LADY FLATTERLEY

LADY FLATTERLEY
by Linda Wagner
Illustrated by Pearl L. Ollie
Photographed by Jerry Hanzl
Outskirts Press
ISBN: 978-1-4327-3233-2 2008
$22.95
41 pages

Children’s “Patience is a virtue.” “The grass is always greener on the other side.” Either of these could be used for the children’s book, LADY FLATTERLEY. Lady Flatterley is a caterpillar who is envious of the butterflies. The entire story is from the caterpillar’s point-of-view and even the impatience and the problem of breaking out of the cocoon. The idea that metamorphosis is not an immediate change but it takes patience and perseverance without completely knowing what the results will be. Also, once Lady Flatterley became a butterfly, time was needed for her wings to dry. This makes things much more realistic for the child reader. The story is written in a rhyming poetry form which should make it easier for children to decode some of the vocabulary words. I was pleased to see a variety of common but more difficult vocabulary used such as prodded and thrived. Also, this might be considered a Christian book as the story relates the caterpillar as part of God’s plan. While dealing with changes within life cycles, this picturesque gem should not be limited to just the Christian books. The illustrations are marvelous and directly correlate to the story as it progresses. Each page could be framed and used in any child’s room. The artwork is exceptional well-done. The author, Linda Wagner, is a mother, grandmother, and a registered nurse residing in Florida. The illustrator, Pearl Ollie, is also a Florida resident.