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Caterpillars
Caterpillars attract children like magnets—their shapes, colors, and locomotion styles are impossible to resist. Now children can explore the dazzling diversity of the world’s caterpillars illustrated in hundreds of four-color photos. The charm of these larval forms of moths and butterflies is captured in verse and easy-to-follow narrative text by award-winning nature writer Marilyn Singer. Discover caterpillars with bright colors and fake faces used to deter predators. See why their amazing patterns help caterpillars blend in with surroundings such as leaves, tree trunks, and even bird poop! Marvel at species that travel great distances in herds through forests in search of food, and others that live alone, dangling on the ends of leaves. Learn why caterpillars are hungrier than teenagers, storing food energy for their transformation into butterflies and moths during metamorphosis, and why some birds and insects view caterpillars as the tastiest of treats. Includes glossary, index, and interactive quizzes. Real science has never been so much fun!
- GenresNonfictionPicture Books
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Marilyn Singer
170 books112 followersMarilyn Singer was born in the Bronx (New York City) on October 3, 1948 and lived most of her early life in N. Massapequa (Long Island), NY. She attended Queens College, City University of New York, and for her junior year, Reading University, England. She holds a B.A. in English from Queens and an M.A. in Communications from New York University.
In 1974, after teaching English in New York City high schools for several years, she began to write - initially film notes, catalogues, teacher's guides and film strips. Then, one day, when she was sitting in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, she penned a story featuring talking insect characters she'd made up when she was eight. Encouraged by the responses she got, she wrote more stories and in 1976 her first book, The Dog Who Insisted He Wasn't, was published by E.P.Dutton & Co.
Since then, Marilyn has published over seventy books for children and young adults. Her genres are many and varied, including realistic novels, fantasies, non-fiction, fairy tales, picture books, mysteries and poetry. She likes writing many different kinds of books because it's challenging and it keeps her from getting bored. She has won several Children's Choice and Parents' Choice Awards, as well as the following: the Creature Carnival, Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book, 2005; I Believe in Water: Twelve Brushes with Religion, New York Public Library's "Best Books for the Teen Age," 2001; Stay True: Short Stories for Strong Girls, Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2000 (YALSA); On the Same Day in March, Booklist's Top Ten Science Books of 2000; NCSS-CBC Notable Book, 2000; Deal with a Ghost, finalist, YA category, Edgar Award, 1998; It Can't Hurt Forever, Maud Hart Lovelace Award, 1983; The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, 1983; Turtle in July, NCTE Notable, N.Y.Times Best Illustrated and Time Magazine Best Children's Books of 1989; Turtle in July was also a Reading Rainbow review book.
Marilyn currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband Steve; their standard poodle Oggi, a cousin of their beloved and recently departed poodle Easy, seen in the home page photo; a cat named August ; two collared doves named Jubilee and Holiday; and a starling named Darling. Her interests include dog training, reading, hiking, bird-watching, gardening, meditation, playing computer adventure games and going to the movies and the theatre. She's also a major Star Trek fan.
In 1974, after teaching English in New York City high schools for several years, she began to write - initially film notes, catalogues, teacher's guides and film strips. Then, one day, when she was sitting in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, she penned a story featuring talking insect characters she'd made up when she was eight. Encouraged by the responses she got, she wrote more stories and in 1976 her first book, The Dog Who Insisted He Wasn't, was published by E.P.Dutton & Co.
Since then, Marilyn has published over seventy books for children and young adults. Her genres are many and varied, including realistic novels, fantasies, non-fiction, fairy tales, picture books, mysteries and poetry. She likes writing many different kinds of books because it's challenging and it keeps her from getting bored. She has won several Children's Choice and Parents' Choice Awards, as well as the following: the Creature Carnival, Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book, 2005; I Believe in Water: Twelve Brushes with Religion, New York Public Library's "Best Books for the Teen Age," 2001; Stay True: Short Stories for Strong Girls, Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2000 (YALSA); On the Same Day in March, Booklist's Top Ten Science Books of 2000; NCSS-CBC Notable Book, 2000; Deal with a Ghost, finalist, YA category, Edgar Award, 1998; It Can't Hurt Forever, Maud Hart Lovelace Award, 1983; The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, 1983; Turtle in July, NCTE Notable, N.Y.Times Best Illustrated and Time Magazine Best Children's Books of 1989; Turtle in July was also a Reading Rainbow review book.
Marilyn currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband Steve; their standard poodle Oggi, a cousin of their beloved and recently departed poodle Easy, seen in the home page photo; a cat named August ; two collared doves named Jubilee and Holiday; and a starling named Darling. Her interests include dog training, reading, hiking, bird-watching, gardening, meditation, playing computer adventure games and going to the movies and the theatre. She's also a major Star Trek fan.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 26, 2013
An interesting fiction book that is all about caterpillars. The book is filled with bright photographs of different kind of caterpillars doing different things, accompanied by facts about the different kinds, what they do, and why they eat so much. I think that this is a great science book for students in first through third grade. It would be a great book to go along with a lesson about caterpillars, or even as the class has caterpillars in cocoons waiting for butterflies to emerge. The book includes a lot of great information that students would find interesting, and even interactive quizzes.
November 6, 2011
What kid hasn’t played with a caterpillar? As kid I was fond of all creepy crawlies but as I grew some became just creepy. Caterpillars aren’t as creepy but there are some in this book that I would not want to see up close.
I really loved looking at the images more then reading of the prose. This is another book with a layout of the words I wasn’t fond of. It made the book less interesting.
It is hard not to give this a high rating because it is about caterpillars. Really can not think of anyone who never liked them.
I really loved looking at the images more then reading of the prose. This is another book with a layout of the words I wasn’t fond of. It made the book less interesting.
It is hard not to give this a high rating because it is about caterpillars. Really can not think of anyone who never liked them.
August 14, 2015
The photos in this book are great, but the text is rather hard to follow. I was hoping for a book that showed the caterpillars next to the fully-grown moth or butterfly -- those are the questions my son has been asking.
August 30, 2012
my kids love this book and don't want to return it to the library. They especially like the matching game at the end.
April 25, 2017
Opens with a nice poem. Vibrant pictures introduce many types of caterpillars. Introduces caterpillars through habitat, life cycle/molting/ instars/ pupas, solitary/group, how much they eat, how far they travel, parts of caterpillars , camouflage and colors, horns and eyespot uses, defense system. Mentions larval foods.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews