In Caterpillar Wants to be a Cow by Regina Puckett, Tiny Caterpillar is learning about the world around him. He sees all kinds of other creatures: a puppy, a kitten, a horse and a cow. He wants to be all of them because each one has a special talent and it looks like, oh, so much fun to be any of those other creatures. As Tiny Caterpillar weaves his cocoon, he dreams of growing up to be a puppy, or a kitten, or a horse, or even a cow. When Tiny Caterpillar emerges from his cocoon, he is no longer a caterpillar. He also is none of the animals that he dreamed of being. He has wings, beautiful wings, and he can fly. As he flutters around to visit all of the other animals, he learns a very important lesson, something that we all need to learn and be reminded of from time to time. “You can’t be me and I can’t be you. We have to be who we are meant to be.” Tiny Caterpillar, now the beautiful butterfly, must be himself and be proud of being himself because everyone is unique and beautiful and important.
This is a lovely story with a beautiful message. The illustrations complement the story. They are very simple illustrations, but colorful and suitable. Regina Puckett is an award-winning author with several books to her credit. She writes a simple story with a very profound message. It's a well-crafted story, something that can and should be shared with both children and adults of all ages. Well done!