Exploring Top Books of Shelfari

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

by Eric Carle

Bestselling story written for the very young. A newly hatched caterpillar eats his way through all kinds of food.

James and the Giant Peach

by Roald Dahl

A young boy escapes from two wicked aunts and embarks on a series of adventures with six giant insects he meets inside a giant peach.

"'Will you walk into my parlor,' said the Spider to the Fly..." is easily one of the most recognized and quoted first lines in all of English verse. But do you have any idea how the age-old tale of the Spider and the Fly ends? Join celebrated artist Tony DiTerlizzi as he -- drawing inspiration from one of his loves, the classic Hollywood horror movies of the 1920s and 1930s -- shines a cinematic spotlight on... (more)

The Very Busy Spider

by Eric Carle

With the use of raised printing, this innovative book adds the sense of touch to vision and hearing as ways to understand and enjoy the strikingly designed illustrations and the memorable story. Various farm animals try to divert a busy little spider from spinning her web, but she persists and produces a thing of both beauty and usefulness. Enjoyed by all audiences, this book’s tactile element makes it especially... (more)

Beetle Bop

by Denise Fleming

They crawl up walls, they hide in cracks, they flip, they fly, and sometimes . . . c rrr ash. Beetles come in all shapes and sizes, and they are everywhere in this thoroughly buggy, beautifully designed book. There are striped beetles, spotted beetles, all-over-dotted beetles--and don't forget the noisily gnawing beetles! Whether you love bugs or whether the sight of them makes you itch, you'll adore this... (more)

The Metamorphosis and Other Stories

by Franz Kafka

"Had one to name the author who comes nearest to bearing the same kind of relations to our age as Dante, Shakespeare, and Goethe bore to theirs, Kafka is the first one would think of."-- W. H. Auden Packaged with French flaps, acid-free paper, and rough front.

The Very Lonely Firefly

by Eric Carle

A restless firefly begins a search for other fireflies and is led to a lantern, a candle, the glowing eyes of a cat, dog, and owl, and a surprise celebration of light before he finds his friends and the reason for his journey.

In the Tall, Tall Grass (An Owlet Book)

by Denise Fleming

If you were a fuzzy caterpillar crawling through the tall, tall grass on a sunny afternoon, what would you see? Beginning as the sun is high in the sky and ending as fireflies blink and the moon rises above, this backyard tour is one no child will want to miss. A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book An ALA Notable Book A School Library Journal Best Book An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists A ... (more)

The Chemistry of Death

by Simon Beckett

Three years ago, David Hunter moved to rural Norfolk to escape his life in London, his gritty work in forensics, and a tragedy that nearly destroyed him. Working as a simple country doctor, seeing his lost wife and daughter only in his dreams, David struggles to remain uninvolved when the corpse of a woman is found in the woods, a macabre sign from her killer decorating her body. In one horrifying instant, the... (more)

From Caterpillar to Butterfly (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 1)

From Caterpillar to Butterfly (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 1)

by Deborah Heiligman

A caterpillar comes to school in a jar. The class watches the caterpillar each day as it grows and changes. Soon, it disappears into a hard shell called a chrysalis. Then the chrysalis breaks, and a beautiful butterfly flies out of the jar! This is a perfect beginner's guide to the mystery of metamorphosis. Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children 1997 (NSTA/CBC)

Beach Bugs: A Sunny Pop-up Book by David A. Carter (A Sunny Pop-Up Book)

Beach Bugs: A Sunny Pop-up Book by David A. Carter (A Sunny Pop-Up Book)

by David A. Carter

From picnic bugs and fireflies to rollercoaster bugs on a warm summer night, this next installment of the wildly popular Bugs series captures what everyone loves about summer! Paper-over-board book has cardstock pages and includes pop-ups, flaps, and lights!

Creepy Crawly Crime (Joey Fly, Private Eye)

Creepy Crawly Crime (Joey Fly, Private Eye)

by Brian M. Weaver, Aaron Reynolds

Have you ever had one of those moments? You know—you’re trying to find a stolen diamond pencil box for your beautiful butterfly customer, your mosquito witness won’t give you any information, and your clumsy scorpion assistant has just tampered with your only bit of evidence? Joey Fly has those moments a lot. In fact, he’s probably having one right now. But that won’t stop him from solving the mystery in Creepy... (more)

The Very Greedy Bee

by Steve Smallman

Inch by Inch

by Leo Lionni

The Metamorphosis

by Franz Kafka

Acclaimed graphic artist Peter Kuper presents a brilliant, darkly comic reimagining of Kafka’s classic tale of family, alienation, and a giant bug. Kuper’s electric drawings—which merge American cartooning with German expressionism—bring Kafka’s prose to vivid life, reviving the original story’s humor and poignancy in a way that will surprise and delight readers of Kafka and graphic novels alike. “A brilliant... (more)

Explorer extraordinaire!

by Jane O'Connor

For the fanciest girl around, the outdoors are out of this world! Fancy Nancy and her best friend, Bree, set out to explore the fascinating world of wildflowers, trees, leaves, birds, and, of course, butterflies in their exclusively glamorous Explorers' Club. With recipes for pinecone bird feeders and extra-fancy lemonade, an official club bird, and an exclusive map of the territory, Fancy Nancy is one Explorer... (more)