28 Apr Review: Coco and the Caterpillars
Coco and the Caterpillars
Written and illustrated by Geraldo Valério
Groundwood Books, 2024
ISBN: 9781773067988 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9781773068008 (eBook)
$21.99 CAD (hardcover)
$16.99 CAD (eBook)
40 pages
Ages: 3 to 6 years old
Review by Alexander Slack
When it comes to potentially difficult subjects about the natural life cycle, Coco and the Caterpillars takes a caring and understanding approach. This book is about a child who finds six caterpillars, and his pet chicken Coco, who eats four of them when he is not watching. The unnamed child is sad that the caterpillars were eaten, but also sees that Coco became sick. He cares for his pet, while watching the two remaining caterpillars grow into butterflies. There are a number of great introductory discussions to be had with young children about compassion, natural animal behaviours, and dealing with unexpected loss. The bright, papercut-style illustrations make this a great companion story to Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, both in theme and visual style. The tone is very lighthearted and positive, with only a brief sombre moment, making this suitable for any young child.