An Invitation to the Butterfly Ball

by Jane Yolen

Boyds Mills Press publishes a wide range of high-quality fiction and nonfiction picture books, chapter books, novels, and nonfiction

Genres: Picture Books, Poetry, Childrens, Fantasy, Animals, Fiction, Mathematics

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Jane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most captivating part of this book are the illustrations and pale, beautiful coloring. The counting took a backseat to these things and discussing the different types of animals became the main point of the book. Thankfully, my boys did not complain about this being too much of a girly book, something they have begun doing at times. Books like this are nice since the story is obviously geared towards girls but I can sneak it in and try to override classification tendencies.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a book to read and reread! Great illustrations and a wonderful storyline that coincides with teaching the number line!

[tess. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of my best memories of my childhood was with this book. My father, freshly shaven and his bay rhum burning my nostrils, would read to me in a sing-song voice this book. When i think of him, i think of this book, and i can't help but laugh.

[Jamey Fischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: This is a counting rhyme picture book. Each page adds a new creature from the forest searching in some way for a piece of clothing they need in order to be able to go to the butterfly ball. It counts from one to 10 in the 12 days of Christmas style, but in a melancholy fairytale forest way.

Opinion: I initially picked this book up for its colorful but muted water color illustrations. I really enjoyed how the illustrations added it the fairytale feel throughout the book. However, the descriptions of the fairytale creatures tended toward the sad side. The racoons "send up wails" and owls have "mournful hoots". I think some brighter or even simply more neutral descriptions would have done the book more justice.

How I would use it: This book could be used to help teach counting and rhyming. It is a book that repeats a lot of vocabulary, so it could also be used to introduce some new vocabulary for children. Especially if you want to incorporate words to describe being sad or articles of clothes.

[Marcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am weeding a collection of books that my mother bought for me when I was child, thus instilling my lifelong love of reading. My mother's love of reading and her passing on that love to me is truly a gift. So, as I reread these books from long ago, I will keep the ones that are most dear to me and the others I will place in my local library donation box, hopeful that another child will experience the many worlds of reading that I did while growing up in my parents' home.

The illustrations are whimsical, further captivating the reader, and the repetition of the counting rhyme could be used to support learning.

[Annburnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute children's book about animals getting ready for the ball.

[Grandma M · Rating 3 out of 5]

A repeating book. Illustrations are intricate.

[Hannahstu · Rating 5 out of 5]

So happy I found this book! It’s soooo cute and fun!

[Slee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A counting rhyme with whimsical illustration, An Invitation to the Butterfly Ball by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Jane Breskin Zalben uses rich vocbulary and imagery to enchant little children, while preparing them for the stresses of well anticipated formal occasions. It was enjoyable, and as a mother of a boy, I liked that the seemingly male animals were just as concerned about their attire as the seemingly female ones.

[Alaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite book as a child. It was not the most exciting, or the "coolest", but it is a book I loved being read to when I was young, and as an adult I still chant the words in my head and it calms me. "If she can't find one smaller than small, then she can't go to Butterfly Ball!" The illustrations are exquisite. I loved (and still love) the thin-line, spidery, water-colored 1970s depictions of small creatures and fairies.

[Siskiyou-Suzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole thing is woodland characters, fancy dress mixed with a pastel-psychadelic fantasyland. It's maybe the children's book I've always been looking for, illustration-wise! Text-wise, eh. It's sort of silly. I didn't read the repeating text when I read it, and it's certainly a little beyond younger kids since a lot of the text is about . . . fancy dress.

[Gala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a fan of song books to read or sing to children. They hear the repitition in the rhyme that they help sing or retell the story. This book like This Old Man He Played one to ten but this book has harder to read words for small children.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet counting book for children, with the most beautiful of illustrations. This would be a wonderful interactive read-aloud to share with young kiddos. Possibly selecting a few to hold up pictures or stuffed toys to represent each animal as they are mentioned in the story?

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Invitation to the Butterfly Ball was a beautifully done work that featured a repetitive counting rhyme. Creatively done, it captured my attention in a delightful way.

Kids will love the playfulness and wonder of this book.

[Tressa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite book as a kid. I still have my old school 1970's copy.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I loved as a kid. Incidentally, do any of you have a copy I could borrow... it's out of print and the library doesn't have it, and I'd love to read it to my girls. Anyone? Anyone?

[Roni · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was short reading....wished for more reading! Loved these illustrations. Gorgeous!

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful light illustrations of animals whom are on their way to a ball; the butterfly ball

[Rachel Rouleau · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know repetition is supposed to be good for kids but there was just too much of it here for me.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book as a child!