The Unforgettable Party

Author-illustrator Vola’s spunky digital illustrations follow seafoam-colored, orange-nosed Caterpillar, who wants to throw a party in his apple house but cannot find willing guests. Caterpillar has mature reading tastes—J.D. Salinger’s Nine Stories, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, and George Orwell’s Animal Farm are all among the titles in his room—as well as varied media interests, among them E.T., Spider-Man, and Dragonball Z. Still, his range goes unappreciated by all of his party invitees, who just so happen to be “um, busy.” “I’m sorry, I can’t come. I have to dust the cobwebs,” Spider replies, and Snail doesn’t even recognize the caller. Undeterred, Caterpillar throws a remarkable party with some surprising guests. Vola’s prose maintains an absurdist humor, while whimsical art in a pastel-adjacent palette will hold young readers’ attention in this offbeat ode to innovation and finding satisfaction in solitude. Ages 3–7. (Aug.)