Cactus and Flower are best friends. They watch the sky as it changes color throughout the day. They visit with their desert animal friends and they watch the stars. These are “Butterfly Days”. One day, one of Flower’s petals drops and then another and another, until…flower is gone. Cactus is so sad. Even the beautiful butterflies can’t cheer him up. But, sadness eventually changes to sweet memories of his friend, Flower. One day, a little green bud appears on Cactus and it turned into a new Flower. “Butterfly Days” are back.

This is a simple, sweet rendition of the life cycle. While the botany might not be totally accurate, the desert animals are there and the basic story line works. Illustrations are bright and simple. Endpapers add interest with clouds in the front and their constellation counterparts in the back. This would be a nice introduction to plant life cycles.