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Waiting for Wings: A Vibrant Rhyming Book About Butterfly Transformation for Children
Every spring, butterflies emerge and dazzle the world with their vibrant beauty. But where do butterflies come from? How are they born? What do they eat--and how?
With a simple, rhyming text and glorious color-drenched collage, Lois Ehlert provides clear answers to these and other questions as she follows the life cycle of four common butterflies, from their beginnings as tiny hidden eggs and hungry caterpillars to their transformation into full-grown butterflies. Complete with butterfly and flower facts and identification tips, as well as a guide to planting a butterfly garden, this butterfly book is like no other.
With a simple, rhyming text and glorious color-drenched collage, Lois Ehlert provides clear answers to these and other questions as she follows the life cycle of four common butterflies, from their beginnings as tiny hidden eggs and hungry caterpillars to their transformation into full-grown butterflies. Complete with butterfly and flower facts and identification tips, as well as a guide to planting a butterfly garden, this butterfly book is like no other.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2001
14 people are currently reading
615 people want to read
About the author
Lois Ehlert
85 books198 followersLois Ehlert has created numerous inventive, celebrated, and bestselling picture books, including Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Holey Moley, The Scraps Book, Mice, Ten Little Caterpillars, RRRalph, Lots of Spots, Boo to You!, Leaf Man, Waiting for Wings, Planting a Rainbow, Growing Vegetable Soup, and Color Zoo, which received a Caldecott Honor. She lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
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October 16, 2016Synopsis:
This book tells of the life cycle of a butterfly. The author begins with caterpillar eggs and describes what comes as the eggs hatch. He follows the caterpillars as they find just the right spot to spin a cocoon and then after some time has passed, we see beautiful butterflies emerge! Ehlert includes different kinds of butterflies and puts them in front of marvelous flowers. By the end of the book the beautiful butterflies have laid their own eggs and the reader is able to see a full life cycle of a butterfly (besides the death part). There are also a butterfly and flower index at the back of the book.
Teaching Connection:
I think it would be great to bring in a habitat that has caterpillar eggs. With this the students will actually be able to see first hand the life cycle of a butterfly. They can have a time to observe the creature daily and record notes. This will help them as they embrace their inner scientist as they learn how to be observant and be record keepers. It will also bring the book to life. Another way you could go with this book is connecting it to any life cycle lesson. After reading this book, have students draw the life cycle of a butterfly and then have them research another plant or animal of their choosing and have them draw that life cycle. Here they will be able to compare and contrast different life cycles. Have them compare where different aspects of the two life cycles are similar and contrast where they are different. You could also have them look at the human life cycle as well. This book would be a great start for a science lesson!
Why it’s a WOW book:
This book is not only a WOW book because of its illustrations but also because there are butterfly and flower indexes in the back, the changes in sizes of the pages, and the information itself. The variation in the sizes of the pages gives the book a fun sensory component. Along with that, the students can use the indexes at the back of the book to identify different butterflies and flowers they have seen around. There are just so many great components to this book! I believe this because it is a fun, accurate, and engaging life cycle book that I think children will love. I also think this book will encourage students to love science because it is so great and we need more of that. We need more girls and boys to embrace their inner scientist!
This book tells of the life cycle of a butterfly. The author begins with caterpillar eggs and describes what comes as the eggs hatch. He follows the caterpillars as they find just the right spot to spin a cocoon and then after some time has passed, we see beautiful butterflies emerge! Ehlert includes different kinds of butterflies and puts them in front of marvelous flowers. By the end of the book the beautiful butterflies have laid their own eggs and the reader is able to see a full life cycle of a butterfly (besides the death part). There are also a butterfly and flower index at the back of the book.
Teaching Connection:
I think it would be great to bring in a habitat that has caterpillar eggs. With this the students will actually be able to see first hand the life cycle of a butterfly. They can have a time to observe the creature daily and record notes. This will help them as they embrace their inner scientist as they learn how to be observant and be record keepers. It will also bring the book to life. Another way you could go with this book is connecting it to any life cycle lesson. After reading this book, have students draw the life cycle of a butterfly and then have them research another plant or animal of their choosing and have them draw that life cycle. Here they will be able to compare and contrast different life cycles. Have them compare where different aspects of the two life cycles are similar and contrast where they are different. You could also have them look at the human life cycle as well. This book would be a great start for a science lesson!
Why it’s a WOW book:
This book is not only a WOW book because of its illustrations but also because there are butterfly and flower indexes in the back, the changes in sizes of the pages, and the information itself. The variation in the sizes of the pages gives the book a fun sensory component. Along with that, the students can use the indexes at the back of the book to identify different butterflies and flowers they have seen around. There are just so many great components to this book! I believe this because it is a fun, accurate, and engaging life cycle book that I think children will love. I also think this book will encourage students to love science because it is so great and we need more of that. We need more girls and boys to embrace their inner scientist!
April 14, 2017
Gorgeous book. Perfect for spring.
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May 4, 2020I would have the children read this book in their partner reading groups. This book is all about the formation of the butterfly and it’s life after it has become a butterfly. The book is interactive and has some cool little pages to flip and go through. I think students would enjoy going through the book with a partner, taking turns reading, and both getting to look at all things butterfly. I would have the students who read this book make a list of four fun facts to share with the class and let them be the expert for the day.
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November 28, 2016due nov 29 2016
d) Text-to Teaching Connection: What is a response activity that you can do in a classroom with children in response to the book? (e.g. drama, music, art, or writing)
Each student in my class will make a butterfly journal. Each day students will look at different types of butterflies and record what they observed in their journal. next students will make a butterfly life cycle flip flop book. students will list each stage of the butterfly life cycle and draw a picture of each stage. students will make a butterfly sun catcher using a cut out of a butterfly , contact paper,and colored tissue paper .students will place their sun catcher in the window for display. this activity will help students fine motor skills and allow students to see that butterfly s come in different colors and sizes. students will play a matching and concentration game. students will have to match different types of butterflies. I will take a survey of how many students like butterfly's and have the students create a bar graph of the data. students will decorate their bar graph and display it in the classroom.
d) Text-to Teaching Connection: What is a response activity that you can do in a classroom with children in response to the book? (e.g. drama, music, art, or writing)
Each student in my class will make a butterfly journal. Each day students will look at different types of butterflies and record what they observed in their journal. next students will make a butterfly life cycle flip flop book. students will list each stage of the butterfly life cycle and draw a picture of each stage. students will make a butterfly sun catcher using a cut out of a butterfly , contact paper,and colored tissue paper .students will place their sun catcher in the window for display. this activity will help students fine motor skills and allow students to see that butterfly s come in different colors and sizes. students will play a matching and concentration game. students will have to match different types of butterflies. I will take a survey of how many students like butterfly's and have the students create a bar graph of the data. students will decorate their bar graph and display it in the classroom.
March 31, 2016
Simple non-fiction text with colorful illustrations!
August 30, 2021
Ehlert begins the book poetically explaining the life cycle of a butterfly with rhyming text. The poetic verbal text is supplemented with a butterfly identification page, a labelled diagram of the anatomy of a butterfly, a flower identification page, as well as information on how to grow a butterfly garden.
Ehlert uses colourful paper collages to illustrate the book. The book has various sizes of pages. The first part of the book is set in a field and has smaller pages within to show the metamorphosis path of a butter from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to it hatching into a butterfly. The next part follows four butterflies as they go searching for flowers. Then full pages of butterflies feasting on flowers.
This book would be ideally used with preschool to primary grades as an introduction to learning about butterflies. The poetic text make it a great read aloud to students telling the story of a butterfly’s life cycle and provides great extension opportunities to continue learning about butterflies.
Ehlert uses colourful paper collages to illustrate the book. The book has various sizes of pages. The first part of the book is set in a field and has smaller pages within to show the metamorphosis path of a butter from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to it hatching into a butterfly. The next part follows four butterflies as they go searching for flowers. Then full pages of butterflies feasting on flowers.
This book would be ideally used with preschool to primary grades as an introduction to learning about butterflies. The poetic text make it a great read aloud to students telling the story of a butterfly’s life cycle and provides great extension opportunities to continue learning about butterflies.
November 17, 2017
This is a phenomenal book to teach younger students about caterpillars and butterflies. Each phrase rhymes and the illustrations are bright and colorful. Each of the illustrations covers the whole page and it has additional cut out pieces to flip as well. This is one of my favorite books because of the illustrations. I think that this book could be a great educational tool in the classroom. As a class, I could read the book out loud and then have each of my students draw their own butterfly and background for it. This book has some awesome information in it and it presents it in a way that is interesting to children!
Another way that I could use this book is by giving students a butterfly diagram and have them label the different parts. I think that this book could be really fun for young children to just look through if they can't read yet, or for teachers to read to the class because they bright colors and rhyming words will keep the students engaged.
Another way that I could use this book is by giving students a butterfly diagram and have them label the different parts. I think that this book could be really fun for young children to just look through if they can't read yet, or for teachers to read to the class because they bright colors and rhyming words will keep the students engaged.
March 20, 2019
This picture book shows the butterfly life cycle.
Accompanied by super simple text, the reader follows a group of butterflies from eggs to caterpillars (larva stage) to cocoons/chrysalises (pupa stage) to butterflies. The book ends with the butterflies ready to lay their own eggs, thus ensuring the cycle of life will continue.
The illustrations are done Lois Ehlert's signature collage style with deft use of white space. The design uses partial pages for the first three stages of the butterflies' life cycle and then switches to full pages for the adult butterflies.
Included at the end of the book is a butterfly identification guide, information about butterflies, a flower identification guide, and information on growing a butterfly garden.
Accompanied by super simple text, the reader follows a group of butterflies from eggs to caterpillars (larva stage) to cocoons/chrysalises (pupa stage) to butterflies. The book ends with the butterflies ready to lay their own eggs, thus ensuring the cycle of life will continue.
The illustrations are done Lois Ehlert's signature collage style with deft use of white space. The design uses partial pages for the first three stages of the butterflies' life cycle and then switches to full pages for the adult butterflies.
Included at the end of the book is a butterfly identification guide, information about butterflies, a flower identification guide, and information on growing a butterfly garden.
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April 29, 2020NONFICTION K-3
Title: Waiting for Wings
Author: Lois Ehlert
How would you describe the plot? All about the beauty of butterflies and important information.
How would you describe the characters?
What is the main conflict?
What is the main theme? Describing how a butterfly comes to be and all the many forms that take place.
How would you describe the author’s style? Informative
What point of view does the author use?
What lessons could you teach with this text?
W.2.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a variety of print and/or digital sources on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations).
W.3.2.B: Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.
What is your overall assessment of the book? Very cute and informative and has really pretty/bold illustrations.
Title: Waiting for Wings
Author: Lois Ehlert
How would you describe the plot? All about the beauty of butterflies and important information.
How would you describe the characters?
What is the main conflict?
What is the main theme? Describing how a butterfly comes to be and all the many forms that take place.
How would you describe the author’s style? Informative
What point of view does the author use?
What lessons could you teach with this text?
W.2.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a variety of print and/or digital sources on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations).
W.3.2.B: Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.
What is your overall assessment of the book? Very cute and informative and has really pretty/bold illustrations.
June 29, 2018
A picture book introduction to the life cycle of some common butterflies.
This was one of the most creative books for what it did with page sizes. It goes from big to small to half to whole. Ehlert does a good job of outlining the basics of a butterfly life cycle in terms a young child can understand and does so in rhyme. The back of the book has an identification guide for the butterflies and all their stages as well as the flowers featured in here. There's also more info on butterflies and how to grow a butterfly garden in the back of the book. A very bright and colorful butterfly life cycle intro for younger kids.
This was one of the most creative books for what it did with page sizes. It goes from big to small to half to whole. Ehlert does a good job of outlining the basics of a butterfly life cycle in terms a young child can understand and does so in rhyme. The back of the book has an identification guide for the butterflies and all their stages as well as the flowers featured in here. There's also more info on butterflies and how to grow a butterfly garden in the back of the book. A very bright and colorful butterfly life cycle intro for younger kids.
November 21, 2017
We found (several) caterpillars in our garden recently and we adopted one we have named Carrot and it's already in its chrysalis! Such a fun process to watch. One day he's eating all the carrot tops in our garden, the next he's all snug "Waiting for Wings". We love Lois Ehlert and her bright illustrations and and simple storylines. Be sure to add this one to your collection. 🐛 #kidsbooksworthreading #kidsbook #kidsbooks #picturebook #childrensbook #childrensbooks #kidlit #childrenliterature #kidsbookstagram #waitingforwings #loisehlert #butterfly #caterpillar
April 23, 2019
This is one of my favorite books! The illustrations are so beautiful and I love the end of the book where they label the body parts of the butterfly. This book covers the life cycle of the butterfly from eggs and then brings the story full circle to a butterfly that is ready to lay eggs. This would be wonderful for a pre-K classroom as an anchor book, part of a text set, included in an interest area, or as part of an activity!
November 17, 2021
This book is beautifully illustrated with a greatly simplified life cycle of a butterfly. Instead of using heavy vocabulary such as a cocoon, it uses “case” I think this is very appropriate for preschool and early childhood students. It also has at the very end, butterfly identification, butterfly information, and flower identification which goes into heavy detail. I think that this informational book would be great for a science lesson or when doing a unit on insects.
June 14, 2018
Another beautiful book of collage from Ehlert. This one describes the life cycle of butterflies in a flower garden. The understated plot is almost overwhelmed by the enormous and vibrant collages, but the effect works well with kids. Plants and butterflies depicted are loyal to real species, which are identified in the artsy field guide in the back.
June 29, 2020
A rhythmic description of the butterfly lifecycle. There seem to be so many stories on this topic, but this one is a little more memorable than some of the others. The colors used in the illustrations are beautiful, lots of red, pink, orange which I love. If you like Ehlert’s illustration style you will definitely enjoy this book.
April 6, 2018
ISD students love this book. I can't keep them seated when I read to them. They have to get up, approach the book and point at the catepillar, 'cuase they found it, point at the cocoon, 'cause they found it, and point at the butterfly, 'cause they can see it in the maze of colors.
October 2, 2018
This butterfly book contains tons of information on butterflies and what they have to do once they come out of their cocoons. At the end there is a page that is for butterfly identifying, I found this helpful to teach children all the different types.
January 15, 2019
I found this book to be very educational. It would be a great book to read aloud to children considering its rhyming pattern structure. The visuals and diagrams in this book also allow for further education on a catepillars transformation into a butterfly!
January 28, 2019
Simple, but oh-so-pretty! And nonfiction books that work as storytime titles are a huge favorite of mine. The kids love the varying page sizes (although they do make page-turning a tad tricky during storytime), and it kept the kids enthralled to the last page.
February 21, 2019
Waiting for wings is such a beautiful story. It talks about the butterflies cycle. This would be a great lesson to teach children about how a butterfly is made. Starting from a small eggs to a caterpillar and into a big beautiful butterfly.
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March 31, 2021This book includes bright and colorful pictures and has many facts all about butterflies and flowers. It also has a unique thing of including a guide to planting a butterfly garden.
Age level: 4-7
Lexile level: AD450L
Age level: 4-7
Lexile level: AD450L
April 27, 2023
A perfect read aloud! The page spreads are beautiful and the text is easy to read, easy to understand. Plus, the spread at the back of the book with 4 butterfly types, the caterpillars, cocoons, and more is amazing!
July 3, 2023
“Out in the fields, eggs are hidden from view, clinging to leaves with butterfly glue.”
From cocoon to butterfly, this brilliantly illustrated book poetically describes the journey.
Includes additional information in the back for butterfly identification and flower identification.
From cocoon to butterfly, this brilliantly illustrated book poetically describes the journey.
Includes additional information in the back for butterfly identification and flower identification.
May 15, 2017
I am usually indifferent to Lois Ehlert, since her illustration style doesn't really appeal to me. This book is lovely and really well done though! I love all of the bright colors.
December 18, 2017
This is a good book for the emerging reader from k-1. It's full of color and informs you of the butterfly life cycle. This would be a good one for bug studies.
April 11, 2018
A great alternative to The Very Hungry Caterpillar
June 6, 2018
Lovely rhyming look at the life cycle of a butterfly. Double meaning of caterpillar waiting for wings and the butterfly garden waiting for wings.
October 25, 2018
Great simple story to introduce butterfly life cycles! We had fun back to back with Planting the Rainbow Garden to get ready for butterflies.
October 30, 2018
What an innovative book that teaches about butterflies and their life cycles.
December 13, 2018
Creative book design
Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews