She was not delicate: During her two-year expedition through the jungles of South America, Maria Sibylla Merian collected countless insects, small animals, and exotic plants. Even as a child, she loved everything that crawls and flutters: caterpillars, beetles, spiders, butterflies, snakes, geckos. In beautiful, colorful drawings, she captured her favorites, becoming a celebrated artist and renowned naturalist. In this lovingly designed children's book, the wild crawling in Merian's images turns into a fun adventure. The many hidden details encourage even the youngest to examine the scenes closely like little naturalists, sparking new, self-spun stories. At the end of the book, the incredible life story of Merian is told, who lived over 300 years ago as an emancipated and courageous woman.