CLARA CATERPILLAR
Pamela Duncan Edwards, , illus. By Henry Cole. . HarperTrophy, $5.99 (40pp) ISBN 978-0-06-443691-5
The creators of
Details
Reviewed on: 03/29/2004
Genre: Children's
- Amazon
- Apple Books
- Barnes & Noble
- Bookshop
- Share
- Tweet
- Copy Link
More By and About this Authorchevron_right
- BOSTON TEA PARTYPamela Duncan EdwardsThe creators of Livingstone Mouse and Warthogs in the Kitchen travel back to 1773, when King George III's export tax on Continue reading »
- LITTLE BROWN HEN'S SHOWERPamela Duncan EdwardsThis thin tale told in couplets begins as Brown Hen, an expectant mother, has been mysteriously summoned to the farmhouse. She overhears a passing cat remark, "There's going to be a Continue reading »
- RUDE MULEPamela Duncan EdwardsRather than focus on a recalcitrant child, Edwards (Some Smug Slug) reverses the typical plot of a book about polite manners and places a child in charge of a Continue reading »
- MULDOONPamela Duncan EdwardsFloppy-eared Muldoon thinks of himself as his family's employee, and this newest offering from the creators of Some Smug Slug stretches the joke from the Continue reading »
- THE WORRYWARTSPamela Duncan Edwards, Pamela Duncan"The creators of Some Smug Slug here use alliteration to lighthearted and humorous effect," wrote PW. "Childlike Continue reading »
- ROSIE'S ROSESPamela Duncan EdwardsIn another alliterative adventure, Edwards and Cole (previously paired for Some Smug Slug) send winsome Rosie Raccoon on a mission: to deliver four roses, tied Continue reading »
- THE WRIGHT BROTHERSPamela Duncan EdwardsJoining a lineup of books commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first flight, this cumulative tale from a pair of seasoned collaborators (Muldoon) packs an Continue reading »
- DEAR TOOTH FAIRYPamela Duncan EdwardsThe correspondents in this appealing epistolary tale are Claire, newly six, and the eponymous diva of dentition herself—although older readers may suspect that the latter is actually Continue reading »
- MISS POLLY HAS A DOLLYPamela Duncan Edwards, Frances ArringtonThis catchy song, whose musical notation is given as an endpaper bonus, explains that "Miss Polly has a dolly who is sick, sick, sick/ She calls for the doctor to come quick, quick, Continue reading »
- THE LEPRECHAUN'S GOLDPamela Duncan EdwardsWhere there are leprechauns, surely there is gold to be found—but at what price? Two men in long-ago Ireland find out in this chipper tale with dulcet undertones. Sharing a story line much Continue reading »
- FALLING FOR RAPUNZELPamela Duncan Edwards, Leah Wilcox"Once upon a bad hair day,/ A prince rode up Rapunzel's way," opens Wilcox's debut book, offering a slight if agreeably silly take on the classic tale. In rhymed couplets of Continue reading »
- GIGI AND LULU'S GIGANTIC FIGHTPamela Duncan EdwardsIntense friendships are a fixture of childhood but suppressing one's individuality is never a good idea, as Gigi the pig and Lulu the mouse discover. All the adults chuckle over the many ways Continue reading »
- THE NEAT LINE: Scribbling Through Mother GoosePamela Duncan EdwardsMother Goose meets Harold and the Purple Crayon in this latest from Edwards (Some Smug Slug ) and Bluthenthal (
Continue reading » - Ms. Bitsy Bat's KindergartenPamela Duncan EdwardsThe collaborators behind Some Smug Slug join forces to deliver this light look at how several animals' anxieties get stirred up when a new teacher begins on Continue reading »
- The Bus Ride That Changed History: The Story of Rosa ParksPamela Duncan EdwardsThis glancing treatment of Rosa Parks's 1955 refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man unwinds as a cumulative narrative reminiscent of "The House That Jack Built." The style, Continue reading »
- The Leprechaun's GoldPamela Duncan EdwardsTwo harpists set off for a contest to name the best in Ireland. "Edwards builds a mellifluous rhythm with her quaint phrasing and clean story line," wrote Continue reading »
- The Old HousePamela Duncan EdwardsA woefully neglected clapboard house is at the center of this straightforward story from the creators of Ms. Bitsy Bat’s Kindergarten . Cole’s visual Continue reading »
- While the World Is SleepingPamela Duncan Edwards“Come little sleepyhead, come with me,/ I've left my hole high in the tree./ Oh, what wondrous things we'll see,/ While the world is sleeping.” Edwards (
Continue reading » - Four Famished Foxes and FosdykePamela Duncan Edwards""Cole's illustrations... add a healthy dose of energetic humor to the tongue-twister text,"" said PW of this feisty alliterative tale. Ages 4-9. Continue reading »
- Some Smug SlugPamela Duncan EdwardsA self-satisfied slug ignores its friends' alliterative warnings as it proudly climbs a slope that turns out to be the back of a hungry toad: ""Such a shock, such a shame. Such a succulent slug!"" Continue reading »
- Barefoot: Escape on the Underground RailroadPamela Duncan Edwards, Henry Cole, Pamela Duncan Edwards""A taut, involving narrative and dramatic, shadow-filled full-spread art"" adopt woodland animals' perspectives to tell of a runaway slave's flight, said PW. Ages 5-9. Continue reading »
- Roar!: A Noisy Counting BookPamela Duncan EdwardsA lion cub just wants to have fun with his fellow inhabitants of the savanna. But he doesn't understand why, when he roars his invitation to join his game or dance, nobody wants to play with him. One Continue reading »
- Clara CaterpillarPamela Duncan EdwardsPamela Duncan Edwards and Henry Cole, the creators of Some Smug Slug and Four Famished Foxes and Fosdyke, take on metamorphosis with Clara Caterpillar. ""Grow up to be courageous and contented, Continue reading »
- Barefoot: Escape on the Underground RailroadPamela Duncan EdwardsWith a taut, involving narrative and dramatic, shadow-filled full-spread art, the creators of Some Smug Slug and Livingstone Mouse transport youngsters onto the overgrown path that an escaping slave Continue reading »
- Dinorella: A Prehistoric FairytalePamela Duncan EdwardsIn this offbeat fairy-tale homage, Edwards revisits the alliterative format of her Four Famished Foxes and Fosdyke. Dinorella, a shy, pink dinosaur, lives with two greenish-brown diplodochi. Continue reading »
- Warthogs in the Kitchen: A Sloppy Counting BookPamela Duncan Edwards, Henry Cole, EdwardsCollaborators Edwards and Cole (Four Famished Foxes and Fosdyke) pull out all the stops in this slapstick comedy of too many cooks, starring eight eager-eyed, quadruple-tusked, bristly warthogs and a Continue reading »
- The Wacky Wedding: A Book of Alphabet AnticsPamela Duncan EdwardsA queen ant and her winged groom head for the altar in this buggy--though not particularly wacky--alphabet. The nuptials take place on the verdant and damp forest floor, the bride and groom thronged Continue reading »
- The WorrywartsPamela Duncan EdwardsAs they did in Some Smug Slug, Edwards and Cole here use alliteration to lighthearted and humorous effect. On a ""warm Wednesday morning,"" Wombat, Weasel and Woodchuck contemplate all the terrible Continue reading »
- Ed & Fred FleaPamela Duncan Edwards, EdwardsBad Fred Flea, who shares residence on a dog with his angelic brother, Ed, hopes to get the whole hound to himself. When Ed, who reads the dog's whining as a warning to move on, invites Fred to bail Continue reading »
- Slop Goes the SoupPamela Duncan EdwardsThe stars of Warthogs in the Kitchen team up again in Slop Goes the Soup: A Noisy Warthog Word Book by Pamela Duncan Edwards, illus. by Henry Cole. The author uses onomatopoeia to demonstrate how Continue reading »
- Warthogs in a Box: Counting, Colors, Sounds [With Stickers]Pamela Duncan EdwardsA trio of miniature editions unite for Warthogs in a Box: Warthogs Paint: A Messy Color Book; Warthogs in the Kitchen: A Sloppy Counting Book; and Slop Goes the Soup: A Noisy Word Book, all by Continue reading »
- Warthogs Paint: A Messy Color BookPamela Duncan EdwardsThe stars of Warthogs in the Kitchen: A Sloppy Counting Book learn a few things about the properties of primary colors in Warthogs Paint: A Messy Color Book by Pamela Duncan Edwards, illus. by Continue reading »
- Four Famished Foxes and FosdykePamela Duncan EdwardsA fox who flambees and fillets? Unfeasible? Not according to this alliterative tale, which introduces chef Fosdyke and his four siblings: Frank, Floyd, Freddy and Flo. When the quintet's mother Continue reading »
- Princess Pigtoria and the PeaPamela Duncan EdwardsThis heavily alliterative retelling of "The Princess and the Pea" from the creators of The Old House is more like "The Princess and the Letter P." The porcine princess's palace is in disrepair, and Continue reading »
- THE SISSY DUCKLINGHarvey Fierstein, Henry ColeActor and playwright Fierstein (Torch Song Trilogy) turns a gimlet eye to Hans Christian Andersen in this ducky tale. Elmer, crowned by a wispy comb of feathers Continue reading »
- FRIGHT NIGHT FLIGHTLaura Krauss MelmedEn route to "your house," a mischievous witch stops at creepy locales to pick up ghosts and mummies: "Hop aboard, there's always room/ for a howling, growling Werewolf,/ and a Continue reading »
- CITY CHICKENArthur DorrosOne-liners and sight gags are as thick as feathers in a henhouse in Dorros's (Ten Go Tango) and Cole's (The Sissy Continue reading »
- WHY DO KITTENS PURR?Marion Dane BauerA boy's real and imaginary worlds merge in this simple but intriguing picture book. As the narrator asks why various animals (and, eventually, the moon and the sun) behave as they do, each Continue reading »
- NAUGHTY LITTLE MONKEYSJim AylesworthWhen Mom and Dad head out for their night on the town, will their "angelic" little monkeys behave? Not likely. First, there are as many of them as there are letters of the alphabet; Continue reading »
- BAD BOYSMargie PalatiniTwo raffish wolves named Willy and Wally ("Oh yeah, we're bad. We're bad. We're really, really bad" is their mantra) have just been run out of town by the Three Little Pigs and Continue reading »
- VICTOR VITO AND FREDDIE VASCO (TWO POLAR BEARS ON A MISSION TO SAVE THE KLONDIKE CAF!)Laurie BerknerMusician and children's performer Berkner (Victor Vito , Under a Shady Tree ) adapts one of her fun-flavored tunes as a Continue reading »
- SANTA'S STUCKRhonda Gowler GreeneOne snack too many lands Santa in a tight spot—literally. During his appointed gift- giving rounds on Christmas Eve, Santa can't resist nibbling the numerous treats and sweets the Continue reading »
- And Tango Makes ThreeJustin Richardson, Peter ParnellTango has two daddies in this heartwarming tale, inspired by actual events in New York's Central Park Zoo. Two male penguins, Roy and Silo, "did everything together. They bowed to each Continue reading »
- The Sissy DucklingHarvey Fierstein"Fierstein turns a gimlet eye to Hans Christian Andersen in this ducky tale," according to PW's starred review. "Cole makes a sympathetic hero Continue reading »
- Shiver Me Letters: A Pirate ABCJune SobelThose looking for an "M is for Matey" type of treatment will have to plunder elsewhere, as Sobel's (B Is for Bulldozer: A Construction ABC ) alphabet Continue reading »
- On Meadowview StreetHenry ColeThe front lawn of Caroline’s new home is like all the others in her cookie-cutter subdivision—it’s a simple, sterile patch of green that falls far short of the Continue reading »
- The Rubber-Legged DuckyJohn G. KellerAn ugly duckling of a different feather—one with a rubber leg—turns his deformity into an asset in this quirky and triumphant picture book. Five, the fifth duckling born to Mama Duck Continue reading »
- Chicken ButtErica S. PerlDad is engrossed in the paper, which of course makes him a ripe target for a silliness offensive by his son. “You know what?” says the boy, with a gleam in his eyes worthy of Bart Continue reading »
- Big Chickens Go to TownLeslie HelakoskiPecking at a bag of feed in the back of the farmer's truck, the four chickens take an unintended ride to town in this third outing. The chickens become increasingly discombobulated by the Continue reading »
- A Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of HomeHenry ColeFantasy and natural history blend comfortably in illustrator Cole’s (Jack’s Garden ) first novel, as a Louisiana plantation—where wildlife Continue reading »
- One Pup's UpMarsha Wilson ChallEqually peppy words and pictures introduce an active litter of 10 puppies. As this counting tale opens, most snuggle with their mother, fast asleep, but "1 pup's up," and its siblings soon awaken and Continue reading »
- Katy Duck Goes to Dance ClassAlyssa Satin CapucilliThis balletic book follows Capucilli and Cole's (Katy Duck, Center Stage) familiar peppy protagonist as she literally dances across the page. With the help of tabs and flaps, a tutu-clad Katy Continue reading »
- Manners Mash-Up: A Goofy Guide to Good BehaviorThis follow-up to Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? (2006) and Knock Knock (2007) rounds up 14 of the usual suspects—the most gifted illustrators working today—and gives them one spread to explain Continue reading »
- On the Way to the BeachHenry ColeHenry Cole encourages youngsters to take a closer look at their surroundings in his paper-over-board On the Way to the Beach. Gatefold flaps on spreads of marsh, dune and beach environments open Continue reading »
- Oink?Margie PalatiniWith understated humor and a somewhat labored plot, the team behind Moosetache and Bad Boys introduces Joseph and Thomas, a pair of happy, contented pigs whose slobby behavior disturbs the rest of Continue reading »
- MoosetacheMargie PalatiniNo matter how Moose braids, coils and nets his wiry ""moosetache,"" he winds up with a hair don't. His Rapunzel-length locks snag his ankles, dangle from his antlers and sometimes obscure his face Continue reading »
- Little Bo: The Story of Bonnie BoadiceaJulie Andrews EdwardsEdwards's (The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles) sliver of a tale traces the adventures of a small gray cat named Boadicea, ""Bo"" for short. Wealthy Mrs. Edith Edge is mortified to discover Continue reading »
- Little Dogs Say Rough!Rick WaltonWhat are baby animals really saying with the sounds they make? According to Walton (Once There Was a Bull Frog), ""Little snakes say, ""Kissss! Kissss!/ Kisss us on the cheek like thissss!"" And Continue reading »
- The New Pup on the BlockSusan SaundersEasy to envision as an animated cartoon, the peppy debut volume in Saunders's All-American Puppies series introduces a cast of canine characters with distinct personalities. At the center of the tale Continue reading »
- Little Bo in France: The Further Adventures of Bonnie BoadiceaJulie Andrews EdwardsIn the sequel to Little Bo, the feline heroine and her sailor friend Billy Bates hitchhike to Paris in Little Bo in France: The Further Adventures of Bonnie Boadicea by Julie Andrews Edwards, Continue reading »
- Who BopJonathan LondonAs in his groovy Hip Cat and his less successful The Candystore Man, London strives for a bippity-bopping boogie rhythm, this time convening an animal dance party. Here ""hoppin' hares"" and Continue reading »
- Three Hens and a PeacockLester L. LaminackWhat might have been an ordinary be-yourself story is enhanced by Laminack's (Snow Day!) surprisingly thoughtful storytelling. Three hens on the Tuckers' farm are sick with envy when a peacock shows Continue reading »
- Chicken Butt's Back!Erica S. PerlMom is so over it: "I'll make this crystal clear:/ No more 'Chicken Butt' my dear." But for the star of Chicken Butt! every grocery store item (and everything his mother says) becomes fodder for his Continue reading »
- The Littlest EvergreenIn the voice of the titular character, Cole (A Nest for Celeste) wistfully recounts the life and times of a Christmas tree. The sound of chain saws in late autumn stirs fear in the tree that has come Continue reading »
- Surfer ChickKristy DempseyChick, a long-lashed tan chicken in a green two-piece bathing suit, is determined to make her surfer-star father proud. Peppered with surf lingo, Dempsey’s (Mini Racer) verses occasionally stretch to Continue reading »
- I Know a Wee PiggyKimberly NormanThis little piggy has escaped from his owner and is running riot through the county fair, getting covered in gunk, globs, and other stuff representing nine colors: brown from the muddy pig pen, red Continue reading »
- Who’s Who?Ken GeistGeist offers a high-spirited salute to animal sounds, movements, and twin siblings, riffing on the nursery rhyme “Over in the Meadow.” Geist’s verse introduces various sibling pairs in outdoor Continue reading »
- Prairie Chicken LittleJackie Mims HopkinsHopkins gives this story of miscommunication and false alarm a Southwestern spin, much as she did in The Three Armadillies Tuff and The Horned Toad Prince. The narrative uses internal rhyming and Continue reading »
- Nelly May Has Her SayCynthia C. DeFeliceOnce upon a time, a “clever and quick” girl named Nelly leaves her impoverished, overpopulated family and goes to work for Lord Ignasius Pinkwinkle, a man at the far end of the eccentricity spectrum. Continue reading »
- Bogart and Vinnie: A Completely Made-Up Story of True FriendshipAudrey VernickThe heart wants what the hearts wants. Case in point: Vinnie, a "crazy-happy" dog (and seldom has a description been more apt) who wanders into a nature preserve for exotic animals and decides that Continue reading »
- Big BugHenry ColeReaders get a hint of the ingenuity in Cole's (Unspoken) nifty study of comparative sizes from its arresting cover, which features a ladybug at very close range, Inside, realistic full-bleed Continue reading »
![]()
The illustrator of some 80 picture books – some of which he wrote, some penned by other authors – Henry Cole is a versatile children's book creator. In his latest solo effort, Continue reading »
PW EDITORS’ PICKS FOR
THE BEST NEW BOOKS
PW EDITORS’ PICKS FOR THE BEST NEW BOOKS
Featured Children's Reviews
Rise
Freya Finch
A fledgling teen Valkyrie tries to avert Ragnarök in Finch’s spirited, Norse mythology–inspired debut. Most assume Bryn Martel, her older sisters Prima and Reagan, and their Continue reading »
Benji Zeb Is a Ravenous Werewolf
Deke Moulton
White-cued Benji Zeb—on the cusp of making his bar mitzvah—is struggling to keep many secrets as well as live up to the expectations of his kibbutz family. His first secret—he Continue reading »
Fowl Play
Kristin O'Donnell Tubb
Contemporary Charleston, S.C., provides the backdrop for this cunning mystery by Tubb (Luna Howls at the Moon), in which a grieving tween’s often laugh-aloud misadventures in Continue reading »
The Zebra’s Great Escape
Katherine Rundell
Writing in the tradition of rumbustious British children’s classics, Rundell (One Christmas Wish) introduces Mink, a headstrong city-dwelling child who “did not believe in Continue reading »
chevron_right
