Clara Caterpillar [Hardcover]

Pamela Duncan Edwards (Author), Henry Cole (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Clara is a cute cabbage Caterpillar. But to Catisha, who is catty and crimson, Clara is only a common caterpillar with no hope of becoming a colorful butterfly. Sure enough, Clara comes out cream colored. And during an encounter with a hungry crow, Clara proves that being colorful and conspicuous doesn't compare with being common, content, and courageous.

Pamela Duncan Edwards and Henry Cole's comic and compelling alliterative collaboration is captivating!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Pamela Duncan Edwards and Henry Cole, the creators of Some Smug Slug and Four Famished Foxes and Fosdyke, take on metamorphosis with Clara Caterpillar. "Grow up to be courageous and contented, Clara," calls a cream-colored butterfly to the egg she has laid on a cabbage leaf at the story's opening. After "crimson-colored Catisha" scorns Clara for her plain coloring, the heroine's camouflage saves the day.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Clara is the plain Jane of the caterpillar set, which is fine with her. However, crimson-colored Catisha thinks that Clara is positively dull. When they become butterflies, Clara is cream-colored, perfect for hiding camouflaged in the camellias. Catisha is brilliant red, and a sitting duck for a hungry crow. Predictably, Clara saves Catisha's life, proving that colorless and clever is better than flashy and frivolous. The text is a lesson in alliteration ("'Catisha is conceited,' comforted Cornelius"). The pictures are an interesting combination of realistically rendered backgrounds and insect bodies with faces drawn in the style of Dr. Seuss. An additional purchase.
Holly Belli, Bergen County Cooperative Library System, West Caldwell, NJ
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (May 8, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060289953
• ISBN-13: 978-0060289959
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 10.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #527,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My kids and I loved Clara Caterpillar!, November 24, 2001

By 

"sweetinfidel" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clara Caterpillar (Hardcover)

This is story about hidden talents, not judging someone by their appearance etc. and it is very clever. I especially liked the fact that the hero in this story is female. I bought this story for my son's 5th birthday, but my 8 year old daughter simply adored this book. After I read it aloud to him a couple of times I saw her pick it up and read it to herself again and then to him when he asked her to. (She is not normally gung-ho for reading)Great story. Fantastic pictures.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clara Caterpillar, January 22, 2007

By 

Linda H. Mclemore (CHULA VISTA, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Clara Caterpillar (Paperback)

I was searching for children's books with my new granddaughters name, Clara, and when I came across this book I liked the story. The moral of the story is "Clara is so capable and courageous" and "And I'm a completely contented butterfuly" said Clara, and I hope that my granddaughter Clara will grow up capable, courageous and content.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kindergartners loved this story, May 28, 2009

By 

J. D. Kammerer "Old Punk Rocker" (Machesney Park, IL.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clara Caterpillar (Hardcover)

I read this to my Kindergarten class as an introduction to our Butterfly integrated thematic unit. The story is great, with a lesson that you cannot judge someone by their appearances, and the kids understood this. They even refered to this story several times, especially when some snooty character was presented in a story, the kids would say "He/She is just like Catisha!" Catisha is the conceited caterpillar in this story. I reread the story at the end of our unit, and asked the students what parts of the story were true about caterpillars/butterflies. They noticed the life cycle of the butterfly was correct in this story, as was the camouflage scene.
I enjoyed this book myself, I must confess!