Owly & Wormy, Friends All Aflutter!
by Andy Runton
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011
I don't read a lot of graphic novels, but last year I got hooked on the Owly series by Andy Runton, and I was delighted to find this wordless picture book featuring the same cute characters!
Best friends Owly and Wormy decide they want butterflies and head off to the nursery looking for a plant that will attract them. Once home, they create their little patch of garden to welcome the butterflies, even going so far as to make welcome signs. But all they end up with are green caterpillars. Wormy tells the green guys that the plants are for butterflies and the plants are not for caterpillars. Because this is a wordless book, the thought bubbles have pictures in them, and so for this conversation, we see a picture of a plant, an equal sign, and a butterfly. Then we see a picture of a plant, an equal sign with a slash through it, and a caterpillar.
While a little disappointed to not have butterflies, and a little puzzled as to why they don't, Owly and Wormy soon make friends with the caterpillars, only to have them disappear. And then the friends don't understand why the caterpillars left, and once again they're left wondering.
I've never tried a wordless picture book with a group, but I think is perfect for one-on-one reading; it gives the child a chance to help tell the story. I love these characters, their friendship, their facial expressions, their adventures...I hope we get more picture books of the two!
Reviewed from library copy
This would be awesome for introducing the life cycle of a butterfly to younger students. I am going to recommend it to our PreK and K teachers. I know they have cute follow up activities that would work with it. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteBecky