawks (among other animals) talk with one another and react to the facts, often with wit. After the child in Butterflies declares those to be her "favorite with wings," for example, a bird sarcastically and disapointingly remarks, "Wow. Okay." Pen-and-ink illustrations, colored digitally with stron black outlines and solid color fills, threaten to overwhelm each spread, but sidebars, word balloons, labels, and other visual elements function as effective organizers. Breif back matter adds further context about wingspans, migratory routes, and more.
Gr 1-2-Informational text about butterflies and caterpillars details their anatomy, camouflage, defensive colors, and variety. Illustrations of their complex metamorphosis are accompanied by the cartoon characters' commentary. The butterflies and caterpillars provide humorous comments. Other illustrations depict a cat that is looking forward to eating one of the butterflies, a few smart-alecky birds, and a particular caterpillar that looks like bird poop. Large blocks of facts appear in text boxes and may challenge the attention spans of some young readers. The more extensive text is essential, though, for the breadth of the subject matter. Colorful illustrations of butterflies are inconsistently labeled with the butterflies' common names and home continents. The differences between butterflies and moths are offered in parallel illustrations that identify their unique antennae, wings, and body types. The text concludes with information about environmental threats to butterflies and how readers can help their survival. VERDICT A worthy addition to collections where the "The Truth About Your Favorite Animals" titles or the author's "Flying Beaver Brothers" graphic novels are already enjoyed.-Elaine Fultz, Oakwood City Sch., Dayton, OH