Wingmaker

Gr 2-4–This noble effort to explain both the scientific method and the insect life cycle falls short in storytelling. Leaf and Lou are two hardworking ants who have made friends with Gramma Tinker, a 77-day-old eastern tent caterpillar who lives in the tree above the ant hill. Gramma Tinker studies the wings of flies, bats, and hummingbirds, and is working on a new invention: the Wingmaker 77. After completing the mysterious invention, Gramma Tinker disappears. She returns a couple of weeks later as a moth, to the ants’ surprise. The titular Wingmaker is never seen, obscuring the pupa stage from readers. Instead, back matter provides a scientifically accurate explanation of the moth’s life cycle. Some of the art compositions are chaotic, resulting in a wordy text to explain what’s happening in the scene.