Caterpillar Butterfly by Vivian French
A factual book, though of course the translation of caterpillar into butterfly, as ugly duckling into swan, has a spiritual resonance for us all. I like that Vivian French finds a middle ground. She delivers facts (I have learned things I didn’t know before), but also remembers her grandfather and her own childhood excitement and puzzlement in learning these new things about life.
I love Charlotte Voake’s illustrations – she’s a favourite – with her fluid penmanship, graceful and light, touched in with watercolour. For some, her pictures are insufficiently of the biology textbook, but for me that’s a blessing. Without counting every leg she catches the spirit of caterpillar beautifully – and her nettles are sooo nettly!
