Handle With Care: An Unusual Butterfly Journey (Nonfiction - Grades Prek-4) (Junior Library Guild Selection)
Gr 1–4—Burns focuses first on the life of the life of the blue morpho butterfly at the El Bosque Nuevo butterfly farm in Costa Rica and concludes with its a final destination, the Museum of Science in Boston. Bold statements emphasize the details of the expedition through punchy phrases. "Sturdy and tightly sealed, these ingenious packages are ready to travel." Factual back matter further supports the story. Additional information appears in the section "Insects and Their Life Cycles," which discusses the process of metamorphosis. Crisp, full-page photographs capture each impressive stage of the butterfly's journey. Vocabulary is clearly defined within the text, and the glossary explains scientific terms used within the narrative. At the end, the author notes that she and the photographer visited the Costa Rican greenhouse to capture this amazing process. This fascinating topic, rarely featured for a young audience, offers an accessible, visual delight.—Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC