The Butterfly Alphabet [Paperback]

Kjell B Sandved (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

A world-renowned nature photographer presents photographs of butterflies from throughout the world, using close-up views of wing designs that look like letters of the alphabet.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"One day many years ago, as I was looking through a microscope at a tropical moth, to my surprise I noticed a tiny, perfect letter F hidden on the wing. I was astounded and wondered if I could find other letters. Perhaps I could even find the entire alphabet in the wings of butterflies and moths! I decided that I was going to be the first to try."

So wrote Kjell B. Sandved in his introduction to The Butterfly Alphabet. Little did he know that it would take him more than 25 years, with visits to more than 30 countries, to discover and photograph all the letters of the alphabet in butterfly wings. This glorious book is the fruit of his labors. On each spread, you'll find a picture of the whole butterfly or moth and its common name, with a full-page, full-color close-up on the adjacent page of the letter on the creature's tiny wing scales. A gentle poem accompanies the flight from A to Z as well: "On wings aloft across the skies-- / An alphabet of butterflies. / Each butterfly in secret brings / A letter hidden in its wings." A few butterfly basics and a glossary of the species featured in the book close this fascinating, loving, photographic ode to the order Lepidoptera. (Ages 4 to 104) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly

Magnified photos reveal letters and numbers among the patterns on butterflies' and moths' wings; in a starred review, PW called the work "a treasure for photography buffs and aspiring lepidopterists of all ages." Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc. (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439079470
• ISBN-13: 978-0439079471
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #703,137 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #85 in Books > Children's Books > Arts, Crafts & Music > Photography

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much more than an alphabet book; truly for butterfly lovers, June 5, 2001

By 

christinemm - The Thinking Mother (Houston Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Butterfly Alphabet (School & Library Binding)

I first thought this book was an alphabet book for young children, such as to help teach them the alphabet. This is more like a book that would be kept on a coffee table by an adult that adores butterflies. I still love it despite my misconception!

This is an amazing work. The author is actually a nature photographer who accidentially noticed that some patterns on butterfly's wings are shaped like letters of the English alphabet while looking at the wings under a microscope. He then took very close photographs of the "letters". He then went around the world hoping to find each of the 26 letters in our alphabet; this journey took 25 years. Now that is a labor of love!

The end result is this: on the left side of the page is a full color photo of the entire butterfly. One sentence describing butterflies with one of the words beginning with that letter of the alphabet is written in very poetic language that would be most appreciated by adults or anyone who enjoys poetry. Note that the featured letter is written in capital only and in script style so this is of no use to preschoolers who need to see both capital and lower case letters in PRINT. The name of the butterfly is then given. On the right side of the page is a huge photograph of the close up that shows the pattern on the wings that looks just like the featured letter of the alphabet.

Incredible! Interesting!

This would be of interest to anyone who is interested in butterflies. Possibly a good tool to show when introducing microscopes and what they can reveal and also when teaching about butterflies and science/nature.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Butterflies!, April 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Butterfly Alphabet (School & Library Binding)

This is a beautiful work for anyone who loves butterflies. I often pick it up and browse its pages, admiring the beauty in nature. It can be read and reread numerous times. The photographs are wonderful, and the idea is ingenious!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful Butterfly Book!, April 29, 2000

By 

Kristy Okerlund (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Butterfly Alphabet (Hardcover)

This book is truely a great book for kids. Not only is it educational but it is also fun. Kids can try to find the letters that are hidden in the butterflys wings. They can take that and use it when they see butterflys around the yard. I'm an elementary education major in college and I would definitely use this in my future classroom for a unit on butterflys, and also just as a fun book. In the back of the book information is provided on all the butterflys and moths that are in the book.