These butterfly books for preschool are just perfect for your next butterfly theme. Be sure to check out our butterfly activities for preschoolers when you’re done here.
Below, you’ll find a mix of fiction and non-fiction butterfly books to read with your students. Some you probably already know and love, while a few might be new to you. There are a few with real images, too!
Pair the books with a variety of hands-on activities as you and your students learn more about butterflies. If possible, take some time to observe real caterpillars and butterflies in person.
Related: Butterfly Play Dough Mats
The 15 books shared below are a wonderful way to start learning about butterflies. The kids can see what many caterpillars and butterflies look like. And they can learn all sorts of butterfly facts along the way! The books can definitely set the groundwork for your next butterfly unit.
Butterfly Books for Preschool
I’ve sorted the books about butterflies into two categories: non-fiction and fiction. The non-fiction books contain a variety of information about the lovely insects. Some have real photos, while others have illustrations. The fictional books contain caterpillars and butterflies as the stars of stories that aren’t as based in fact.
Whichever you choose, I’m sure the kids are going to enjoy the books you read to them! Please note that all of the book links below are Amazon affiliate links. This means I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Non-Fiction Butterfly Books
Let’s start off with some non-fiction butterfly books for preschool! As I mentioned above, these books contain a lot of factual information about caterpillars and butterflies. Some have real photos, while others have illustrations. Either way, there’s a lot of butterfly learning to be had!
A Butterfly Is Patient
Packed with stunning illustrations and facts about butterflies, this is a must-have book on the developmental stages of butterflies. Kids will love seeing all the caterpillars and their corresponding butterflies!
National Geographic Kids Look and Learn: Caterpillar to Butterfly
This short board book pairs perfectly with a unit on butterflies. It has colorful, detailed photographs of every stage of the butterfly life cycle for kids to peruse.
Waiting for Wings
Lois Ehlert’s bright and beautiful book follows the transformation of butterfly eggs into full grown butterflies in this information-packed rhyming story. As an added bonus, she includes a guide to planting a butterfly garden! In my opinion, this is a must-include when it comes to butterfly books for preschool.
Are You a Butterfly?
Lovely illustrations round out this book that walks us through everything we need to know about the butterfly’s life, and puts us in the role of the butterfly.
Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery
There is a mystery afoot as we learn all about The Great Monarch Migration, and who may have discovered it in 1976.
Butterflies for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to the Butterfly Life Cycle
A mixture of photographs and illustrations, this book is packed full of information about all sorts of butterflies. A great companion to a butterfly grow kit!
Butterflies Are Pretty … Gross!
The ickier side of butterflies is uncovered in this hilariously silly picture book told from the point of view of a straightforward Monarch.
Fictional Butterfly Books for Preschool
Next up are fictional books about butterflies! Caterpillars and butterflies are the stars of the show. Even though these books aren’t super focused on facts, they are fun to read during your butterfly theme.
Ten Little Caterpillars
This counting rhyme book follows caterpillars as they prepare for their big transformation. Caterpillar facts are included in a glossary at the end.
Butterfly Butterfly
Join Lucy as she searches everywhere for a lovely butterfly she played with yesterday, but can’t seem to find today. Her adventures end with a colorful surprise!
Butterfly Colors and Counting
The perfect butterfly-themed book for preschoolers to navigate on their own. This board book provides plenty of number and color practice.
Señorita Mariposa
Follow an adorable butterfly as she makes her long journey from Canada to Mexico! Kids will learn about the annual butterfly migration in both English and Spanish.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
The classic caterpillar-to-butterfly metamorphosis story, The Very Hungry Caterpillar follows a little green friend as he munches through just about everything he comes across. Definitely one you want to include with your butterfly books for preschool.
I Wish I Were a Butterfly
This little book packs a great lesson. A little cricket wishing he were a magnificent butterfly learns to accept his own unique gifts through his encounters with a few wise creatures.
Glasswings: A Butterfly’s Story
The magic of butterflies shines through in this story of Claire, the Glasswing Butterfly. She finds herself far from home and turns her environment into a flowering garden with the help of a few friends.
Moth & Butterfly: Ta Da!
Two very similar best friends develop into rather diverse creatures in this lively, silly tale of metamorphosis and celebrating differences.
Which of these butterfly books for preschool are you going to read first?
Done-For-You Resources
Let Preschool Teacher 101 save you a ton of time with fully-developed preschool resources. We have hundreds of lesson plans, STEM challenges, digital games, circle time songs, math activities, literacy lessons, dramatic play packs, and so much more.
Click on the image below for our butterfly lesson plans. It comes with weekly plans, detailed daily plans, book suggestions, whole group activities, small group lessons, center ideas, and related printables:
You can also find us on Teachers Pay Teachers. Be sure to check out The Pack from Preschool Teacher 101, a membership for teachers just like you. Members get access to all of our products, as well as exclusive items.
More Butterfly Literacy Activities
These butterfly books for preschool cover a lot of ground – there’s science, math, and even some social-emotional learning. And, of course, a ton of literacy, right?!
In that vein, I’ve gathered a few literacy-based butterfly activities your preschoolers might enjoy in conjunction with the read alouds. Check them out below:
- Butterfly Name Activities for Preschool
- Alphabet Cover Up Printable Game
- Butterfly Life Cycle Printable Book
- 10 Little Butterflies Preschool Circle Time Song
- Butterfly Alphabet Matching Cards
Be sure to save this post for future reference. Check out my Butterfly Activities Pinterest board for even more ideas.
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