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Hopkinson, Deborah

Butterflies Belong Here: A Story of One Idea, Thirty Kids, and a World of Butterflies

64 pp. | Chronicle | August, 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4521-7680-2 $18.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-4521-8348-0 $11.99
(2) K-3 Illustrated by Meilo So. A young monarch butterfly enthusiast recounts her first year in a new school in a new country, where she "didn't like to stand out or be noticed" as she was learning English and becoming familiar with a new community. Through the seasons, as the girl gains confidence in her language skills, and with encouragement from the school librarian, she deepens her knowledge about butterfly science. The girl alternates between sharing her own story and presenting factual details about butterfly migration, life cycles, feeding habits, and alarming declines in the monarch population. The creative illustrations parallel the shifts in tone, with scientific information presented as if on the pages of a textbook, in contrast to glowing illustrations of an idyllic neighborhood filled with people, colorful buildings, and a community garden. The girl comes into her own in a triumphant class presentation on the monarch butterfly, where her plan to build a monarch way station is eagerly adopted by her schoolmates and community. "Once, I tried to hide. But a caterpillar never stays the same for long...It emerges as something new, unexpected, surprising. Just like me." Readers inspired by the girl's activism can find additional resources on monarchs and environmental activism in the book's closing pages.
Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

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