The Butterfly House ( Editura: Outlet - carte limba engleza, Autor: Sarah Smith ISBN 978-1-84976-205-2 )

Gr 1–3—Lizzy and Jack love to visit Nana in her very special apartment. Nana has an amazing greenhouse that is aflutter with butterflies. She tells the children that if a butterfly lands on the very tip of their noses, they will magically turn into a butterfly. The children are excited but also a bit nervous when a butterfly tries to land on Nana's nose. Will Nana morph into a butterfly? But Cat, their naughty feline, leaps into the air and frightens the butterfly away. With the crisis averted, Nana and the children sit and eat a tablefull of sweets and then it is time for the children and Cat to leave. Nana sits in her chair, wrapped in a cozy blanket, and falls off to sleep. This story is imaginative and the art is colorful and engaging throughout. The endpapers depict caterpillars, cocoons, and ultimately a magnificent butterfly on the final spread. While children will find the art appealing, it's unclear what they will make of the story. Is Nana morphing into a butterfly, or does the story suggest that change is a constant in life? In the end, the story may be a stretch for its intended audience.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA