WHAT'S INSIDE A CATERPILLAR COCOON?

From egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult, learn about lepidoptera.

The creator of What’s Inside a Flower (2021) returns with equally engaging answers to readers’ questions about caterpillars, moths, and butterflies. What’s particularly attractive about this invitation to look more closely at the natural world are Ignotofsky’s signature graphics, stylized illustrations with flat colors and intricate details. Carefully organized information is arranged in short bits against a background of informative images. Many pages could easily be stand-alone posters. Varied page design helps with the organization and makes the whole more absorbing. Ignotofsky labels nearly every one of the over 80 species pictured as caterpillars, pupae, or adults, with the common name in tiny but legible uppercase lettering. These pages deserve to be pored over. To begin, the author/illustrator explains the stages of a caterpillar’s life and the transformation we call metamorphosis. What may astonish young readers most is the answer to the title question: Inside the cocoon or chrysalis, a caterpillar’s body becomes “soup-like,” turning into “a brand-new body…with wings, big eyes, and a different mouth.” Ignotofsky goes on to describe the physical details and behavior of the adults that emerge. She concludes by noting how important these insects are as pollinators and encouraging her readers to help protect them. Racially diverse humans appear in a few scenes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Complex information sensibly organized and beautifully presented.