Page 1

It was a warm June evening in the Catskill Mountains. The birds were welcoming the twilight with their bubbling songs, and the sky was growing dimmer with each passing moment. It was the perfect night for life to begin. It was the perfect night for something magical to happen.

Page 2

On a crooked twig, high in the canopy of a grand old sugar maple, hundreds of tiny, newborn caterpillars squirmed and squished from their sticky eggs and scrambled wet, blind, and scared into their new, uncertain world.

Page 3

It is times like these for which the woodland birds wait. Robin and Blue Jay noticed a great white feast moving along the crooked twig. It was feeding time! But amidst the wind of frantic wings, the snapping of furious beaks, and the cries of many hungry baby birds, one caterpillar kept inching his way on the twig.

Page 4

Caterpillar could feel the feathered hunters upon him . . . next to him, behind him, and above him. He could feel them coming and going in great numbers. He couldn’t see what was happening; his eyes were much too weak. He only knew to keep inching. He knew not to stop.

Page 5

As he inched and inched, Caterpillar noticed he was no longer on the surface of the twig. He had made it to a leaf! He inched his way to the leaf’s underside, where no bird would see his juicy body. He was very tired. After all, it was his first day. He’d already had to inch for his life.

Page 6

Caterpillar fell into a great slumber. He dreamt of floating through the air on pretty, delicate wings above the sunflowers and dandelions.

Page 7

When Caterpillar awoke, his world was entirely different. Brilliant light filled his six sensitive eyes. For the first time, he realized he was hungry. He began to chew on the leaf that he was on. When he was done, he chewed on more and more leaves. He chewed on leaves all through the day and all through the night. For many days and nights, all caterpillar did was chew on leaves.

Which of the following is NOT true on page 1?
1. It was warm outside
2. It was June
3. It was the morning
4. Birds were singing
What time could it have been on page 1?
1. 4:00 p.m.
2. 12:00 p.m.
3. 8:30 a.m.
4. 8:00 p.m.
What does canopy mean? (page 3)
1. Near the forest floor
2. At the top a tree or forest
3. In the air
4. On the ground
Why was the world uncertain to the newborn caterpillars?
1. Because they were tired
2. Because they were blind, scared, and on their own
3. Because they were hungry
4. Because they were in a maple tree
How did caterpillar escape being eaten by birds?
1. He hid
2. He hissed at them
3. He kept inching
4. He made himself bigger
How many eyes did caterpillar have?
1. 3
2. 4
3. 5
4. 6
What does "sensitive" mean (page 7) ?
1. easily injured
2. easily seen
3. tough
4. bright
What did caterpillar realize for the first time on page 7?
1. He was tired
2. He was big
3. He was hungry
4. He was bored
What did caterpillar do after he realized he was hungry?
1. Look for food.
2. Chew on leaves
3. Fall asleep
4. Ambush insects
What happened second?
1. Caterpillar chewed on leaves
2. Caterpillar escaped from the birds
3. Caterpillar had a dream
4. Caterpillar made it to a leaf