Book Review: Hermie: A Common Caterpillar

Even though it's been over a week since I read this book, I've been kind of procrastinating writing a review.  I enjoy writing positive reviews for books, and don't mind writing negative reviews (when there's a good reason for the negative review).  However, I just can't get excited about this book.  Granted, it is cute; the illustrations are nice.  The story is ok, but it simply did not "Wow" me.  My little daughter Gracie was not impressed, either.  I knew she wouldn't be able to sit for the story, even if I edited it to fit her level, but I hoped she would at least be interested in the illustrations, but she totally didn't care.  Maybe when she is older, she will enjoy it more (but that doesn't help this review!).

Hermie: A Common Caterpillar is about a little green caterpillar who thinks he is quite ordinary with nothing special about him.  He sees other beautiful creatures and wishes he could fly like them or have beautiful markings like them.  The book says that one special thing about Hermie is that he talks to God and that God talks to him in his heart.  He shared his feelings about being "common" to God and to his friend Wormie, another common caterpillar.  God will tell them, "Don't worry, I'm not finished with you yet."  In the story, Hermie and Wormy meet several other creatures who have admirable characteristics:  a snail who carries his home with him everywhere, an ant with great strength, and a ladybug with beautiful black spots.  Both the ant and the ladybug reminded the two friends that God had made them that way.

One night, Hermie felt especially dreary and weary.  His friend Wormie helped him find a leaf to lay on and he settled down for a long nap.  While sleeping, he dreamed that he was something special -- "He had strength like the ant.  He had a house like the snail. He had spots like the ladybug."  He woke up, surprised to be in the dark.  He wiggled to get out, and to his even greater surprise, found that he had wings!  Not just any kind of wings, but beautiful, colorful wings with beautiful spots.  He was thrilled that he could fly!  Then he realized what God had done:  God had made him special, both inside and out.  Hermie was able to give encouragement to his friend Wormie before he settled in for a nice, long nap, too.

I think the book has a good moral to it, but I think that a few Bible verses added to it would've made it even better.  For example, "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time." (Ecc. 3:11) would've been a good one to use.

All in all, not a bad book, but, in my opinion (and I know I'm in the minority), it could've been better.

Disclosure:  I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255