Bird, Butterfly, Eel
on Goodreads (122)
What’s inside...
Follows a barn swallow, a monarch butterfly, and an eel from summer on a farm until they make their respective fall voyages south, and then later begin to return north again when the weather warms. Includes facts about the animals. Change is all around us. From the first buds of springtime to the first autumn frost, nature shows us that change is all around us and that the world has its own way of beginning anew. Bird, Butterfly, and Eel spend their summers on the same coastal farm, but in the fall they go to very distant and different places. Their journeys to the far reaches of land and sea make them remarkable creatures. James Prosek uses their stories and his own sun-kissed paintings to introduce young readers to the basic elements of bird, fish, and insect migration.
Age
6-10
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Character compass
Barn Swallow
American Eel
Monarch Butterfly
Discussion points
How do the journeys of the bird, butterfly, and eel differ and what challenges do you think they face?
Why do you think the author chose to tell the story from three different perspectives?
What feelings did you experience while reading about the migrations? Were you excited, worried, or curious?
What did you learn about the importance of environments to creatures like the bird, butterfly, and eel?
Can you think of ways we can help protect these animals and their habitats in real life?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use a world map to trace the migration paths of each animal featured in the book. This visual aid can help children understand the distances traveled and the diverse environments each animal encounters.
Discuss the concept of empathy by asking how your child might feel if they were each creature. This can deepen their understanding of the challenges faced during migration.
Encourage your child to draw their favorite scene or animal from the book. This can help them express their understanding and feelings about the story through art.
Look up more facts about the real-life migrations of birds, butterflies, and eels together online or in a library to extend learning beyond the book.
Tie in the seasonal changes shown in the book with the current season in your environment. This can make the connection between the story and the child’s real world stronger.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: The Beauty of Migration
Explanation: Through the story of the bird, the butterfly, and the eel, the book illustrates the natural process of migration, showcasing how each character travels long distances as part of their life cycle.
Real-World Application: Children can learn about the importance of respecting wildlife and understanding the natural processes that animals undergo. This knowledge can foster a sense of responsibility and care for the environment.
Example Lesson: Interconnectedness of Ecosystems
Explanation: The book depicts different habitats and how the bird, butterfly, and eel's journeys are interconnected and reliant on various ecosystems.
Real-World Application: This lesson can help children understand how ecosystems work together and why it’s important to maintain the balance of nature. It encourages practices such as not littering and participating in local conservation efforts.
Example Lesson: Adaptability
Explanation: Despite the different challenges each character faces during their migration, they adapt and survive, demonstrating resilience.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by learning to adapt to their own changing environments, whether it’s moving to a new place, facing a challenging school subject, or making new friends.
Example Lesson: Seasonal Changes
Explanation: The book’s narrative flow follows the seasonal changes that trigger the migration of the bird, butterfly, and eel.
Real-World Application: This can help children understand the concept of seasons and the ways in which various living beings react to these changes. It also teaches the importance of patterns and cycles in nature.