Ben Clanton (Narwhal and Jelly series), Andy Chou Musser (Search for a Giant Squid, with Amy Seto Forrester), and Corey R. Tabor (Simon and the Better Bone) join forces to create Papilio, the inventive story of a black swallowtail butterfly, scientific name Papilio polyxenes. The charming and informative tale is divided into three sections, each representing a stage in Papilio's life: "Caterpillar," "Chrysalis," and "Butterfly."
Readers first meet Papilio in Clanton's "Caterpillar." The endearing caterpillar, with two dot eyes, perky antennae, and a warm smile, goes in search of food. When a friendly mouse helps her, she discovers the world is "full of surprises!" Tabor's "Chrysalis" depicts Papilio inside her "cozy chrysalis" where she "dissolves and turns into goo," prompting her to ponder how "weird" growing up can be. There's danger when birds argue over the tasty-looking chrysalis snack, but once again, the mouse saves the day. In Musser's "Butterfly," the still-hungry creature learns to navigate flying with her big new wings, avoids becoming a spider's meal, and shares a sweet treat with her mouse friend.
The stories flow seamlessly and blend cohesively into a unified whole, with each illustrator's distinctive style shining through. Occasional speech bubbles and panels give the book a slight comic-book feel. The backmatter includes "A Flutter of Facts," a short section about butterflies, and an authors' note that explains how the collaborators decided to work together. The result is a must-have for elementary science classrooms and libraries, as well as an ideal story for children curious about the natural world. --Julie Danielson