Bird, Butterfly, Eel

I was expecting this book to show the journey of the migrating animals, instead the migration part was dotted lines on a map (which I am sure I could have found on the internet for free). The story is flat and not interesting enough to hold the reader's attention... in fact I would argue the book is just not that creative or exciting. I was hoping students would travel with the animals on their journey and what they saw along the way, but instead they saw the animals in their northern home with only one image of being in the southern home. The artwork is very good, but it felt like a cameo of each animal, series of life cycles posters, and a map. I am also amazed that the lives of these animals somehow managed to never mention the "death" part. Plus, I actually found the migration bit so short on details that I got confused as to what was going on. I had to read information on the internet to make sense of the migraine stuff. This book would be great for a visual learner on life cycles, but ultimately this really is not that great at explaining metamorphosis of butterflies. I regret my purchase.

This book is beautifully illustrated and is nicely informative, but as with many children's books written by nature and science illustrators, the register is inconsistent. Some pages read like they're intended for third graders, and others like they're meant for kindergarteners,

What a nice way of talking about the changing of the seasons and the life cycles of each of the creatures. The pictures are beautiful. My grandchildren (age 4 & 18 months) love this book.

Beautifully illustrated.

A

I really enjoy the artist and the writer. He put a very interesting story together to read to children.

It's summertime and the cat carefully makes his way along the stone wall on the farm. The eel, the bird and the butterfly are hidden in the landscape. The beautiful monarch is sitting on a flower. "She lives in the meadow behind the pond." The eel is just below the surface in "the dark cool waters of the pond." The bullfrog on the lily pad doesn't see him, nor does the black cat. The barn swallow is tending her nest in the barn while the cat peers into the loft from below. "She loves being safe, high up in the rafters . . . "They are all continuing their individual lifestyles from early spring through the summer and into the fall, when it is time for yet another change. It will soon be cold and they will have to leave the farm and begin a long journey to the south. Along the way they will briefly meet other creatures before going on their on paths. Later on in the spring they will return to the farm.This beautiful book gently takes the reader through the yearly cycle of three creatures often seen on a farm. The artwork is graceful, beautiful and bright when called for and more muted as needed. For example the barn is shadowy and dark, but the ocean scenery has vibrant blue hues. In the back of the book are facts about each creature and tells why they migrate and do not stay on the farm.

this is a truly wonderful children's book- both my girls love it and it is a regular in our bedtime rotation- mr.prosek weaves a marvelous combination of learning, pictures and prosehighest possible recommendation!