Publisher's Synopsis
TRIM SIZE HARDCOVER 11" X 8.5"
Monarchs are one of the most common butterfly species. They flit passed us in our gardens, but if we knew some of them will undertake a 2,000-mile journey to Mexico, we'd be amazed! Nature never ceases to inspire these epic stories.
- Read the charmingly sweet life-story of a very thirsty butterfly having to take a very long journey.
- Ever wondered how a monarch butterfly manages to migrate all the way to Mexico? She needs to drink a lot of energy! Follow a very thirsty butterfly emerging from her cocoon, searching for more and MORE energy to help tackle the momentous trip south, to the moment she finally lays her eggs to start life all over again.
- End pages include fun facts about these delicate, yet incredible insects.
- The colorful collage artwork throughout complements the subtly humorous text.
- Perfect for reading aloud and shared story time.
- Aimed at children ages 3-8, although enjoyed by parents too.
- Trim size: 11 x 8.5
"A monarch butterfly makes frequent stops to quench her thirst on her migratory journey southward.
In what is clearly an homage to Eric Carle's iconic children's classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar, this charming debut picture book follows a monarch butterfly. She emerges on a green leaf and stretches her orange wings "in the warmth of an autumn sun," preparing to make her 2,000-mile journey to Mexico. Through the pages that follow, the thirsty butterfly finds the energy she needs by sipping from flowers along the way and from a glass of fruit juice at a farmer's stall before joining other monarchs as she "soared and surfed the warm air currents south" to reach her destination. The butterfly finds a mate, heads north, and lays her eggs on milkweed leaves. The acknowledgment of the completion of the monarch's life cycle is soothingly stated: "Her work was done, her energy spent. Away she flew, life would begin anew!" Visual aspects of Grimbeek's book are in the Carle vein: Large font black text is set against pages bright with painted collage art that is well positioned against white space. A golden sun, green leaves, and individual flowers-lavender, primroses, honeysuckle, a daisy, a pansy, and more-are vividly depicted, reflecting the warmth that infuses the text. The author/illustrator bookends the story with a labeled image showing the anatomy of a monarch and a list of facts about these butterflies.
This visually appealing tale gently relates the colorful life story of a monarch butterfly." - KIRKUS
