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How Beautiful

Regular price $17.95
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“[Castrillón’s] wild drawings carry a decorative impulse to unexpected heights.”—New York TimesA stunningly illustrated picture book about a curious caterpillar searching for the true meaning of th...
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  • 02 November 2021
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“[Castrillón’s] wild drawings carry a decorative impulse to unexpected heights.”—New York Times

A stunningly illustrated picture book about a curious caterpillar searching for the true meaning of the word “beautiful.” But is there one true meaning—or many?

A caterpillar lives a simple life on his leaf until one day, an UnKnown Thing picks him up and calls him beautiful. A question forms in the caterpillar’s mind: “What is beautiful?”

So begins a quest to discover the true meaning of the word beautiful. Much to the caterpillar’s surprise, each animal in the forest has their own unique definition:

A bear declares that honeycomb is beautiful!

The squirrels say leaves are beautiful!

A mole says his burrow is beautiful!

What’s a caterpillar to do?

How Beautiful offers kids an immersive, memorable experience. Elaborate and vivid illustrations by Melissa Castrillón, author of Yellow Kayak and If I Had a Little Dream, combine with a sweet, central message:
  • Beauty is as diverse as we are.
  • “Beautiful” means something different to everyone, and that’s okay!
  • The beauty of the natural world is worth celebrating!


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Price: $17.95
Pages: 32
Publisher: Greystone Books
Imprint: Greystone Kids
Publication Date: 02 November 2021
Trim Size: 11.50 X 8.00 in
ISBN: 9781771648530
Format: Hardcover
BISACs: JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Picture storybooks, JUVENILE FICTION / Animals / Butterflies, Moths & Caterpillars, JUVENILE FICTION / Concepts / Senses & Sensation, JUVENILE FICTION / Science & Nature / Environment, JUVENILE FICTION / Diversity & Multicultural, Children’s / Teenage personal & social topics: self-awareness & self-esteem, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Nature, animals, the natural world
REVIEWS Icon

“[Castrillón’s] wild drawings carry a decorative impulse to unexpected heights. … Each page turn reveals a new way of deploying hallucinogenic wonder across a two-page spread. This, too, is a definition of beautiful.”
New York Times

“This stunningly illustrated picture book … shows the wonder in tiny, overlooked things.”
Booklist STARRED Review

“Beauty's in the eye of the beholder in this unique tale ... Decorative illustrations... offer a striking example.”
Kirkus Reviews

“Gorgeous ...filled with lush, dramatic, and eye-catching illustrations …. would work well as a read-aloud due to the large size [and] also be an excellent choice for bedtime reading. The cover ... will encourage students to pull it off the shelf to enjoy.”
School Library Connection

Antonella Capetti is a beloved picture book author and longtime primary school teacher in Italy.

Melissa Castrillón studied illustration and children’s book illustration at the Cambridge School of Art and has illustrated many acclaimed picture books, including The Balcony, If I Had a Little Dream, and Yellow Kayak. A freelance illustrator, she lives in Cambridge, England.