Farfallina is a caterpillar. Marcel is a gosling. When they meet, the two form an instant friendship. “Farfallina liked his soft feathers an his gentle eyes . . . He liked Farfallina’s smile and her pretty colors.” Kind and considerate toward one another, the two are inseparable playmates. Then one day Farfallina doesn’t feel quite right. “I need to climb up onto a branch and rest for awhile.” Marcel waits for her. And waits. Sadly, he finally leaves. By the time Farfallina appears again, she has greatly changed. Marcel is nowhere in sight. She looks for him every day on the pond, but only sees a beautiful goose gliding around. Holly Keller’s magnificently paced story with its lyrical turns of phrase has children humming with anticipation and excitement as they realize long before Farfallina and Marcel how the two have transformed from caterpillar and gosling to butterfly and goose. Full-page watercolor artwork provides a satisfying visual accompaniment to this quiet yet highly dramatic tale. Winner, 2003 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 3-7)

Once there was a caterpillar named Farfallina, whose best friend was a gosling named Marcel. They did everything together -- until one day, everything started to change.

This beautiful and touching story shows that even as life takes different turns, friendship endures.