Bit by Bit

Sylvia Pantaleo is an associate professor of education at the University
of Victoria. She is the co-author of Learning with Literature in the
Canadian Elementary Classroom.

Mr. Caterpillar is enjoying a walk on a leaf when a gust of wind sends
him whirling through the air, landing on a gentleman’s hat. When the
man removes his hat to greet Mrs. Quick, Mr. Caterpillar is airborne
once again and lands unobtrusively on the shoulder of Mrs. Quick’s
jacket. Once she locates a seat on the train and removes her jacket, she
notices the caterpillar and for a third time the insect is flying
through the air as Mrs. Quick brushes him onto the floor. A passenger
with big black shoes attempts to squish Mr. Caterpillar, but luckily the
pursuer collides with the trolley cart. During the ensuing chaos, Mr.
Caterpillar finds sanctuary in the cuff of a man’s pant leg. Following
a few more adventures, including a bump on the head, Mr. Caterpillar
finds a broad leaf to snuggle up on and dreams about changing into a
butterfly.

Bit by bit Mr. Caterpillar returns home ... to a leaf. The
home-away-from-home story includes several examples of repetition of
text (e.g., “rushing and hurrying, rushing and hurrying,” and “bit
by bit, bit by bit” ). Typographical experimentation is used
effectively to communicate meaning on nearly every page in the book; the
text varies in font style, size, arrangement, and intensity. All of the
openings are double-page spreads, with lively watercolour illustrations.
Recommended.