The Social Butterfly

Do you know a little boy or girl who likes to talk all the time? It is a great skill to be social, but all children also need to understand that there are times that we have to stay quiet. That is the lesson that Beth Bracken is putting out in her book, The Social Butterfly.

* Thank you to NetGalley for the digital review copy of this book in return for my honest review.

Synopsis:
Charlotte loves talking, singing, and playing. What Charlotte doesn’t love is sitting still, being quiet, and listening, which is a big problem at school. Charlotte’s overly social ways interfere with her friendships and her learning. Will Charlotte be able to modify her behavior and learn when to be social and when to be quiet? A sweet picture book with a story that shines a light on social behaviors.

My Review:
This was a sweet book for the preschool set and kindergarten. We all know those kids who just can’t stop talking and have a need to be surrounded by friends. Charlotte is just that kind of friend. Unfortunately, she is young and doesn’t always know when she needs to reign it in.

Beth Bracken does a good job of getting the message across that when you are in school, you have to focus on school work. Charlotte understands that just because you have finished your work doesn’t mean that everyone else has, and it is important to allow them to have a quiet space to get things done. She unfortunately has to learn this message the hard way when he friends stop talking to her, but sometimes that is reality.

The book has beautiful images that will help make it great as a read-aloud in the classroom. The bright colors and whimsical bugs lure a child in. There is also something nice about the fact that all of the characters represent a diverse array of bugs to gently also push a multicultural theme. While a tad didactic at times, if you can get kids to sit still and listen to this story, it can be worth the time.