The Butterfly House

Gr 1–3—Lizzy and Jack love to visit Nana in her very special apartment. Nana has an amazing greenhouse that is aflutter with butterflies. She tells the children that if a butterfly lands on the very tip of their noses, they will magically turn into a butterfly. The children are excited but also a bit nervous when a butterfly tries to land on Nana's nose. Will Nana morph into a butterfly? But Cat, their naughty feline, leaps into the air and frightens the butterfly away. With the crisis averted, Nana and the children sit and eat a tablefull of sweets and then it is time for the children and Cat to leave. Nana sits in her chair, wrapped in a cozy blanket, and falls off to sleep. This story is imaginative and the art is colorful and engaging throughout. The endpapers depict caterpillars, cocoons, and ultimately a magnificent butterfly on the final spread. While children will find the art appealing, it's unclear what they will make of the story. Is Nana morphing into a butterfly, or does the story suggest that change is a constant in life? In the end, the story may be a stretch for its intended audience.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA