Tadpole's Promise (Bccb Blue Ribbon Picture Book Awards (Awards))

Book Description

Where the willow tree meets the water, a tadpole met a caterpillar.

They gazed into each other's tiny eyes...and fell in love.

"I love everything about you," said the caterpillar.

"Promise you'll never change." And foolishly the tadpole promised...

But we all know that tadpoles don't stay the same, and neither do caterpillars.

Will they still be able to love each other?

Customer Reviews:

4-year-old's favorite!.......2007-10-01

This is my 4-year-old daughter's favorite book. She loves to read it with mom or dad and just laugh and laugh at the ending. I found her the other night reciting (from memory) the book while lying in bed.

The illustrations are inviting, with a humorous "side story" evolving (so to speak) in pictures at the bottom of the pages. The writing is concise and flows nicely.

My daughter is a nature lover, and we have always been open with her about the circle of life. This mild and funny book has a twist of an ending that apparently offends parents who prefer to shield their children from the reality of nature. However, [spoiler alert] a watercolor frog eating a watercolor butterfly is hardly graphic and, in fact, in the context of this great book is rather hilarious.

Not for kids under 4 or 5.......2007-07-13

Like many others have said, my daughter was shocked by the ending and pretty disturbed. We got the book after having seen real tadpoles in a stream while on vacation. I read the first half of the book, but didn't make it to the end until she and I read it together at bedtime. She was mortified that the frog ate his friend. I can certainly see how this book might appeal to older kids, and the artwork is very nice, but it's just not for little ones.

I didn't expect THAT ending.......2007-02-28

A caterpillar and a tadpole promise not to change when they fall in love. Just like real life, change happens. Find out the surprise ending and enjoy the repetition along the way.

July 2006 Lazy Readers' Book Club selection [...].......2006-07-28

I absolutely love this book and cannot recommend it highly enough for all ages, as it tells the amusing tale of a caterpillar and tadpole who fall in love and promise one another to never change. The caterpillar becomes annoyed when her beloved tadpole develops into a frog, but she goes through some changes of her own. One of the most gratifying endings of any children's book I've read recently, and a useful book for those of us who still try to incorporate a little science into school. A MUST READ! To view this and other cool short book recommendations, visit the Lazy Readers' Book Club at [...]

brave and funny.......2006-03-02

The tadpole and the caterpillar are best friends, and promise never to change. The caterpillar is aghast and hurt when the tadpole becomes a frog, and the frog doesn't even recognize his true love when she becomes a beautiful butterfly.

[SPOILER ALERT] But, through a miracle, they realize what has happened and fall in love again...in a deeper, more mature, accepting affection... NOT! The frog gobbles up the butterfly in one happy gulp!

What a relief to see a book that acknowledges that some promises were not ever possible to keep, whatever the good intentions, and how refreshing to see a story about animals that accepts who eats whom. The first time I read it, I was horrified that this book, which cleverly lured me into a little metaphor for relationships, trust, and acceptance so violently jarred me into reality. A few
re-readings and I was in admiration, and then I was laughing.
I believe that kids,
who are a bloodthirsty group in general, will laugh, too.

Average customer rating:

For the Love of Insects, Indeed!
For Love of Insects
book missed the mark
Buy this book!
It makes you LOVE insect

For Love of Insects
Thomas Eisner
Manufacturer: Belknap Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0674018273

Book Description

Imagine beetles ejecting defensive sprays as hot as boiling water; female moths holding their mates for ransom; caterpillars disguising themselves as flowers by fastening petals to their bodies; termites emitting a viscous glue to rally fellow soldiers--and you will have entered an insect world once beyond imagining, a world observed and described down to its tiniest astonishing detail by Thomas Eisner. The story of a lifetime of such minute explorations, For Love of Insects celebrates the small creatures that have emerged triumphant on the planet, the beneficiaries of extraordinary evolutionary inventiveness and unparalleled reproductive capacity.

To understand the success of insects is to appreciate our own shortcomings, Eisner tells us, but never has a reckoning been such a pleasure. Recounting exploits and discoveries in his lab at Cornell and in the field in Uruguay, Australia, Panama, Europe, and North America, Eisner time and again demonstrates how inquiry into the survival strategies of an insect leads to clarifications beyond the expected; insects are revealed as masters of achievement, forms of life worthy of study and respect from even the most recalcitrant entomophobe. Filled with descriptions of his ingenious experiments and illustrated with photographs unmatched for their combination of scientific content and delicate beauty, Eisner's book makes readers participants in the grand adventure of discovery on a scale infinitesimally small, and infinitely surprising.

Customer Reviews:

For the Love of Insects, Indeed!.......2007-05-03

Thomas Eisner is J. G. Schurman Professor of Chemical Ecology at Cornell University and his life long fascination of the insect world has blessed us with an extraordinary, in-depth knowledge of bugs and their awesome capabilities, esp., in chemical defenses which have led to the discovery of many helpful medicines, etc.

Eisner's many beautiful color photos and micro-photography turn this book into a coffee-table txt book on insect ecology and this is worth the price of admission on just that aspect alone.

The famous sociobiologist/entomologist, friend and research collaborator of Eisner, E. O. Wilson, "Diversity of Life", et al., wrote the Foreword to this book and gives a good summation on the focus of this book: "The many behaviors he [Eisner] has discovered and explained, and their implementation by life around us, amazing in a variety and precision, are the worthy focus of this book." Well put.

After the Foreword is a great quote about insects in general: "What makes things baffling is their degree of complexity, not their sheer size... a star is simpler than an insect." From: [Martin Rees, "Exploring Our Universe and Others," Scientific American, December 1999]

In the Prologue, Eisner has given a great appraisal of the insect world in: "They have succeeded in one major respect where humans have failed. They are practitioners of sustainable development. Although they are the primary consumers of plants, they do not merely exploit plants. They also pollinate them, thereby providing a secure future, both for themselves and for their plant partners." Indeed, symbiosis, harmony...

...And, Eisner on his hopes for this fine book: "If this book contributes in any way toward bolstering the preservationist spirit, as I hope it might, it will have fulfilled it's purpose."

It has certainly "edified" my preservationist spirit and will no doubt do the same for others!

For Love of Insects.......2007-01-31

This is an excellent book to share the insect world as they protect themselves from their environments.

book missed the mark.......2007-01-10

I purchased the book as a Christmas Gift for an 11 yr old very bright nephew who is fascinated with insects. After reading other reviews it seemed as though the book was written a little more with younger reader in mind. Either I misinterpreted the reviews or overestimated the nephew's interest.
He opened it, thumbed through it, was unimpressed, read a little here and there and was further unimpressed, walked away and actually left the book at my house. Had I not inscribed the inside front cover, I would have returned it. One of these days maybe I will read it and post a review from a different prospective. Also, one of these days, I will learn that children, bright or not, prefer toys for Christmas - not books. *sigh*
A. Michaels

Buy this book!.......2007-01-03

Easily readable! If you ever had an interest in bugs, it will be rekindled here. Superlative, you might as well buy two because you will be giving one away to a friend.

It makes you LOVE insect.......2006-08-10

This is an exquisite book in both its photographs and
prose and you come away with a sense of wonder and
appreciation.

An Obsession With Butterflies: Our Long Love Affair with a Singular Insect

Average customer rating:

Information to meditate on...
Eh
Invitation to a Winged World
A Lyrical Exploration
Rewarding and entertaining read

An Obsession With Butterflies: Our Long Love Affair with a Singular Insect
Sharman Apt Russell
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0465071600
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Book Description

A delightful look at the science of butterflies-and our obsession with them-by an acclaimed nature writer.

Butterflies have always served as a metaphor for resurrection and transformation, but as Sharman Apt Russell points out in this lyrical meditation, butterflies are above all objects of obsession. She reveals the logic behind our endless fascination with butterflies and introduces us to the legendary collectors and dedicated scientists who have obsessively catalogued new species of Lepidoptera. A luminous journey through an exotic world of passion and strange beauty, this is a book to be treasured by anyone who has ever experienced the enchantment of butterflies.

Customer Reviews:

Information to meditate on..........2007-08-06

Looking for a field guide to butterflies and not finding one at my local library, I picked up this little book instead. Not having any expectations, except that maybe this book would be over my head as I do not consider myself 'obsessed', I loved this book...it was enchanting! The awe inspiring nature of these beings is honored here. I found Ms. Russell's writing beautiful and informative, and at just the right times, poetic and inspirational - pausing to quote parts in my journal. I'm not sure that I'm obsessed, but I do find myself seeing many more butterflies, and thinking about them even when they are out of my sight!

Eh.......2005-06-29

I thought An Obsession with Butterflies was... okay.

Part of my problem with it probably came from my expectations. I was hoping it would be a book about people who are interested in butterflies and how their obsession drives them (about the history of collecting, hunting, etc). There was a little of that but the bulk of the book was taken up by a discussion butterfly biology. I didn't know much about butterflies going in so that part was somewhat interesting, though a but light on hard science and illustrations. The parts about evolutionary tactics of butterflies were genuinely interesting. I think that for anyone who already knows anything about butterflies that these portions of the book would be a rehash.

My real problem with the book was the writing style. The author was trying far too hard to be "lyrical" and poetic as though she's trying to show off how she's such a good writer, and it simply didn't work. The chapter "Butterfly Matisse" was especially painful. In describing how wing patterns (a butterfly's "art") are an asset to butterflies she says, "Art can be a magic cloak... Art is deception. Art is also distration." She compares eyespots on wings to "Snake eyes. Devil eyes." Give me a break! It's an interesting topic, it doesn't need to be dressed up in high school level metaphors and similes. Her habit of anthropomorphizing butterflies was also annoying. The chapter "The Single Mom" was by far the best, er, worst, example of this.

If you can get over that, there is something of interest in the book. If you're not especially interested in butterflies and just like good nature writing, go read "The Orchid Thief" or something by Michael Pollan instead.

Invitation to a Winged World.......2005-01-15

Naturalist Sharman Russell once again leads the reader into territory where few humans tread, in this case into the realm of butterflies and moths. Using extensive research, including interviews with experts, literature reviews, and facts culled from scientific papers, Ms. Russell explains secret lives of butterflies and their habitats. She also reveals the characters of some humans who devote their lives to study and to preserve this often-overlooked member of the insect realm. The author's gentle grasp of humor, irony and poetic language makes often-complex information accessible--in short, lyrical chapters-- to the layperson. This book brings all the wonder and fragile beauty of butterflies into your mind.

A Lyrical Exploration.......2004-03-23

This lyrical exploration of butterflies has an amazing range. The author's depth and breadth of research is equaled by her ability to sweep us into a very special world, the world of those who are obsessed with butterflies. Butterfly biology and ecology, the focus of this book, are clearly presented in beautiful language. The details of butterfly anatomy and behavior are sometimes bizarre and always interesting.

The author adds depth to the book by including the human view of butterflies. Her profiles of contemporary and historical scientists and ordinary people who have been obsessed with butterflies are riveting. (Some of the people are as peculiar as the insects!) She includes the incredible variety of meanings that societies have assigned to butterflies and moths. I had a hard time putting down this unusual blend of science, biography and mythology.

Rewarding and entertaining read.......2004-03-18

I picked up this slim volume for a quick read and was treated to a meditation on the subject of butterfly species, as well as the insect and plant world. The book overflows with information, but the wealth of details never seems dry or textbookish. I laughed out loud at times with the insights about the subject's mating and survival behaviors revealed with wonderfully wry comparisons to everyday events. I'm left with the feeling that while seemingly a fluke of nature ("if all butterflies disappeared so would a few flowers-but not many"), the butterfly fits in nature's web through complex relationships with the plants and insects that inhabit its domain: Ants that become the children to the caterpillar's Pied Piper and plants whose leaves mimic the appearance of ones that have been ravaged by the caterpillar. And perhaps, most telling our own relationship to these singular creatures: as eccentrics, as collectors, as art appreciators, as naturalists, and as scientists. I count myself among a select group of those who have taken the time to learn about the natural world from the point of view of the butterfly. This is the rare book that is greater than the sum of the details due to the author's exceptional, wide-angle approach to a multifaceted puzzle. A pleasure to read for the humor and insight.

Average customer rating:

I love Bugs too!
Cute Book for Toddlers - a review of "I Love Bugs!"
Kids love Bugs

I Love Bugs!
Philemon Sturges
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Zoology | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0060561688
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Book Description

Some bugs hop.

Some bugs
make honey.

Some bugs light
up the sky!

Come explore the amazing world of bugs! The friendly bugs that crawl all over these pages include hungry caterpillars, busy ants, and graceful dragonflies. Which one is your favorite?

Customer Reviews:

I love Bugs too!.......2006-11-10

I especially enjoyed this book my mom gave to my son after his baby sister was born this spring... :)

Cute Book for Toddlers - a review of "I Love Bugs!".......2006-08-04

NOTE: The professional reviewers have this book listed as appropriate for the 4 to 8 year-old age range; BUT as a mom of a boy and girl (4 and 6 years of age respectively) I'd say they were wrong. I would peg the book as being better suited to those 4 years-old and under.

"I Love Bugs" is a cute little book with nice simplistic pictures and text. One of points that I like about it is that there is a great deal to discuss. You can cover basic information like the names of the creatures, their colors, and what they are doing - crawling, flying, digging, etc.-- or you can discuss the 'environment' in which they live - under rocks, underground, etc.

In addition, on the front and back , there are drawings of various other bugs/insects with a factoid. For example:

"Ladybugs can have from two to more than twenty-four spots."

The bugs/insects covered include: woolly bear, millipede, grasshopper, dragonfly, beetle, water bug, butterfly, caterpillar, bee, spider, ants, praying mantis, cicada, deerfly, moth, cricket, ladybug, luna moth, firefly, and 'baby sister'.

Which brings up one of the cuter aspects of this book. One the last page there is a picture of a baby dressed up in a ladybug outfit. The idea is that the big brother (looks like a boy but I think you could 'fudge' to fit your circumstances and make it a girl if need be) is holding up a their crawling sibling saying "Bugs, bugs, bugs! I LOVE bugs!"

It is cute and touching, particularly so because on the back cover, along with the other bugs, there is a picture of the 'baby sister' with the following:

"If a baby sister "bugs" you, it's just because she loves you!"

Nice segway to explaining to older children why their sibling is into their toys and always following them around.

Four Stars. Cute book for older babies up to preschoolers. For Kindergartens could be used as a primer - with help.

Kids love Bugs.......2005-08-12

My 2 year old LOVES this book. The pictures are great and he loves learning the bugs' names.

Average customer rating:

A Mama Bug's Love (Preschool Pop-Ups)
Janet Lawler , and William C. Wolff
Manufacturer: Little Simon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1416915486

Book Description

Mama bugs show love in very special ways. Lovable bugs will have you cuddling your loved one as the bugs show how their love is shared. With bright and sturdy pop-ups on every page, each mama bug's love jumps off the page to delight even the squirmiest bug!

Book Description

A playful pop-up for your favorite Love Bug.

Have you hugged a bug today?

Customer Reviews:

Love Bugs.......2007-03-16

Great book for my purposes -- to use in a pre-school music class.

Perfect Valentine Gift.......2006-02-25

I bought this book for my son this past Valentine's Day. He had gotten Halloween Bugs in October and had enjoyed that one so much I thought I would be good for him to have another.

Since my son is 2 we had to explain to him that you do not pull the flowers out. Once we got past that, he seemed to be content with leaving the pop-ups in the book. When we got finished reading it the first time he demanded that we read it again. Even after the tenth time in a row he did not get tired of it. I find I have to hide it sometimes in order to not have to read it 20 times in the same sitting, but it never gets old watching him enjoy it so much.

Love Bugs.......2003-02-24

This book is absolutely adorable!!! A very sweet valentine book with fun, colorful pop-ups and a sweet valentine poem!! Such a great book!!!

Beautiful book.......2003-02-10

I bought this book years ago for my now 9 yr old,. Now my 3 yr old has rediscovered all of Carter's books & loves them. She is a girly girl & is usually afraid of bugs but these bugs are so cute, she loves them. Of course as with most pop-up books,it is short & fragile-not for the very young to play with on their own. But it is a must-have for anyone with kids.

Loved it!.......2002-02-27

The cutest valentine book ever! The pop ups are wonderfully designed and it is a real attention getter! My only complaint is that the book isn't longer!! I would love to see more!

Average customer rating:

Mommy, I Love You
Quentin Grban
Manufacturer: Milk & Cookies Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1596871849

Book Description

Beautifully illustrated and poignantly told quest of a young, artistic ladybug named Suzette who is trying to reunite with her beloved mommy after they get separated. Along the way, Suzette encounters various animals-a colony of ants, a bumblebee, a dragonfly, a frog, and even an otter. Although Suzette shows them the lovely picture she drew of her mother, no one has seen her anywhere!

Average customer rating:

Passion and Good Writing

The Life and Love of the Insect
Jean-Henri Fabre
Manufacturer: University Press of the Pacific
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Insects & Spiders | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1410206629

Book Description

CONTENTS: The Sacred Beetle The Spanish Copris The Onthophagi A Barren Promise A Dung-Beetle of the Pampas The Geotrupes: The Public Health Minotaurus Typhous The Two-Banded Scolia The Ringed Calicurgus The Old Weevils Leaf-Rollers The Halicti The Languedocian Scorpion

Customer Reviews:

Passion and Good Writing.......2007-09-28

Reading Fabre is a joyful experience. I don't normally care much about insects, but I find that reading Fabre's essays on various denizens of his Provence property draw me into the passion he feels for his beloved subjects. Unfettered by formal education and conventional notions (Fabre was an autodidact), Fabre gives free rein to his delight in observing the insect world while not losing a standard of refined, accurate observation. He also has the knack of keeping the reader engaged, allowing the drama of these tiny lives to show through. This book is a great find. I got turned on to it by its mention in William Zinsser's "Writing To Learn" as a premium example of the finest non-fiction writing.

Average customer rating:

"Spider Sisters"
spider sisters isn't just for kids
This book is simply a must have treasure for little girls!!
Sister sentiments shared simplistically!

Spider Sisters (Word Kids!)
John Trent
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0849912113

Book Description

Two sisters, who happen to be spiders, learn to appreciate their differences. Great for sisters of all ages!

Customer Reviews:

"Spider Sisters".......2003-11-24

I gave this book to my sister for her college graduation last year because she is so special to me, and this book puts those feelings into words. It's written about a set of twin sisters, but any sisters can appreciate it...it's about the sweetest book I've ever read! The illustrations are photographs of the clay characters and they are precious! A WONDERFUL book that is difficult to find but worth the search!

spider sisters isn't just for kids.......2002-02-25

The illustrations in Spider Sisters are so wonderful and creative (clay and real objects). John Trent uses spiders to describe the wonderful love and friendship that sisters share ('fuzzy armed hug', many arms to share toys with). There's such love and care in every word; i am buying one for each of my two sisters (and one for me--since i am using a borrowed copy). Get one!

This book is simply a must have treasure for little girls!!.......1999-10-22

My girls love this book as much as I do. It teaches them how to love each other and be there for each other....always. My girls have memorized many of the lines and refer to themselves as Spider Sisters a lot. Sweet as pie...it brings tears to my eyes every time I read it. We give it to other little girls with sisters all the time as a gift.

Sister sentiments shared simplistically!.......1998-06-17

This is a charming narrative told by a young spider concerning the good, the bad and the ugly of growing up with a sister. Differences between the sisters are pointed out; however, the similarities which bond are also delightfully revealed. My young daughters, ages 5 and 3, as well as myself, thoroughly enjoyed this story amidst the detailed and colorful illustrations. Even in their early development, my girls came to recognize within the story that they have differences just as the spider sisters did, but that they too "will always have each other."

Wacky Wedding, The: A Book of Alphabet Antics

Average customer rating:

Intruiging

Wacky Wedding, The: A Book of Alphabet Antics
Pamela Duncan Edwards
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Love & Romance | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0786803088

Amazon.com

The wedding of the quite content queen ant and her faithful flying ant fellow is about to begin! Unfortunately, one disaster after another is in store for the passionate pair. First, a foolish fly lets some fruit fall on the groom's head. He insists the ceremony must not cease, so, spattered in purple, the nice nuptials continue. When oatmeal cookies and orangeade are offered to all, it seems as though the day will end perfectly... until the bride has a little mishap herself. "A terrible tragedy is taking place," cry the tearful treehoppers, trembling on a twig. Will the queen--and the day--be saved and the adoring ants allowed to live happily ever after? Pamela Duncan Edwards and illustrator Henry Cole (of Livingstone Mouse and Honk!) have created a hilarious alliterative alphabet book that goes well beyond the standard ABCs. Readers of all ages will be in stitches at the ants' antics. Younger picture-book aesthetes will love the challenge of finding the hidden letter and object on each page. Lush, larger-than-life illustrations of jungle-like grasses and leaves, and the giant yet subtle soda-pop can that provides orangeade drops, remind readers of the complex and complete world that usually goes unnoticed at their feet. (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Intruiging.......2000-11-26

My daughter and I read this book together and with each page you look for the letter that it talks about. I gotta tell you there were many pages in which we were stumped! It got so that we both lost the point of the story and just looked for the letter in the illustrations. My daughter liked this book but I personally have seen better alphabet books.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books

Some bugs hop. Some bugs make honey. Some bugs light up the sky!

Some bugs hop.

Some bugs
make honey.

Some bugs light
up the sky!