Such a gorgeous book! ( )

Lush, beautiful illustrations. ( )

Looking at the jeweled illustrations of Elisa Kleven, author and illustrator of this beautiful book, reminds me of peering through a kaleidescope. No matter which way you turn, or on which area you focus, new patterns of gorgeous colors reveal themselves to you.

This story tells what happens when Claire, a Glasswing butterfly (one with transparent wings), gets carried away from her family one day on a strong burst of wind. At first she is scared and lonely, but then she meets some new friends (a ladybug, a pigeon, and an ant) who guide her to an empty lot with flowers so she can eat:

"Day after day, Claire fluttered among the flowers, sipping their nectar, carrying their sticky yellow pollen from plant to plant, helping new flowers to grow.”

Kleven also describes the ways in which Claire’s friends help the new little ecosystem thrive. But still, Claire misses her family. Then one day, a group of Glasswings circles overhead, drawn by the big patch of color in Claire’s new garden. It is Claire’s family, and they have been looking for her. They swoop down, taking on the colors of the flowers behind them, and much joy ensues at the reunion.

Evaluation: This story provides a lovely way to impart information about how biological communities work, and in particular the role played by Glasswing butterflies. But the real value of this book is in the stunning mixed-media illustrations. They teem with color and texture and detail, and will provide children with hours of delight trying to identify all the hidden delights in each picture. ( )

The main characters of this book are bugs and a bird; but swirling about in the scenes behind and around them are people. The story begins with Claire, a glasswing butterfly, in a rural setting. But Claire is caught on a gust of wind and carried to a city. City life doesn't offer much for bugs or birds, but there is one little garden that becomes a home for all of them.

Woven into this story are themes of belonging, displacement, friendship, ecosystems and biology. That's a fantastic array. But what makes this book even better is its lack of boundries. The people and settings are crafted in such a way that this could be anywhere in the world. ( )

First and foremost, this books has some amazingly colorful and beautiful illustrations (see above). A reader can be lost in the pictures alone, finding new and interesting things with every read. But the story is amazing too. It is about family, making friends, be grateful for being who you are and the wonderful power of nature and pollination. I really loved this book as a parent and teacher. My children loved the story and we looked on the internet about pollination after reading this book. We like to further our education when a book brings a topic to our attention. The kids were completely fascinated by the whole idea of pollination. As a teacher, I see many new and wonderful lesson plans for this book! I want to thank Kleven for bringing this story to my family. It will be one we cherish for years to come! 5 stars ( )