Review by Booklist Review
Monarch butterfly migration begins in Canada and ends in Mexico. No one butterfly makes the entire round trip; it actually takes four or five generations to complete an annual loop. Eggs are laid at specific sites along the way, and new hatchlings instinctively take up the flight pattern and replenish the migrating swarms. This lovely picture book maps out the process, beginning with one egg laid on one milkweed leaf that morphs through larval and pupal stages, finally becoming a glorious butterfly. The text does not use any technical terms, relying instead on lyrical, rhyming sentences that evoke what the monarch sees and feels. This is especially effective when the monarch learns to fly and joins and eventually leads a large migrating group. The text appears in a font called The Honeybee, which perfectly complements the ink, gouache, watercolor, color pencil, and digital illustrations that can be light and airy or dramatic and bold, as the action demands. Just in time for spring, this offers solid introductory material and makes a great choice for reading aloud.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
"Wings unfurl. Plop! A pearl!" An eastern monarch butterfly lays a small, round egg on a leaf. A caterpillar hatches ("Pop! A girl!") and a chrysalis forms. Then "our caterpillar, tightly swaddled, will make you gasp! She's been remodeled." This sequence will likely be familiar to readers; Hall's adept rhymes and pleasing rhythms breathe life into the information, as do Arsenault's friendly illustrations, which feature smiling caterpillar and butterfly characters and bursts of vibrant colors on pastel backgrounds. As in the creators' The Honeybee (rev. 7/18), the lyrical text and eye-catching mixed-media illustrations provide snapshots of the species' life cycle and behaviors. A butterfly sips flower nectar and lays eggs. Another one finds a suitable mate ("Two butterflies chase. Two butterflies dance") and locates milkweed on which to lay her eggs. A third one joins a brilliant swarm of other eastern monarchs as part of their epic annual migration from Canada to Mexico and back again. Read quickly, the text might seem to focus on one butterfly, but the back matter states that "it will take upward of four or five generations" to complete the "full migration circle." The text hints at this, and sharp-eyed readers will note the subtle difference among the three main butterfly characters in the art (pay attention to the neckwear). An appended author's note provides more facts, including dangers to monarch populations and how readers can help. Kitty FlynnJuly/August 2025 p.115 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Ready for an adventure? Young readers follow several eastern monarchs as they make a multigenerational migration across North America. The story begins with a pearl necklace--wearing butterfly laying an egg on a milkweed leaf. Soon a very ravenous caterpillar emerges, eats, grows, and begins her metamorphosis. This new protagonist sports a high-buttoned lacy collar as she travels. After a page turn, the third generation is introduced (this one in a ruffled collar), and we follow her amorous adventures until she also lays an egg, one that produces the final protagonist, complete with a lavaliere. This final butterfly travels onward, completing the circuit started by her great-grandparents. The book is narrated in a rhyme scheme that reads fairly well aloud, although the rhyming pattern fluctuates, and the thin font can be easily missed on some of the busier illustrations. The artwork, a mix of traditional and digital techniques, is attractive, though the various butterflies are differentiated only by changing neckwear designs--which may be a whisper too subtle for young readers. The changeover between generations is quick; readers who aren't paying close attention may miss these crucial shifts. A page of backmatter offers more information on these butterflies and the dangers they face. A serviceable introduction to monarch migration, with some bumps along the journey. (map)(Informational picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
