Our Woolly Bear
by Katie Arthur (Author)
A charming and unique ode to natural curiosity and the beauty found in small, fleeting things
One day, Edie and Lou discover a visitor between the beet greens in their garden: a fuzzy orange-and-black caterpillar called a Woolly Bear. The sisters build Woolly Bear a cozy bed of pine needles and pebbles. They pluck tiny thyme leaves for her to munch on. They sing her all the songs they know. Woolly Bear is the last thing they think of at bedtime, and the first thing they think of in the morning. She becomes part of their family.
But when the last leaves of autumn begin to fall, Woolly Bear disappears. After sixteen days without their friend, the sisters are glum. But just like Woolly Bear, they realize they're ready for new adventures. They spend the winter making memories in the garden and on the beach, and when spring comes, readers will notice that, unbeknownst to the sisters, Woolly Bear has returned--as a gold-winged Isabella Tiger Moth!
Debut author and illustrator Katie Arthur brilliantly captures a child's wonder and enthusiasm for the natural world with her off-beat, lyrical text and artfully naïve illustration style. This fresh and quirky take on a caterpillar's familiar journey encourages kids to approach nature with curiosity and kinship.
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Kirkus
Quiet celebrations of connections with nature and the passage of time.
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2--An autumn guest arrives at the seaside home of Edie and Lou, blue-eyed sisters with pale skin and dark hair. The sisters narrate how they discovered their visitor, a fuzzy black and orange caterpillar, meandering the leafy greens of their vegetable garden. They eagerly offer the critter pine needles and pebbles for nesting, thyme leaves for nibbling, and comforting songs. Edie and Lou, with their encouraging parents, research the caterpillar, to which the narrators assign the pronouns "she" and "her," and which will become an Isabella Tiger Moth by spring. Woolly Bear joins the family's peaceful, homey life of simple routines, which connect them with nature, their community, and one another. They savor the extraordinary in the completely ordinary until the end of fall, and the caterpillar disappears for the winter. In the spring, leaving puddles of cereal milk and child trinkets at the breakfast table, the family plants a sapling in their yard near the sea. Meanwhile, an Isabella Tiger Moth lingers on the window of their perfectly imperfect home unnoticed, watching the family from afar. Arthur's debut picture book is gentle, cherishing quiet comforts, and honestly depicts a folksy, close-knit family living an unhurried life. Illustrations combine eclectic, contemporary textile patterns with traditional, earthy, warm colors: dusty goldenrod, olive green, and burnt sienna. The illustrations hum with a feeling of peace and contentment, whispering reminders of the artwork of Patricia Polacco. For curious minds, pair this picture book with nonfiction texts to delve into the metamorphosis of caterpillars. VERDICT A lovely demonstration of slow living, this mellow story inspires readers to relish ordinary, delicate wonders.--Emily Brush
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Review quotes
The eye-catching illustrations and the whole tone of the briefly told episode will leave readers feeling snugly wrapped up ... Quiet celebrations of connections with nature and the passage of time. — Kirkus Reviews
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
JUV029010 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | Environment
JUV002300 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Butterflies, Moths & Caterpillars
