Beautiful Butterfly Picture Books and Educational Resources for Nature Study
If your family loves nature study, there’s no better way to dive into the world of butterflies than with beautiful picture books, fun educational games, and hands-on resources. Whether you’re preparing for a visit to a butterfly house, starting a caterpillar observation project at home, or simply exploring the magic of metamorphosis, we’ve gathered our favorite butterfly and caterpillar books, and toys to spark curiosity and learning.Â
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Butterfly Picture Books and Educational Resources for Nature Study Adventures
Butterflies
A Butterfly Is Patient (Sylvia Long)
- Hardcover Book
- Aston, Dianna (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 05/04/2011 (Publication Date) – Chronicle Books (Publisher)
$18.99
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The Butterfly House: Step inside to discover over 100 species of nature’s most beautiful insects
- Hardcover Book
- Flint, Katy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 04/02/2019 (Publication Date) – Frances Lincoln Children’s Books (Publisher)
$46.69
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From Caterpillar to Butterfly (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science 1)
- hands-on and visual
- acclaimed and trusted
- great for classrooms
- Entertain and educate at the same time
- Have appealing, child-centered topics
$6.99
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Caterpillar to Butterfly (National Geographic Kids Explore! Readers, Level 1) (National Geographic Kids Readers)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Marsh, Laura (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 04/10/2012 (Publication Date) – National Geographic Kids (Publisher)
$5.57
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Are You a Butterfly? (Backyard Books)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Allen, Judy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 28 Pages – 05/16/2003 (Publication Date) – Kingfisher (Publisher)
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Face to Face with Butterflies (Face to Face with Animals)
- Hardcover Book
- Murawski, Darlyne (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 05/11/2010 (Publication Date) – National Geographic Children’s Books (Publisher)
Handle with Care: An Unusual Butterfly Journey (Junior Library Guild Selection)
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Burns, Loree Griffin (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 01/01/2018 (Publication Date) – Millbrook Press (Publisher)
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The Life Cycles of Butterflies: From Egg to Maturity, a Visual Guide to 23 Common Garden Butterflies
- Burris, Judy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 160 Pages – 04/01/2006 (Publication Date) – Storey Publishing, LLC (Publisher)
$14.39
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Butterflies: Exploring the Life Cycle (My Wonderful World)
- Raines, Shirley (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 10/10/2017 (Publication Date) – Flowerpot Press (Publisher)
$8.20
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A Place for Butterflies
- Stewart, Melissa (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 04/01/2014 (Publication Date) – Peachtree (Publisher)
$8.99
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Butterflies for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to the Butterfly Life Cycle and Beautiful Species to Discover
- Davidson, Lauren (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 82 Pages – 03/02/2021 (Publication Date) – Callisto Kids (Publisher)
$5.09
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Caterpillars
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Caterpillars
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Hardcover Book
- Singer, Marilyn (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 07/01/2011 (Publication Date) – Early Light (Publisher)
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Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies: Take-Along Guide (Take Along Guides)
- Boring, Mel (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 50 Pages – 01/01/1999 (Publication Date) – Cooper Square Publishing Llc (Publisher)
$7.16
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Face to Face with Caterpillars (Face to Face with Animals)
- Murawski, Darlyne A. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 05/12/2009 (Publication Date) – National Geographic Kids (Publisher)
$6.95
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Butterfly & Caterpillar Picture Books for Younger Kids
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Waiting for Wings (Rise and Shine)
- Waiting for Wings By Ehlert Lois
- Hardcover Book
- Ehlert, Lois (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 04/01/2001 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)
$13.00
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Ten Little Caterpillars
- Hardcover Book
- Bill Martin Jr. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 08/30/2011 (Publication Date) – Beach Lane Books (Publisher)
$16.93
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Rise and Shine)
- Now even younger children can follow the little green caterpillar as he eats his way to becoming a beautiful butterfly in this sturdy board book
- Great for early development
- Children will enjoy this delightful tale
- Ages 3 to 7
- Hardcover Book
$11.58
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Where Butterflies Grow (Picture Puffins)
- Ryder, Joanne (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 06/01/1996 (Publication Date) – Puffin Books (Publisher)
$8.99
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Hurry and the Monarch
- O Flatharta, Antoine (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 02/10/2009 (Publication Date) – Dragonfly Books (Publisher)
$8.99
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Gotta Go! Gotta Go!: A Picture Book (Sunburst Book)
- Swope, Sam (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 03/01/2004 (Publication Date) – Square Fish (Publisher)
$9.99
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The Secret Life of the Woolly Bear Caterpillar
- Hardcover Book
- Pringle, Laurence (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 04/01/2014 (Publication Date) – Astra Young Readers (Publisher)
$16.99
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Monarchs
How to Raise Monarch Butterflies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids
- Pasternak, Carol (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 03/08/2012 (Publication Date) – Firefly Books (Publisher)
$9.95
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When Butterflies Cross the Sky: The Monarch Butterfly Migration (Extraordinary Migrations)
- Hardcover Book
- Cooper, Sharon Katz (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 24 Pages – 02/01/2015 (Publication Date) – Picture Window Books (Publisher)
The Monarchs Are Missing: A Butterfly Mystery
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Hirsch, Rebecca E. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 56 Pages – 01/01/2018 (Publication Date) – Millbrook Press ™ (Publisher)
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The Monarch: Saving Our Most-Loved Butterfly
- Hardcover Book
- Baumle, Kylee (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 160 Pages – 04/12/2017 (Publication Date) – St. Lynn’s Press (Publisher)
$16.01
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Monarchs and Milkweed: A Migrating Butterfly, a Poisonous Plant, and Their Remarkable Story of Coevolution
- Hardcover Book
- Agrawal, Anurag (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 296 Pages – 03/28/2017 (Publication Date) – Princeton University Press (Publisher)
$18.89
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Monarch Butterflies Matter (Bioindicator Species)
- McCarthy, Cecilia Pinto (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 01/31/2016 (Publication Date) – Core Library (Publisher)
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Monarch Butterfly (New & Updated)
- Gibbons, Gail (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 01/01/1989 (Publication Date) – Holiday House (Publisher)
$8.36
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Gail Gibbons’ Monarch Butterfly Workbook (STEAM Power Workbooks)
- Gibbons, Gail (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 01/11/2022 (Publication Date) – Holiday House (Publisher)
$7.99
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Monarch Butterflies: Explore the Life Journey of One of the Winged Wonders of the World
- Hardcover Book
- Hobbie, Ann (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 04/27/2021 (Publication Date) – Storey Publishing, LLC (Publisher)
$11.99
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Hello, Little One: A Monarch Butterfly Story
- Hardcover Book
- Pliska, Zeena M. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 05/12/2020 (Publication Date) – Page Street Kids (Publisher)
$18.99
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Milkweed & Friends
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Milkweed for Monarchs
- Hardcover Book
- Van Zandt, Christine (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 02/06/2024 (Publication Date) – Beaming Books (Publisher)
$12.12
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Aphids (Insects Up Close)
- Patrick Perish (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 24 Pages – 08/01/2017 (Publication Date) – Bellwether Media (Publisher)
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Milkweed Bugs (Insects Up Close)
- Patrick Perish (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 24 Pages – 01/01/2018 (Publication Date) – Bellwether Media (Publisher)
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The Enlarged and Updated Second Edition of Milkweed Monarchs and More: A Field Guide to the Invertebrate Community in the Milkweed Patch
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Rea, Ba (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 80 Pages – 02/26/2010 (Publication Date) – Bas Relief, LLC (Publisher)
Butterfly Field Guides
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DK Eyewitness Books: Butterfly and Moth: Discover the Enchanting and Secret Life of Butterflies and Moths in Vivid Detail
- Hardcover Book
- DK (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 72 Pages – 06/18/2012 (Publication Date) – DK Children (Publisher)
Caterpillars (Peterson Field Guides: Young Naturalists)
- Caterpillars By Latimer Jonathan P Nolting Karen Stray Wright Amy Bartlett ILT
- Nolting, Karen Stray (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 05/30/2000 (Publication Date) – Mariner Books (Publisher)
$6.43
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Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides: Young Naturalists)
- Nolting, Karen Stray (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 05/30/2000 (Publication Date) – Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Publisher)
$6.39
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Butterflies and Moths: Explore Nature with Fun Facts and Activities (Nature Explorers)
- Hardcover Book
- DK (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 64 Pages – 03/06/2018 (Publication Date) – DK Children (Publisher)
$7.83
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The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies
- Author: National Audubon Society
- ISBN#: [Butterflies] 0-394-51914-0, [Mammals of North America] 0-679-44631-1, [Night Sky] 0-679-40852-5, [North America Weather] 0-679-40851-7, [Wildflowers-Western] 0-375-40233-0
$19.96
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Caterpillars in the Field and Garden: A Field Guide to the Butterfly Caterpillars of North America (Butterflies Through Binoculars)
- Thomas J. Allen (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 240 Pages – 06/02/2005 (Publication Date) – Oxford University Press (Publisher)
$60.28
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Famous People Who Loved Butterflies
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The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science
- Hardcover Book
- Sidman, Joyce (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 160 Pages – 02/20/2018 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)
$11.47
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Summer Birds: The Butterflies of Maria Merian
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Hardcover Book
- Engle, Margarita (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 04/27/2010 (Publication Date) – Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (Publisher)
Maria Sibylla Merian: Artist, Scientist, Adventurer
- Hardcover Book
- Pomeroy, Sarah B. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 96 Pages – 02/13/2018 (Publication Date) – The J. Paul Getty Trust (Publisher)
$21.95
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Small Wonders: Jean-Henri Fabre and His World of Insects
- Hardcover Book
- Clark Smith, Matthew (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 48 Pages – 05/12/2015 (Publication Date) – Two Lions (Publisher)
$16.73
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Henry David Thoreau for Kids: His Life and Ideas, with 21 Activities (64) (For Kids series)
- Smith, Corinne Hosfeld (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 128 Pages – 02/01/2016 (Publication Date) – Chicago Review Press (Publisher)
Interactive Resources
Extend the learning beyond the pages with fun educational games and hands-on butterfly resources! From life cycle puzzles to butterfly garden kits where kids can raise their own caterpillars, these activities make nature study interactive and unforgettable. Perfect for sparking curiosity, reinforcing lessons, and bringing the magic of metamorphosis to life right at home.
Insect Lore Butterfly Garden Kit, Painted Lady Butterfly Kit with Voucher for Live Caterpillars, Butterfly Habitat, STEM Journal & More
- Unleash the wonder & marvel: Raise your very own Painted Lady butterflies and become captivated by their incredible journey from tiny caterpillars to winged wonders and witness the marvel of metamorphosis up close!
- Founded 1969, Insect Lore created live butterfly kits over 50 years ago, inspiring a fascination for nature in generations of families. Caterpillars are hatched on their family-run California farm.
- Your kit comes with a durable, reusable pop-up habitat, dropper, feeder, Voucher, and a STEM journal packed with activities. Schedule your caterpillar delivery once you are ready. The Chrys-A-Lid log will arrive with your caterpillars.
$24.27
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RESTCLOUD Insect and Butterfly Habitat Cage Terrarium Pop-up 23.6 Inches Tall
- Professional Version: Monarch butterfly habitat is more square, sits straight, does not rock or move.
- Five mesh panels for good airflow. Clear vinyl window panel for students and families an unforgettable opportunity to watch caterpillars change into chrysalides and then emerge as beautiful Monarch, Painted Lady or Black Swallowtail Butterflies.
$15.99
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2025 New Butterfly House and Feeder for Outside, Wooden Butterfly House with Metal Stake for Garden, Natural Butterfly Habitat with Butterfly Puddler on The Floor or Hanging on Tree Wall
- 2-in-1 Butterfly House and Feeder: Fill the tray with clean water and nectar to provide the butterfly with both a food supply and a comfortable shelter. The garden stake design is more convenient. You don’t need to find strong branches to hang from or worry about being covered by weeds when placed on the ground. You can place the butterfly house anywhere. The three-piece base can stand firmly in the soil without worrying about being affected by bad weather
$27.99
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Safari Ltd. Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly – Educational Toy Figurines – Miniature Butterfly Lifecycle Collection for Boys, Girls & Kids Age 4+
- Complete Lifecycle: This set includes detailed figures representing each stage of a monarch butterfly’s life cycle – egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult.
- Scientifically Accurate: Based on the Danaus plexippus species, this set provides a close look at the amazing transformation of the monarch butterfly.
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Learning Resources Butterfly Life Cycle, 9 Write and Wipe Pieces, Classroom Accessories, Teaching Aids
- Realistically detailed jumbo magnets
- Help students visually explore the life cycle of a butterfly
- Model the life cycle of a butterfly right on the white-board
- Includes 9 write and wipe pieces and activity guide
$18.60
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Laurence King Bug Bingo
- Berrie, Christine (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 02/25/2014 (Publication Date) – Laurence King Publishing (Publisher)
$30.68
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Butterfly Wings: A Matching Game
- Berrie, Christine (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 50 Pages – 03/05/2019 (Publication Date) – Laurence King Publishing (Publisher)
$14.48
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Outset Media Professor Noggin’s Insects and Spiders Trivia Card Game – an Educational Trivia Based Card Game for Kids – Trivia, True or False, and Multiple Choice – Ages 7+ – Contains 30 Cards
- PLAY & LEARN: Professor Noggin’s series of educational card games encourages kids to learn interesting facts about their favorite subjects.
- FUN FACTS: Wooly Bear Caterpillar – isn’t that the cutest name? Kids will love playing this card game and learning fun facts about interesting Insects and Spiders!
$22.00
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Melissa & Doug Butterfly Garden 48pc Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle
- Sturdy wooden construction
- Lovely artwork is a wonderful reward for finishing this jigsaw.
- 48 durable wooden jigsaw pieces fit together smoothly.
- Includes sturdy wooden puzzle board for tidy storage
- Promotes hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills
Uncle Goose Bug Blocks – Made in The USA
- 28 – 1.75 inch x 1.75 inch basswood cubes
- Handcrafted from sustainable Michigan basswood
- Printed with safe-to-touch inks
- Ages 2+
$44.95
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Safari Ltd. Butterflies TOOB – Figurines of Red Glider, Swallowtail, Orange & White Sulphur, Evenus Regalis, Papilio Garleppi & More – Educational Toy Figures For Boys, Girls & Kids Ages 3+
- Diverse Butterfly Collection: This Toob contains 8 expertly hand-painted mini figurines of the world’s most beautiful butterflies, including a Red Glider, Green Swallowtail, Orange Barred Sulphur, White Angled Sulphur, Evenus Regalis, Anaea Clytemnestra, and a Papilio Garleppi.
- Educational and Fun: Learn about the colorful world of butterflies while engaging in imaginative play. This Toob is a fantastic educational tool for children and a wonderful gift for butterfly enthusiasts.
$14.99
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Check out these other book lists for more of our family’s favorite books:
- INSPIRING KIDS BOOKS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO LOVE NATURE
- OUR FAVORITE CHILDREN’S BOOKS ABOUT BEES
- 25 MUST READ BOOKS ALL ABOUT SPRING
- WONDERFUL CHILDREN’S BOOKS ABOUT TENNESSEE AND THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS
- KIDS BOOKS ABOUT DOGS, POPULAR PICKS! ~ POSITIVELY EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW!
- OUT OF THIS WORLD! CHILDREN’S BOOKS ABOUT SPACE!
- INSPIRING EARTH DAY BOOKS FOR KIDS, YOU’RE SURE TO LOVE!
- CHILDREN’S BOOKS ABOUT HAWAII ~ OVER 50 INCREDIBLE RESOURCES FOR KIDS YOU MUST SEE NOW
- OVER 30 INCREDIBLE OCEAN THEMED BOOKS, GAMES AND RESOURCES
- TOP 30 BLACK HISTORY MONTH PICTURE AND CHAPTER BOOKS
- OVER 35 OF THE BEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN READ-ALOUD BIOGRAPHIES
- 25 OF THE BEST WINTER READ-ALOUD CHILDREN’S BOOKS
- OUR FAVORITE READ-ALOUD CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS BOOKS
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