Spring Picture Book: The Caterpillar and the Polliwog – Embrace your uniqueness

2nd March 2021

“Where flowers bloom so does hope.” – Lady Bird Johnson

Springtime is definitely a time for fresh starts and new beginnings! Our picture book of the day is The Caterpillar and the Polliwog written by Jack Kent. It is a fabulous adventure in nature for children ages 3-6.

By the lake, there lived a confident caterpillar, who proudly boasts to all her friends that she would transform one day, beautiful and completely different. She shares this secret with her friend, the polliwog. He is fascinated and is determined to transform into a butterfly too. His wise and gracious friend, the fish, eventually tells him that his full form is different– a frog. This message of the story is that each transform is one of a kind, and encourage children to embrace their uniqueness.

The picture book includes plenty of animals and insects: caterpillar, polliwog, snail, turtle, fish, butterfly, frog. The little polliwog is so indulged in the caterpillar’s metamorphosis that he almost misses his own! It illustrates the transformation of both caterpillar and polliwog, and parents can take this opportunity to introduce this enchanting process to youngsters.

When children reach the age of 3 and above, they begin to understand that one day they will become adults. As their knowledge of the outside world expands so ever rapidly, they will learn that every living species has its time and track. The caterpillar is extra proud of her transformation because it is so unique, and similarly we should slow down and enjoy the ride as we travel through our children’s growth.

The caterpillar is naturally confident and vain, at the same time she is kind and generous to others. She is well aware of her traits and appreciates who she is. This type of self-awareness and confidence is vital to a child’s growth. The caterpillar is disappointed when the snail and the turtle does not understand her, yet overjoyed when the polliwog shows enthusiasm. She finally finds someone who appreciates her beauty. On the other hand, the polliwog is unsure of what will happen eventually. Though different from his expectations, he quickly embraces his unique full form.

Accepting oneself is the moral of the story, and a lifelong lesson. One must first embrace your authentic self in order to gain true acceptance from others. It is up to parents and teachers to lead children to discover and embrace their personal traits, and to lend them a helping hand when they stumble. A positive outlook of self ultimately benefits a child’s healthy development. Seize this lovely season of the year to take your child to discover the gems that nature has to offer and learn about caterpillars, polliwogs and other insects along the way!

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Photo Credit:
1. https://book.douban.com/subject/2130967/
2. http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_13d814f710102wliu.html