A Place for Butterflies [Hardcover]

Melissa Stewart (Author), Higgins Bond (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

This fact-filled, colorful look at the amazing world of butterflies includes a call to action to protect these beautiful insects.
Melissa Stewart shares with young readers the basic facts about butterflies, including how they transform from caterpillars to butterflies, where they live, what they eat, and how they benefit plants and animals. Sidebars throughout the book contain information about how human action has harmed butterflies in the past, and the many ways people can protect certain butterfly populations, like by preserving forests and meadows and cutting down on pesticide use. Also included are pointers on how youngsters can help butterflies in their own neighborhood.
Stewart reminds children of the interconnectedness of our world and shows how the actions of one species can inadvertently harm another. Bond's realistically detailed watercolor illustrations highlight the diversity of the species, from the Schaus swallowtail butterflies in southern Florida to the endangered Mitchell's satyrs.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5–This is a slender, pictorial introduction to the idea that various butterflies rely on specialized habitats for survival, and that humans can affect the balance of these delicate environments. Stewart describes the niche butterflies fill as pollinators and their importance in complex food chains, and offers tips on helping these fragile flutterers continue to decorate our landscapes. Even more interesting are the 11 species she presents as prime residents in various locales, including the familiar Monarch and rarer individuals such as the Palos Verdes Blue. Bond's realistic acrylics keep colorful step, recording charred forests, serene pastures, and placid ponds with natural beauty, placing the starred butterflies and their caterpillars in their preferred locations. Pair this title with Eve Bunting's Butterfly House (Scholastic, 1999) for additional beauty or team it with Jonathan P. Latimer and Karen Stray Nolting's Caterpillars and/or Butterflies (both Houghton, 2000). Eye-catching and informative.–Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 3. Each double-page spread in this fully illustrated book introduces a butterfly habitat, while a sidebar spotlights a particular species that lives there. In each case, human intervention helped the butterfly survive. For instance, when foresters let wildfires burn in a wooded area, the lupines that grew enabled Karner blue butterflies to find the food they needed. When conservationists stopped using insecticides to kill mosquitoes in certain areas of Florida, the Schau swallowtails made a comeback. The introductory spread shows the life cycle of a butterfly, and the last spread suggests ways that children can help these insects, such as growing a butterfly garden. A short list of books (and one Web site) is appended. Rich with color and detail, Bond's paintings of varied ecosystems offer plenty for children to see while they learn the facts about butterflies and the accessible message about conservation. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (February 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561453579
• ISBN-13: 978-1561453573
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,514,157 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Melissa Stewart has written more than 100 science books for young readers. While gathering information for her books, Melissa has hiked in tropical rain forests, gone on safari in Africa, and swum with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands. She can't imagine any better job! Visit Melissa's website at www.melissa-stewart.com or track her at twitter.com/mstewartscience.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than just about butterflies, April 1, 2006

By 

B. January "Nature book reviewer" (Maplewood, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Place for Butterflies (Hardcover)

Our daughter loves this book! She started to read it because she was interested in butterflies, but the text not only discusses butterflies, it explains how they have an enormous impact on other living things. As a result, the young reader comes away with a deep understanding of how the natural world works. The book is about more than just butterflies. The illustrations are also excellent. I highly recommend it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Written to instill love and appreciation for these marvelous insects, August 12, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Place for Butterflies (Hardcover)

Award-winning children's book author Melissa Stewart presents A Place For Butterflies, a picturebook beautifully illustrated by Higgins Bond with realistic, full-color art of butterfly species and the lush natural environments they inhabit. Each two-page spread features a couple sentences about butterflies, a sidebar about a specific butterfly species, and artwork of a typical home for that species ranging from forests to lush open fields. A Place For Butterflies is written to instill love and appreciation for these marvelous insects, and a final section about helping butterflies warns against catching or keeping them, or spraying chemicals that could harm them.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Place for Butterflies, December 11, 2010

By 

Joannie Duris - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Place for Butterflies (Hardcover)

A unique look at twelve butterflies of North America and their different needs for survival. Through multi-layered text, even the youngest readers discover what people have done to both harm and help these beautiful insects, and how other plants and animals depend on butterflies for their own survival. The illustrations include views of each caterpillar--from bright stripes to hairy to just plain strange looking! The lushly detailed artwork also begs for further exploration of the different habitats. Things readers can do to help protect butterflies are listed at the end of the book. Curriculum guides and other activities related to the book can be found on the author's website, www.melissa-stewart.com.