The mozzie with a sharp snozzie by Irina Goundortseva

Big Sky Publishing, 2016. ISBN 9781925275773
(Age: 4+) Mosquitoes, Butterflies, Self perception. The mosquito who lives in the pond hankers after being a butterfly. He sees them flying around the pond, beautiful creatures, colourful, light and attractive. He asks if he can join them but is laughed at. When he asks them why they do not want him, they tell him that he is ugly and not fit to be seen with them. Dejected he walks away, not willing to use his flimsy wings. He spies a beautiful flower, equally as attractive as a butterfly, and using it as a cloak, approaches the butterflies once again. Life is now just what he wants, but then the unexpected happens and the group is captured and taken to a laboratory. Here he is able to use his special skill to advantage and free them all.
A story of being satisfied with what you have, of celebrating your skills, of not always wanting to be like everyone else will have resonance in the classroom as this is an issue which besets younger children. This story opens that discussion admirably.
Fran Knight