Marcus and the Caterpillar
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Chapters III and IV
At The Butterfly Garden
The butterfly garden was located inside the big building. They walked carefully through two sets of doors that kept the butterflies from escaping. Marcus was so surprised he stood still for a moment. He felt like he had stepped from a desert-like parking lot into a lush jungle. Dense bushes, trees, and blooming plants filled the huge room. He was impressed by the great variety of butterflies in the air, on the shrubs, and even on the walls. Slowly he followed his dad down a path that curved around boulders and crossed narrow streams. He watched butterflies hover over blossoms, land, take off quickly. Others lingered over small containers. "Those cups are filled with sugar water, food for the butterflies," his dad explained.
Marcus wanted one to land on him. He held out an arm as he approached several hanging on a branch, but they flew off. He stopped when he came to a section of bushes where many butterflies hovered, and one landed on his shoulder. He moved his head slightly to watch it. It stayed long enough for his mother to take a picture. Marcus walked every path in the garden several time and almost gave up hope that one would land on his arm, and then one did. He stood still and watched its wings move gently up and down. They brushed his skin and made him giggle. He loved the beautiful bold colors that reminded him of the butterfly he had seen at home earlier in the day. Movement of people around him made it fly off.
On a wall at one end of the garden, Marcus saw pictures of the various types of butterflies in the room. The wall also showed pictures of eggs, caterpillars, and pupa. Marcus knew that butterflies came from caterpillars, but the rest of what he saw was unfamiliar. His asked his dad to explain.
"Let's follow the life cycle, Marcus. Butterflies lay eggs which hatch into caterpillars. Caterpillars develop into soft bundles called pupa or chrysalis, and the butterflies eventually come out." Marcus listened as his dad pointed to each picture, but he was still a little confused.
When it was time to leave, Marcus begged to stay. He did not feel so bad when his mother assured him she had taken many pictures. He could look at them often and remember the good time he had.
A few days after the trip to the park, Marcus walked around his family's living room wondering what to do. A drizzly day kept him inside. His toys and books no longer interested him.
"I have a surprise for you," his mother said and handed him the family album. He opened it to find pictures of the butterfly garden. Eagerly he flipped through the pages again and again. His experience in the garden came to life. Other pictures of their house, yard, large garden, and even the rabbits they once had caught his attention and made him remember fun times.
"Marcus, call your friend Adam and tell him about the butterfly garden," his mother urged. Adam shrugged.
His mother said again, "Marcus, don't be afraid to call. Adam might like the invitation to do something different. Let him know that you think of him."
"Oh, sure, Mom," Marcus thought to himself.
He looked out the large living room window and giggled as two squirrels scampered up, down, and around a tree. He noticed the clouds moving swiftly. Within minutes, the dark, heavy clouds were replaced by lighter ones. Suddenly a ray of sun pierced through. Everything he looked at glistened as though covered by a million diamonds.
When his mother called him to the kitchen for supper, Marcus gulped his food and hurried to play in the back yard. When he stepped outside, the grass was still wet, but the shrubs were almost dry with only a few small drops of rain hanging off the edges of leaves.
He made his way toward the garden and decided to look for caterpillars. The previous spring he actually had a caterpillar crawl up his finger. He remembered the tickly sensation as it moved its head up and sideways looking for food. Marcus was familiar with the plants in the garden since he often watched his mother work the soil and sow seeds.
As he looked, he noticed a leaf covered with white dots. He wondered if the plant was affected by mold, a disease his mother often worried about. He looked more closely and realized that the dots were tiny eggs like the ones he had seen at the butterfly garden. Marcus called to his mother. She had just come out of the house.
"Mom, are these little dots caterpillar eggs?"
"Yes, they really are caterpillar eggs," she replied. "I have a suggestion. Why don't you watch them every day to see them develop?"
Marcus wasn't sure that he would follow his mom's suggestion, but his curiosity won out. For the next few days Marcus checked the eggs as soon as he came home from school. Day after day he saw nothing happen. He almost lost interest. Then one day, when he was especially observant, he realized that the eggs were bigger and more plump. He looked closely and saw the shapes of caterpillars moving underneath the thin, stretched skin of the eggs.
"Hey, Mom, come see this," he shouted excitedly.
Even she had never seen anything like this before. She encouraged him to go to the school library to do more research about what to expect.
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Book Details
About the Book
Since Marcus lives in the country a few miles out of town, he does not associate much with fellow students. For only one year, he and his family have lived on the acreage, and being new to the area has made Marcus more shy and reserved. He has no siblings, so he is accustomed to doing things on his own. Like a caterpillar that goes through stages of transformation to become a beautiful butterfly, Marcus must do the same to come out of his shell of insecurity and reach out to friends. He comes to love nature, and by observing his environment, he learns about the butterfly life cycle. Without being aware of it, the experience of sharing his interest with classmates leads to his own change and growth.
About the Author
When the author was a child, her family moved often and faced difficult situations as refugees during World War II in Europe. They emigrated to the United States in 1952 when Margaret was nine years old. Over time she became more outgoing and assertive. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Drake University and taught writing and communication skills for many years at North Iowa Area Community College, Mason City, Iowa. She became an author and speaker and has shared her personal story with many groups. The themes of support and encouragement resound within her heart, and she uses them to reach out to others. She is a certified copy editor and author of several poems published in Lyrical Iowa. Margaret and her husband raised four children. She currently lives in Osage, Iowa.