Review of Farfallina and Marcel by Holly Keller

Review of Farfallina and Marcel by Holly Keller

Greenwillow Books

2003 Charlotte Zolotow Award Winner

Farfallina and Marcel is a book about friendship. It is also about change.  Farfallina is a caterpillar who makes friends with a little gray bird named Marcel. They learn to play together and become fast friends. But one day Farfalinna doesn’t feel right. She climbs up into a tree and doesn’t come down. Marcel waits for her but finally has to carry on with his own life, disappointed in losing a friend. However, Farfallina is not lost, she is in her cocoon. When the time arrives Farfallina comes out of her cocoon as a butterfly. She searches for Marcel, but does not find him. She only sees a big beautiful goose in the lake. When she strikes up a conversation with the goose they discover what has happened – they have both changed, and they renew their friendship again.

Holly Keller is an author and illustrator born in 1942 who got degrees in history before turning to illustration. Her first books were published in 1981, Cromwell's Glasses and Ten Sleepy Sheep. She’s received a number of awards including the Library of Congress Book of the year, Best Book of the Year, School Library Journal, and others. She has authored or illustrated over 60 books.

For more about Alan Elliott visit www.alanelliott.com