UP, UP AND AWAY MONARCH BUTTERFLIES

This science-focused illustrated children’s book explores the incredible life cycles of multigenerational monarch butterflies.

Monarchs are common and loved in North America, but “What makes them the celebrities of the insect world?” the narrator asks. Ending most two-page spreads on a question, the work features a narrator who guides readers through an understanding of monarch migration, the geography behind their long journeys, and the strange life cycles that allow every “third or fourth” generation of monarchs to live for months, rather than only a few weeks, of adulthood. But when habitats change, how can monarchs survive? Marta Magellan addresses many of the concerns that migrating butterflies face, such as chemicals, habitat loss, climate change, and the parasites that have affected resident monarchs. But the book ends on a hopeful note, showing young readers how to become citizen scientists and plant their own pollinator gardens. Images of monarch mimics, along with why these look-alikes share similar coloration, will help young readers identify insect specimens in their own neighborhoods. A helpful glossary explains many of the more challenging science vocabulary words in the book, and even offers further information about different types of mimicry beyond the main text. Some word choices, especially in the end pages, may stymie beginning readers, for example in the discussion of systemic pesticides. While the book has a hefty amount of text, it’s skillfully presented in the pages, with plenty of eye-catching images to move the story along. The bright, clear photographs (by Gersing, Lambert, Mazur, and Endrizzi) are perfectly accompanied by Mauro Magellan’s illustrations, which blend photorealism with design elements. A detailed map shows the butterflies’ migration paths, a feature that will captivate adult and young readers alike. But the final image may haunt readers with its depiction of fallen butterflies, crumpled on a sidewalk. The Magellans, a sibling team, and their collaborators wisely follow that scene with ways young readers can help.

A strong, engaging work that delivers intriguing facts about monarch butterflies.