A catchy, clever and charming counting rhyme with delightfully delicate illustrations. But it really doesn't do to think too much about the fact that each and every creature in the book is suffering terrible social anxiety about the upcoming Butterfly Ball. The mouse is "in great distress" about her inability to find a proper dress, the other animals equally at a loss for formal wear are "sad', "heaving sighs", "mournful", or even fighting over scarce finery. Not one is actually looking forward to the celebration. Basically it's conveying what Professor David C. Davis, originator of the Lewis Carroll Shelf Awards, would have called a "universal" that dress - superficial appearances - are all-important and worth anguish or conflict. I love the book, but reading it aloud to my grandchildren would threaten my sanity! ( )

Summary:
An Invitation to the Butterfly Ball is a counting and rhyming book. A little elf goes through the numbers one through ten, with his friends, trying to gather everything that is needed when he receives an unexpected invitation to the Butterfly Ball. The elves friends are a mouse, moles, rabbits and skunks. At each number, the animals are faced with a challenge which they must overcome in order to gather everything that is needed before the Ball.

Review:
In this story, the author uses a repetition of the familiar phrase of "Knock-Knock" to keep the children engaged. As we arrive at each different number the children will begin to realize that the top of the page will read "Knock-Knock." Most number and counting books do not fit as perfectly into a story line as they do in this book. Yolen uses the literary component of rhyming words to help the story to transition between characters and numbers. Children will also be able to gain basic problem solving skills from this piece of literature. ( )

00006731