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Zoey and Sassafras #4
Caterflies and Ice
A Mighty Girl Book of the Year With magical animals, science, mystery, and adventure -- the series Zoey and Sassafras has something for everyone! Easy-to-read language and illustrations on nearly every page make this series perfect for a wide range of ages.
In the fourth book, an unexpected snow storm causes trouble for the magical creatures of the forest. When Zoey and Sassafras attempt to rescue trapped caterfly eggs, they make a mistake. Can they figure out a way to fix things before the baby caterflies hatch?
Each story in the Zoey and Sassafras series features a new magical animal with a problem that must be solved using science. There isn't a set formula for each book; Zoey sometimes needs to run experiments, while other times she needs to investigate a mystery, and yet other times she needs to do research. Zoey models how to keep a science journal through her handwritten entries in each story. Each story is complete with a glossary of the kid-friendly definitions for scientific terms used. The series highlights child-led inquiry science and the topics covered align with both Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
In the fourth book, an unexpected snow storm causes trouble for the magical creatures of the forest. When Zoey and Sassafras attempt to rescue trapped caterfly eggs, they make a mistake. Can they figure out a way to fix things before the baby caterflies hatch?
Each story in the Zoey and Sassafras series features a new magical animal with a problem that must be solved using science. There isn't a set formula for each book; Zoey sometimes needs to run experiments, while other times she needs to investigate a mystery, and yet other times she needs to do research. Zoey models how to keep a science journal through her handwritten entries in each story. Each story is complete with a glossary of the kid-friendly definitions for scientific terms used. The series highlights child-led inquiry science and the topics covered align with both Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
96 pages, Paperback
First published November 21, 2017
86 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
July 24, 2020
Well, *squeeee*! These caterflies are so darn cute. Yes, that is cat-erfly as in cat-butterfly; a tiny six-legged cat with butterfly wings! And if you think that's cute, wait until you see the cat-erpillar! ;-) There's a scene where the caterflies land on Sassafrass to keep warm and, well, it's just about one of the most adorable things ever.
This series is A+ Love the STEM approach to real-world problem-solving mixed with the delightful fantasy creatures. The creatures-in-peril situation in this one was a bit lighter than the other two I read (perhaps because what is in danger here is the caterfly eggs and not the adorable creatures Zoey is actually interacting with) so I shared this one with my two children and they enjoyed it. We did the potato-in-water experiment afterwards and that was fun. I appreciate that Zoey makes an honest mistake here and helps figure out a way to fix it. As ever, the parents are present and supportive without helicoptering. Highly recommend!
This series is A+ Love the STEM approach to real-world problem-solving mixed with the delightful fantasy creatures. The creatures-in-peril situation in this one was a bit lighter than the other two I read (perhaps because what is in danger here is the caterfly eggs and not the adorable creatures Zoey is actually interacting with) so I shared this one with my two children and they enjoyed it. We did the potato-in-water experiment afterwards and that was fun. I appreciate that Zoey makes an honest mistake here and helps figure out a way to fix it. As ever, the parents are present and supportive without helicoptering. Highly recommend!
June 14, 2022
This was another fun story in the series. Zoey finds caterflies (miniature cats that have butterfly wings) and tries to save the baby eggs from under some ice. They live on catnip and her mom tells her the salt she put down probably wasn't the best for the plants so she learns more about science. Cute!
December 12, 2024
Darling. This will be a perfect read aloud for my 2nd graders. I will likely buy the set for the grandkids too. I love the way that this book incorporated science with magic and imagination. The physical book had cute pictures on every page, and the audiobook was delightful. Loved them both.
May 28, 2021
In case you didn't know, caterflies are basically tiny six-legged green furry cats with butterfly wings. They lay eggs, which hatch into caterpillars (yep, caterpillars, with cute little cat faces), feed on naturally-growing catnip, form a chrysalis, and become caterflies.
All of this, and more, can be found in the adorable fourth book of Asia Citro's series Zoey and Sassafras, "Caterflies and Ice". My seven-year-old daughter loves this series, and she is determined to read all of them this summer. Totally doable.
All of this, and more, can be found in the adorable fourth book of Asia Citro's series Zoey and Sassafras, "Caterflies and Ice". My seven-year-old daughter loves this series, and she is determined to read all of them this summer. Totally doable.
August 16, 2018
Adorable! I loved the caterflies and their story! I like how this covered a variety of topics from art and science. I like the Zoey's mom is helping her a lot and helping her grow as a scientist! I'm looking forward to the next one.
October 5, 2020
These are so cute! And engaging! And JP really likes them!
December 31, 2022
The book that started my love for Zoey and Sasafras!
January 31, 2024
My four year old loves this series for read aloud!
April 17, 2024
Salt’s effect on ice and plants. Freezing point of water. Butterfly life cycle.
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January 15, 2025My 7 year old really enjoyed this (and loves all the books in this series!)
January 1, 2021
This basically happened to us.
March 19, 2023
Joy says, “I give it five stars because it taught me that salt can hurt plants.”
We’re excited to read the next one! This is the first one we checked out from our library together!
We’re excited to read the next one! This is the first one we checked out from our library together!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2024
A little special review from my daughter 👧🏽📚
“I like the caterflies, the green house, that Zoe made a mistake without knowing like it happens to us and she fix it, I like the snow and that her mom was helping her”
“I like the caterflies, the green house, that Zoe made a mistake without knowing like it happens to us and she fix it, I like the snow and that her mom was helping her”
April 6, 2019
This book is an early chapter book that would be great for students in 1st -3rd depending on where they are in their reading levels. It tells a story of Zoey meeting these Caterflies and introducing them to Sassafras. It is a book full of imaginative things, and it would be a fun book for children to go through. A fun activity for a teacher would be to have children read this, and then write their own short story from it.
December 29, 2022
A late spring freeze could have some dire consequences for the caterflies! (cats + butterflies)
Their babies need warmth to hatch but now they're frozen behind a tiny waterfall. Zoey needs to come up with a solution to unfreeze the eggs.
I liked how this book pointed out that sometimes the solution accidentally causes other problems. The author does a fantastic job weaving science with cute fantasy creatures. (The caterflies are *squee!*) I love Zoey and her parents. They're all lovely.
Great series! Highly recommended!
Their babies need warmth to hatch but now they're frozen behind a tiny waterfall. Zoey needs to come up with a solution to unfreeze the eggs.
I liked how this book pointed out that sometimes the solution accidentally causes other problems. The author does a fantastic job weaving science with cute fantasy creatures. (The caterflies are *squee!*) I love Zoey and her parents. They're all lovely.
Great series! Highly recommended!
October 11, 2020
I liked this one a lot because for the first time Zoey tries something that might actually cause more harm than good and she has to figure out how to fix it.
It was a good example of how sometimes even when you are trying to help you might make a big mistake, and like Zoey, the sooner you work to remedy your mistake the more likely you are fix the problem.
My 7yo, enjoyed that feeling of "oh no!" worrying if Zoey might have accidentally hurt the magical creatures she was trying to help. This series has been a great way to feed a child's need and enjoyment of fantasy and pretend while also grounding them in real scientific inquiry. I hope this series continues.
It was a good example of how sometimes even when you are trying to help you might make a big mistake, and like Zoey, the sooner you work to remedy your mistake the more likely you are fix the problem.
My 7yo, enjoyed that feeling of "oh no!" worrying if Zoey might have accidentally hurt the magical creatures she was trying to help. This series has been a great way to feed a child's need and enjoyment of fantasy and pretend while also grounding them in real scientific inquiry. I hope this series continues.
March 9, 2018
Adorable! My 8-year-old and I read this in 2 sittings. It's a chapter book with large type and many adorable illustrations. She could have comfortably read it herself, but as it's a story about a little girl and her cat who help magical animals in need, I really wanted to read with her! This one features tiny, winged, six-legged cats. Not only is it cute, Zoey is a scientist, and she modeled scientific approaches and careful thinking in a way totally organic to the story. A must read for your elementary-age animal fans, scientists, and fantasy enthusiasts!
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December 27, 2020I ADORE this series! Fun magical creatures? Please! Real science ideas explored with magical experiments? Yes please! Learning about the consequences of our actions and our responsibilities? 100% YES!
I would have loved it when I was a kid. I was always interested in the natural world but it took me until I was a full adult to figure out that I liked BIOLOGY, aka SCIENCE. If I had this series, maybe I would have cottoned on earlier AND felt like I had good role models for the journey and gotten a totally different degree!
I would have loved it when I was a kid. I was always interested in the natural world but it took me until I was a full adult to figure out that I liked BIOLOGY, aka SCIENCE. If I had this series, maybe I would have cottoned on earlier AND felt like I had good role models for the journey and gotten a totally different degree!
April 22, 2021
My daughter's teacher picked out this book for her. I'm so glad she did, or we never would have discovered Zoey and Sasafras. Such a great series for young readers! My 2nd grader loved it and read most of it completely on her own.
February 23, 2019
I love these little books aimed at children ages 6 to 10 because they feature a girl using science to solve problems. American cultural has made significant improvements in breaking glass ceilings since the 1960s, but we still have a long way to go. It’s books like these that will help overcome stereotypes and, hopefully, lead more girls into fields that don’t rely on beauty or body type.
Each book is basically the same format, and yet is it not: a magical creature shows up at the barn behind Zoey’s house with a problem. Zoey’s mother has been helping the wide range of creatures for years, and now Zoey, along with her best friend, Sassafras the cat, gets to help too. She has Thinking Goggles (protective eye wear) that she wears to help her think…and without realizing protecting her eyes…and a journal where she keeps all her scientific notes.
The difference between each of the books is the scientific approach Zoey must figure out to use, Sometimes she needs to do some investigation, other times research, and other times she must run experiments.
In Book 4 “Caterflies and Ice,” two of tiny caterflies (wait until you read their descriptions; they are so cute!) ring the barn’s magical doorbell needing help. An unexpected spring snowstorm has created danger for the caterflies’ eggs. They are trapped in a cave behind a frozen waterfall. Zoey knows she must hurry to save the unhatched babies. When her first attempt fails, she relies on her experimental skills to solve the problem.
Each book is basically the same format, and yet is it not: a magical creature shows up at the barn behind Zoey’s house with a problem. Zoey’s mother has been helping the wide range of creatures for years, and now Zoey, along with her best friend, Sassafras the cat, gets to help too. She has Thinking Goggles (protective eye wear) that she wears to help her think…and without realizing protecting her eyes…and a journal where she keeps all her scientific notes.
The difference between each of the books is the scientific approach Zoey must figure out to use, Sometimes she needs to do some investigation, other times research, and other times she must run experiments.
In Book 4 “Caterflies and Ice,” two of tiny caterflies (wait until you read their descriptions; they are so cute!) ring the barn’s magical doorbell needing help. An unexpected spring snowstorm has created danger for the caterflies’ eggs. They are trapped in a cave behind a frozen waterfall. Zoey knows she must hurry to save the unhatched babies. When her first attempt fails, she relies on her experimental skills to solve the problem.
October 21, 2019
“But this morning its 31 degrees out,” Mom continued. “Do you remember what that means?” I nodded. “Water has a freezing point of 32 degrees. Since 31 degrees is below that, everything will still be frozen. But once its above 32 degrees, the water won’t stay frozen…so the ice and snow will melt.” (Pg. 65)
I had another installment in this darling series and I am so glad..it is so great to just read and refresh your Science and learn something new..this episode involved the fictional animal of the caterfly which is a tiny butterfly/cat creature that turns into caterpillars but there is a problem this winter as their eggs have frozen and they need Zoey and her mom’s help to get them to safety..I found this one a little easier to read than the first one but I think this one incorporated more topics from weather, to temperature to lifecycles and botany—it’s an awesome series with a little heroine from a smart and loving family that loves to learn and for that I recommend these a thousand times..suited definitely for ages 8 and up grades 3 and above for such an entertaining look at STEM for girls in an easy to read way..Love these!!
I had another installment in this darling series and I am so glad..it is so great to just read and refresh your Science and learn something new..this episode involved the fictional animal of the caterfly which is a tiny butterfly/cat creature that turns into caterpillars but there is a problem this winter as their eggs have frozen and they need Zoey and her mom’s help to get them to safety..I found this one a little easier to read than the first one but I think this one incorporated more topics from weather, to temperature to lifecycles and botany—it’s an awesome series with a little heroine from a smart and loving family that loves to learn and for that I recommend these a thousand times..suited definitely for ages 8 and up grades 3 and above for such an entertaining look at STEM for girls in an easy to read way..Love these!!
April 26, 2023
A sudden spring snow storm has Zoey delighted, but Sassafras grumpy (he doesn't like getting his paws wet). While she tries to come up with a way for Sassafras to enjoy the snow, some caterflies show up asking for help. The sudden cold snap has frozen the waterfall they put their eggs behind for shelter and they are afraid the little ones won't make it. Can Zoey think of a way to save the little caterflies?
This Zoey and Sassafras adventure has Zoey needing to brainstorm a way to solve a problem she accidentally creates with her solution to the first problem. Her mom is very good at reassuring her she was doing the best she could with the knowledge she had and helps her come up with a fix. Readers may learn a thing about how many herbs can grow new plants from just one part (not only a seed), the properties of salt, and enjoy a snowy adventure with Zoey and Sassafras. The caterflies are very cute mythical creatures.
This Zoey and Sassafras adventure has Zoey needing to brainstorm a way to solve a problem she accidentally creates with her solution to the first problem. Her mom is very good at reassuring her she was doing the best she could with the knowledge she had and helps her come up with a fix. Readers may learn a thing about how many herbs can grow new plants from just one part (not only a seed), the properties of salt, and enjoy a snowy adventure with Zoey and Sassafras. The caterflies are very cute mythical creatures.
July 10, 2018
First off, what a clever and cute concept for a magical creature! As a cat fan, I loved it! :-) Ok, back to the story...an unexpected spring snowstorm hits and causes some trouble for a nearby group (Kaleidoscope? Swarm? Rabble?) caterflies, their eggs, and their host plant...catnip. A few group members seek out Zoey for help and she has to use her background knowledge to help solve the problem...which she does...but, unknown to her (at the time) it also causes some additional harm. Asia Citro does a great job of capturing Zoey’s emotional struggle and scientific struggle as she explores time sensitive solutions. While I love this series for the problem solving approach of Zoey’s character, I especially love how this book also demonstrates that sometimes you really need to seek out the advice of the more experienced other...scientists don’t work alone.
September 25, 2025
I rate this book a four out of five . beucause I really like the garden one better than the snow one . but it was still good and this was supossed to be chapter 4 of these books they are so much fun and lots of learning .about the garden one they are so cool that I want all of the books or a whole intire collection of all the books but I got these at the library . the first time I went . the reason why I didn't take the book back to the library was beucause I wasn't finished with it yet . cus how long that Ramonas world or whatever it is called Ramona forever that was really long because it had 191 pages I think bc I cant look because I don't have it anymore so yeah that's what the book is about
March 4, 2018
3/4/2018 ~~ The fourth in the series. I'm pleased with the way the author (a former science teacher, or should we say a science teacher not currently working in school but still finding ways to teach science) incorporates science naturally in the interactions between Zoey and her mother. I do find the father's oblivion odd. It seems like he'd catch on that there's something weird going on in the barn!
Readers of early chapter books will enjoy Zoey's efforts to help the magical creatures under her care.
Readers of early chapter books will enjoy Zoey's efforts to help the magical creatures under her care.
March 27, 2025
I feel like the only book I genuinely enjoyed from the series was book one. I find these books to be pretty boring, but my kids really enjoy them and that's all that matters. Kid J's favorite part is when the caterpillar was on Sassafrass' nose. Kid A's favorite part was also the one J liked, when mom scared Zoey in bed, when she caterpillar was eating and making silly sounds, and when Zoey was excited for the eggs to hatch. We listened to these via Yoto cards and averaged about 4 chapters each night at bedtime.
September 25, 2020
This was my personal favorite Zoey and Sassafras book yet! Adorable little cat/butterfly magical creatures, while learning about the melting point of water, the effects of salt on plants, and the life cycle of caterflies. ;)
Also, I love that this series has a smart and enthusiastic Black heroine, and the drawings are really sweet. This one showed Zoey wearing her nightcap, so when my 4yo asked what it was I got to talk with them a bit about how it’s normal nightwear for some hair types.
Also, I love that this series has a smart and enthusiastic Black heroine, and the drawings are really sweet. This one showed Zoey wearing her nightcap, so when my 4yo asked what it was I got to talk with them a bit about how it’s normal nightwear for some hair types.
December 29, 2020
Strange animals that need help often come to Zoey and her cat, Sassafras. So, during a snowstorm, Zoey was not surprised when Caterflies came to her needing help.
What a charming and engaging story! Perfect for readers in grades one through three, this interesting story has just the right blend of magic, imagination, and actual science knowledge to make an incredible and unforgettable little story that young children will not soon forget! This chapter book is wonderful. The cute black and white sketches are sure to please too!
What a charming and engaging story! Perfect for readers in grades one through three, this interesting story has just the right blend of magic, imagination, and actual science knowledge to make an incredible and unforgettable little story that young children will not soon forget! This chapter book is wonderful. The cute black and white sketches are sure to please too!
November 29, 2021
I really enjoyed this one! Zoey uses quick thinking to save the magical caterflies' eggs, but her solution has unintended consequences, and she must use additional scientific knowledge to fix it. I learned something new in this one! There are also some hints about why Sassafras was so obsessed with the monster Gorp in an earlier book, which my 6-year-old immediately picked up on. He was eager to start the next book in the series after this one, and so was I!
February 3, 2018
My 4-year old son enjoyed his second chapter book in the Zoey and Sassafras series. Love that the main character is a girl of color, love that she doesn't solve all of her problems immediately, and love that my son learned some new science facts while enjoying magic as well. We love this series -- the only downside is my continued discomfort that Zoey and her mom keep a secret from Zoey's dad.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews