ISABELLA

About the Book

Isabella caterpillars and moths are common sights throughout most of North America, especially in their “Wooly Bear caterpillar” stage. Children love finding the colorful black and orange banded critters. Folklorists report that people actually tried to predict the severity of winters by the width of the bands. Isabella is the story of one tiny, frightened fuzzy caterpillar and her journey from egg to metamorphosis as a pretty Isabella moth. At first the world is a fearful place and Isabella is confused until she meets Squirrel, who becomes her friend and helps direct her journey of self-discovery. Children will be intrigued to discover that Isabella does not become a butterfly but emerges a moth, flittering about in the moonlight.

About the Author

Christie is a ‘semi-retired’ elementary school teacher living in Ketchikan, Alaska. She is married with three grown children and two grandchildren. Christie was born and raised in Liverpool, NY, spending summers and winter week-ends on the north shore of Oneida lake in Constantia, NY. She found her way to Alaska after graduating from college 1975, and began her teaching career in Hydaburg, a small Haida Indian community on Prince of Wales Island. Alaska has since been her home, with the exception of one year “outside,” in Forks, WA. where she met and married her husband, Pat. Weeks after her wedding, Christie again found herself back in Alaska, this time with Pat, teaching in a one room school on a floating logging camp in Neets Bay, Alaska. Three years and one child later, Christie and Pat moved to Ketchikan to work and raise their family. Christie now teaches Adult Education classes at University of Alaska SE, in Ketchikan.