The Best Butterfly Books For Kids: Educational And Fun Reads

Butterflies are fascinating creatures that capture children’s imagination (and grownups, too!). If you’re looking for educational and entertaining butterfly books for kids, you’ve come to the right place. From picture books to nonfiction guides, this list has something for every young reader who wants to learn more about these beautiful insects.

The Very Impatient Caterpillar Series, Written and Illustrated by Ross Burach

The Very Impatient Caterpillar Series is a hilarious collection of four books (so far) about metamorphosis and filled with humor and wit with valuable social-emotional lessons interspersed. These books are a true pleasure to read. I rarely fan books in a series; however, this one is an exception! Start with The Very Impatient Caterpillar; cheer Butterfly on in The Little Butterfly That Could as you learn about butterfly migration; learn about nocturnal and diurnal animals in Good Night Butterfly, and find out how butterflies make excellent pollinators in the newest book of the series, Make Way for Butterfly. This series is perfect for fans of Mo Willems! 

Butterfly or Moth by Christina Leaf

How do you differentiate between moths and butterflies? Before reading this book, I thought they contrasted because of their colors, but I’ve learned there are many more pieces to this puzzle. Check out this book about insect cousins and learn what makes them beautiful and unique! Age 5+

Monarch Butterflies: Explore the Life Journey of One of the Winged Wonders of the World, Written by Ann Hobbie and Illustrated by Olga Baumert

Take an in-depth look at Monarch butterflies and learn about their migration patterns, life cycle, anatomy, and cultural significance. Monarch Butterflies is full of resources to guide readers on how to rear monarchs, build a friendly butterfly habitat, and how we can help protect them. The colorful illustrations are beautiful.

Monarch Butterfly by Gail Gibbons

Gail Gibbons Monarch Butterfly has been a staple on classroom bookcases for decades for a good reason: from the gorgeous and informative watercolor illustrations to the introduction to relevant vocabulary, this book is an informative resource on the lifecycle of butterflies. Ages 4+. 

National Geographic Readers: Caterpillar to Butterfly by Laura Marsh

The National Geographic Kids Reader books are excellent nonfiction sources for emergent readers! Readers will enjoy the bright gorgeous photographs, cool facts, and accessible language. The riddles sprinkled throughout the book are fun to find.  Caterpillar to Butterfly is perfect for an early elementary-grade research project or pleasure reading.  Ages 3+.

Life Cycle of a Butterfly by Colleen Sexton

This beautiful nonfiction, filled with facts, would be PERFECT for a class study of butterflies! Includes detailed photographs for an up-close view. Ages 5+.

Classroom Activity

The books listed above are terrific for introducing little ones to butterflies.

One fun activity to do at home or school is raising caterpillars. It is super easy with this Butterfly Science Kit. Once you purchase the kit on Amazon, you can arrange for live caterpillars to be sent to you. It is so much fun to watch the daily growth of a caterpillar as it metamorphs into a beautiful butterfly!

Visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store to purchase a Life Cycle of Butterfly Worksheets. The worksheets align with the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards and are perfect for a no-prep butterfly unit for Pre-K through second grade.

Happy Reading!

XO, Sheryl