The Giving Meadow

Stephanie Burkhart – Author
Stephen Macquignon – Illustrator

Stephanie Burkhart’s picture book The Giving Meadow starts with an egg. The egg hatches into a caterpillar, a very hungry caterpillar. So the hungry little caterpillar with a sweet smile and big eyes does what a hungry caterpillar does. He sets out to find food. From the frog to the ladybug, from the bee to the snake, every animal the caterpillar meets shares its water or food with the caterpillar. Each day, the caterpillar grows bigger and bigger. He’s also hungrier and hungrier. Will his tummy ever be full?

This is a lovely story of friendship, sharing, and thinking of others. It also shows young readers the stages of metamorphosis of the butterfly. With the caterpillar’s happy smile, the bee’s long lashes, the blue-eyed snake with the forked tongue, and all the other little critters that help the caterpillar find food, Stephen Macquignon’s colorful illustrations capture the spirit of the story, the giving and sharing of the animals that live in the meadow.

The Giving Meadow is a nice book to add to a child’s library. Early childhood and kindergarten teachers could use this book in their classes as a fun read to teach children about the small creatures in their world. I recommend this book for little ones ages 4-8, for animal lovers, even the crawly kind, and for everyone who enjoys nature and a gentle read at bedtime. Don’t be surprised, Mom and Dad, if you find yourself in the backyard with your children, searching for caterpillars so you can watch them grow and change into a lovely butterfly.