[.ca] Waiting for Wings (ISBN 0152026088)

From Amazon.com:
Lois Ehlert, beloved illustrator of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and many other bold, beautiful picture books has outdone herself with this gorgeous (seriously breathtaking) celebration of butterfly metamorphosis. "Out in the fields, eggs are hidden from view, / clinging to leaves with butterfly glue. / Soon caterpillars hatch. They creep and chew. / Each one knows what it must do." As the gentle rhyme unfolds, we turn the small, partial pages that form the larger spread of fabulous foliage in this lush, oversized book. Before our eyes, the eggs turn to caterpillars, the caterpillars to cases, the cases to lovely butterflies. "They pump their wings, get ready to fly, then hungry butterflies head for the sky." The colors become increasingly dazzling, each butterfly springing to life with Ehlert's color-soaked cut-paper magic. Several pages of background material conclude the book, labeling different kinds of butterflies at different stages of development, from the buckeye butterfly to the painted lady to the monarch. A "Butterfly Information" page clearly labels butterfly anatomy and answers basic question about these fascinating fluttery insects, a "Flower Identification" page showcases butterfly-attracting flowers such as the purple coneflower (echinacea), phlox, and lantana, and the last page offers a few pointers on growing a butterfly garden. (Ages 3 to 6) --Karin Snelson

My daughter loves this book!:
My 3 year old daughter loves this book! Beautiful drawings of flowers and butterflies. The drawback was that for a couple months after getting this book, we had to read it every night, and we had to name every butterfly on every page. "What kind of butterfly is this?" "That's a Monarch butterfly." "What kind of butterfly is this?" "That's a Tiger swallowtail butterfly." I'm sure that's good in the long run, but holy cow, she was obsessed with this book! :) Thankfully, the obsession dwindled a bit, and now we can enjoy our occasional readings of the book together. I do recommend this book!

Toddlers and Babies, too!:
I have a three year old daughter who must be read to before sleeping. I also have a three month old baby girl who is often in the bed with us while we read. Often, the baby is restless and cries before we finish our books. Waiting for Wings is a fabulous solution. I find this interesting AND educational for my toddler. In addition, the colors are bright and contrasting, allowing my baby to be entertained while the book is read.

Just O.K.:
... I was disappointed when I actually got the book. It may be good for the 1-3-year-old set, but my 4-year-old is much more sophisticated about butterflies than this book addresses. For the same money, there are alot of other books that have more beautiful artwork. Don't waste your money-check this one out from the library instead!

A pure joy from begining to end.:
Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert is a brilliant, glorious, joyful celebration of all things "butterfly" The book is essentially a review of the life cycle of a butterfly. The text is in rhyme and is delightful. The book starts with smaller, more sedate illustrations and expands and blossoms to giant, dazzling, brilliantly colored illustrations as the butterfly develops, escapes its cocoon and takes flight. The final pages identify the illustrated butterflies and the flowers shown in the text and gives advice to readers on how to start a "butterfly garden". The information provided is accurate and informative for the pre-school/young elementary reader. The illustrations are among the best I've ever seen in a nature book, using bright, warm colors and a wide variety of artistic styles that maintain interest and dazzle the eye. The text is rhythmic and entertaining. This book is pure joy from begining to end. You'll enjoy it as much as your kids will!

A book to gather around and share...:
This book will draw in the entire family, with its exciting splashy colours and poetic language, its easy, unforced gentle rhymes and true-to-life attention to detail. There's even a section at the back listing butterfly facts and instructions for growing a butterfly garden so your kids, too, can spend time "waiting for wings"! My kids, at 6 and 7, are technically too old for this book...but even they got caught up in its delights. Highly recommended as a read-aloud for any age from 3 to 6, and beyond...