MAKE WAY FOR BUTTERFLY

Our familiar, tiny (and, of course, impatient) hero is back to study pollination.

The harried nymphalid from Burach’s previous tales learns yet another large scientific term (“Polli-WHAT-now?”). Butterfly sees Bee sitting on a flower, covered in yellow specks, and wonders what exactly is happening. After a quick lesson, an extraordinary fact comes to light: Butterflies are pollinators, too! Feigning nonchalance, Butterfly launches an endless string of questions: “Right. Right. Pollen. What’s pollen again?” “NOW what are you doing?” “Got it. So…how many flowers do bees visit each day??” In awe at the amount of pollen Bee collects, Butterfly tries to keep up and even transform into a bee (with the help of some glue, extra pollen baskets, and an elaborate, over-the-top jet pack). Bee, however, with wise assurance, advises after each attempt, “Just be a butterfly.” Full of witty banter, the back-and-forth exchanges told through different colored speech bubbles are ideal for pairs to read aloud. The fun wordplay (the pollinator baskets come from “Flykea”; a poster in the background of one page shows an equation from “Einsting”) also adds to the delight. Combining info on the natural world with lessons on self-acceptance, this is a buzzworthy choice. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Bee-you-tiful.