Señorita Mariposa

by Ben Gundersheimer, Marcos Almada Rivero (Illustrations)

A captivating and child-friendly look at the extraordinary journey that monarch butterflies take each year from Canada to Mexico; with a text in both English and Spanish.

Rhyming text and lively illustrations showcase the epic trip taken by the monarch butterflies. At the end of each summer, these international travelers leave Canada to fly south to Mexico for the winter--and now readers can come along for the ride! Over mountains capped with snow, to the deserts down below. Children will be delighted to share in the fascinating journey of the monarchs and be introduced to the people and places they pass before they finally arrive in the forests that their ancestors called home.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Animals, Poetry, Spanish Literature, Latinx, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published August 6, 2019

Reviews

[Tina Haigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love monarch butterflies, always have. Their migration is a miracle and seeing them take off en masse is breathtaking. This book contains mostly English rhyming poems, with the Spanish translation, but also contains two Spanish poems with the English translation. I really liked that the translations are direct; they didn't rewrite them to rhyme, so the meaning stayed true. The art itself is stunning; done digitally, it is incredibly rich and gorgeously colored. I highly recommend this for ages 6 and up.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This rhyming picture book is almost like a song. It traces the journey of a monarch butterfly as she flies south from Canada to Mexico. The text is in English and Spanish; the verses are in English (with Spanish translations) and the "choruses" are in Spanish (with English translations). I don't speak Spanish, but I found it quite easy to read the Spanish text and figure out what many of the words meant. So this might be a good book for learning a bit of a new language. (Another book in a similar language vein is the delightful El Chupacabras by Adam Rubin.)

The illustrations here are pleasant to look at, and show the butterfly on various stages of her journey. Some of the landscapes (mountains, deserts, etc.) are lovely, and the facial expressions on some of the animals are kind of hilarious (they range from stunned to somewhat deranged). The butterfly also encounters a lot of human diversity as she makes her way south.

A little author's note at the end talks a bit about monarch butterflies and taught me some things I didn't know. The reader is also told how they can help these beautiful creatures.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. While the "song" part may be a bit clunky, the bilingual aspect kind of offsets that. This would be a nice book to have in a classroom as it teaches a bit of language as well as offers information about butterfly migration.

Quotable moment:

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations of the amazing migration of the monarch butterfly. So, what could make it even better… A fabulous bi-lingual storytelling highlighting both the English and Spanish adventure of Senorita Mariposa. I found it fascinating and can’t wait to share this story with my grand daughter.

I received this ARC copy of Senorita Mariposa from Nancy Paulsen Books - Penguin Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. Senorita Mariposa is set for publication August 6, 2019.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like that the text is bilingual and that English comes first on some pages and Spanish first on others. The illustrations are nice, fun and engaging, though I personally find the colors a bit dark... it almost feels like it's nighttime or dusk in several of the illustrations when it's actually daytime. The Author's Note is good, providing a bit more information about monarch butterfly migration (such as that Seniorita Mariposa is one of the "super generation" that makes the journey south, but it takes three or four generations to complete the trip north.) I do wish there was a Bibliography in the book, but there's a website: https://mistergsongs.com/mariposa/
which has some good information, including a nice video of the author/songwriter singing the song over lovely videos of his trip to see monarch butterflies in Mexico and it's quite nice.
You can also watch the author read and sing the book in another video on the same site.

From the website: "Ben and Marcos made a pilgrimage to visit the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico, where they witnessed millions of butterflies congregating in their winter home. They met with Homero Aridjis, the environmental activist who lobbied for more than a decade to protect the Monarch's winter home (establishing the UNESCO World Heritage Site), as well as biologists who study the monarch butterflies and the indigenous cooperatives who continue to protect and preserve their habitat.
The life-changing journey inspired Ben to develop the Mariposa Project, a touring production that combines music and storytelling with visual art to inspire young eco-activist and help children see each other across borders."

[Adriana Martinez Figueroa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations are incredible and for someone who’s scared of butterflies (I know, Don’t @ Me) the illustrator made them look so cute! I really loved the spread where there are kids in a garden playing with the butterflies, showcasing kids of all walks of life. Truly a lovely PB.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main genre of this book is poetry. The poem is about the millions of monarch butterflies that migrate to Mexico each year through a bilingual love poem that expresses appreciation and respect for them. The themes that are covered in the poetry picture book are responsibility, appreciation, and culture.Readers can learn how the butterflies migrate down from Canada to Mexico before the winter season. Children can be introduced to the people and place the butterflies pass through before reaching the woodlands of their homeland. It was a WOW book for me because this book primarily consists of rhyming English poems with a Spanish translation. As the butterflies migrate the poem goes from English to Spanish once they arrive to Mexico.
Some of the writing craft techniques that the author used in this book were the text are in English with Spanish translations, and the "choruses" are in Spanish with English translations. The illustrations and text were easy to follow to show the places and people the butterflies passed to make it to Mexico, their homeland for the winter. The illustrations were gorgeous and colorful. I would recommended for children ages 5 and up. The book is anti-bias because the people that were presented in the book were not stereotype. All kinds of people were showed including those who are disabled. The author included translation for those who aren’t bilingual. Which is nice so everyone who reads this book finds it easy to read and understand.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is a summary of what happened in the book Señorita Mariposa is on her way to Mexico, she flies high in the sky past mountains and trees to all the way below in the dessert. She passes many animals and people along her journey. One of the major themes in the book was bravery, this is because Señorita Mariposa has to travel a long way from Canada to Mexico in different environments and temperatures. The main genre of this book is poetry. Through reading this book I learned that Monarch butterflies fly migrate annually across the US to Mexico. I also learned that these butterflies fly more than 60 miles a day.

Some of the writing craft techniques that the author used in this book were descriptive language of the appearance of the Monarch butterflies as well as vivid illustrations of the environment that the butterflies are traveling to. I would consider this book to be an example of an anti-bias book because the author is latino, and is reading English and the translated Spanish version as well. Therefore is knowledgeable enough to speak as a bilingual and narrate the story respectfully and proficiently.

[Abby Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! With its rhyming words, it could easily be turned into a song about the migration of these Monarch Butterflies if you wanted to! This book talks about the distances that these butterflies fly each Fall starting in Canada and ending in Mexico! While the words are written in English, underneath each line the sentence is written in Spanish. This makes it so this book can be read/sang in either language, or can be read in both languages at the same time in order to promote bilingual language learning! At the end of the story, there are thousands of butterflies in Mexico and are quite a sight to see. This book seems like it would be best for the preschool age range, which is awesome as it ties in nicely to the life cycle unit that most pre-schools learn about in the Spring!

[YeseniaI · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great introduction for k-1 students about the butterfly migration from Canada and US to Mexico. The beautifully illustrated book treks the butterfly on its 3,000 mile journey. The bilingual rhyming book is perfect addition for any bilingual classroom. It is a beautiful and lively book that encourages love, appreciation and care for the world around us.

The book is written by Latin award winner, Mr. G. I found the book on YouTube and appreciated the read aloud by the author and song writer.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book based on a song about migrating Monarch butterflies. I can usually take or leave picture books based on songs, but I like how the bilingual text is presented and can see it being a good language learning aid for young readers.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustrated with bright, bold colors with lots of contrast, we read this book in our grandma reads session today. . .

Focused primarily on the life cycle of the butterfly (mariposa), the secondary focus was on language. Each line was shown in English followed by Spanish, or Spanish followed by English. I rarely get to use my Spanish in my day to day life, so this was fun and surprised my crew who think they know all there is to know about me.

A sweet read, and the kids enjoyed it. All took a quick break to see if they could find any mariposas outside. . .a few were sighted.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done bilingual book about the journey of Monarch butterfly.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Save the butterflies 🦋

[Shannon (That's So Poe) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a neat nonfiction told in bilingual verse about monarch butterflies and their migration. I loved learning about the butterflies, although the verse and artwork weren't exactly my style.

[Keily Rubio · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was about the journey of a butterfly all over the world. I love how this book was written and I truly loved how it included everyone. This was a WOW book for me because I’m really happy how he was able to include the spanish text in there and the text is so beautiful as well by saying how beautiful the butterfly is and how he says shes brave and strong, it’s such a friendly and positive book and I think it spreads a good and powerful message.
The use of spanish words and english words is very creative and I think it was a good way to teach children spanish and english at the same time since it has both languages translating. I also love the images, it really does take you on the journey with the butterfly and I think that could give a child a lot of creative ways to imagine the world. This book is also very diverse not only with the images but also with the text and that also goes with the anti bias perspectives. It goes from different types of races, religions, and even animals ! The use of rhymes and repetition makes this book a poetry book.

[Abby Johnson]

This bright, buoyant book uses bouncing, rhyming text to show the migration of monarch butterflies from the North down to Mexico where they hibernate. With text in both English and Spanish (switching back and forth between which language is the rhyme and which is the translation), this book is a celebration of all things monarch and will be a hit for classrooms studying monarchs or talking about butterflies.

[Yolanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Nancy Paulsen Books and Edelweiss+ for giving me an opportunity to read this DRC.

This book is gorgeous. The illustrations are wonderful and the book rhymes and is very lyrical, reminding me of a song. I have always found the story of the monarch butterfly migration so fascinating. It is a story that anyone, child or adult can relate to because it touches on many themes of inspiration and motivation. It is truly amazing how a small butterfly can travel so far

The story alternates with English and Spanish verses which I appreciate. It’s great for dual speaking (Spanish/English) households to read together. Or even in a non-Spanish speaking household, like ours, I love to try and read the Spanish (I barely remember my Spanish from Spanish 101!). The author’s note at the end of the book also explains the migration in more depth which I like.

This is a lovely book for all ages to enjoy.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful bilingual picture book that shows one little Monarch butterfly's great big journey, all across the different landscapes of North America! I hadn't realized just how far these little insects travel on their migration! The warmth and excitement will flutter right off the pages into your heart.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Senorita Mariposa by Ben Gundersheimer, illustrated by Marcos Almada Rivero. PICTURE BOOK. Nancy Paulsen Books (Penguin), 2019. $18. 9781524740702 0

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Monarch butterflies rule the sky. Tiny, yet able to travel the 3000 miles to Mexico, Senorita Mariposa is charming. The trees, bumble bees, a moose and more make the journey really amazing. I love the colorful butterflies and the variety of biomes. This book has a wonderful collection of animals and diverse characters and amazingly it rhymes. There is a song you can connect to and it would be an amazing way to teach butterfly life cycle.

I loved it. I speak Spanish and English and so does the book! I think a lot of students can identify with curiosity about butterflies and see themselves and their habitats in the pages of the book. It is diverse, charming and beautiful. I am adding it to my collection!

Michele E., Library Tech Teacher and butterfly scientist
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Rosalind Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justification: Tejas Star
This book was on the award list for the Tejas Star, and caught my eye because of the bilingual structure of the story along with the ever-fascinating science theme of animal life cycles.

Evaluation:
Brillant, bold illustrations make this book a winner right away. The exclusive use of two-page spreads with fully colored backgrounds gives a visual sweep across the pages to reflect the long, ongoing journey of the central character as she heads south from Canada through urban, suburban and rural areas deep into the mountains in Mexico. All along the way, children are observing her through the fall season and celebrations. Lots of kids, too, with a wide spectrum of ethnicities and abilities, especially evident in the drawings on the Author’s Note page. Yes and yes!

Refreshingly, the map of migration routes shows landscape differences but not the political divisions, since those do not deter the butterflies at all. So few maps for children help them realize that the geographic boundaries are simply abstract human distinctions. When students travel, they often expect to see lines between states and countries or at the equator. The map also shows that not all Monarchs migrate to Mexico but may go to areas in California or Florida, a detail that could lead to further study for older readers.

The weaving of Spanish and English throughout the rhyming text is natural and organic. The text is based on the author’s original song, available at mistergsongs.com/mariposa. With the bilingual text, the vivid illustrations, the rhymes and rhythm, and the catchy song to accompany the book, this is a feast for the senses. An Author’s Note with ideas for protecting our beautiful insects rounds out this delightful book.

Conclusion:
This stunningly warm and informative book is a winner because it succeeds in so many areas. It is a creation lovingly crafted, as shown by the detail on the dedication page above, with all the content in illustration and words inviting rich discussions. Senorita Mariposa, instead of just being a text translated into a second language, is a fluid bilingual expression, which is a perfect metaphor for a celebration of these amazing, remarkably tenacious, continent-traveling creatures. Highly recommended!

Citation:
Gundersheimer (Mister G), B. & Almada Rivero, M. (2019). Señorita Mariposa. United States: Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

[Hannah Hall-Salem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a poetry children's book that takes you through the journey of the monarch butterfly as it travels from Canada to Mexico. The amazing part about this book is that you can read it in either English or Spanish. I had the privilege of watching the read aloud of this book, read by Ben Gundersheimer, who also sang the song that inspired his book. I would recommend watching the read aloud video to children or even just playing Gundersheimer's song! This book would be a great way to introduce children to the monarch butterfly and their migration patterns. Another thing you could teach children with this book is the importance of poetry and the literary devices that go into writing poetry. After reading this book with children you would be able to encourage them to try and write their own poetry and explore more about the monarch butterfly or something else that interests them. Another great way to use this book to teach children would be using the book to introduce them to either Spanish or English. If interested to use the read aloud, Ben Gundersheimer reads all of the pages in both languages. This would allow children to understand the story in their language and possibly introduce them to different terms in another language. This book was a WOW book for me because when I was a child I was never introduced to books that were written in two languages. It was great to be able to hear the story in a language I understood but also hear it in Spanish. By the end of the book I was able to understand specific terms in Spanish without the English translation. As the world becomes more diverse with multiple languages always being around I believe it is important to introduce children to these languages so they can possibly use them in the future or help them connect with friends.
I believe this book is free of bias as Ben Gundersheimer is an award winning musician who has been writing bilingual music for children and families. Gundersheimer is also an educator and has created curriculums that incorporate songwriting as a learning tool. Music has many connections to poetry and a big connection to children. This can incorporate fun ways to learn about topics and even learn writing skills. This book is a great and fun way to teach children and even adults which is why this book is such a WOW book that everyone can enjoy!

[Lizzie Marquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

when reading Señorita Mariposa, I could tell it was going to be a bright and happy story that taught something important. In this book, Mister G tells the story of the monarch butterfly’s amazing journey as it migrates from Canada all the way to Mexico. The story is told very simple and translative way, beautiful words in both English and Spanish which I thought made it even more special. I really liked how the book showed the butterfly’s long trip and all the different places it passes by, while also celebrating nature and culture. The colorful pictures made the story feel full of life and energy, and it made me think about how incredible it is that something so small can travel so far. The major themes in the book were respecting nature and celebrating the diversity. The journey of the butterfly shows how important it is to take care of the environment, because even small creatures like butterflies need a healthy planet. Another theme is how different cultures are connected through nature the butterfly travels through different countries, but everyone along the way loves and protects it. It shows that nature brings people together.The main genre of this book is poetry because it’s written in short and rhyming lines that tell the story of the monarch butterfly journey in a fun and musical way.Kids reading this book could learn about how important it is to protect the environment and help animals like the monarch butterfly. They could also learn a little bit of Spanish and see how people from different places can share love for the same things like nature and animals.
This book was a WOW book for me because it made me appreciate butterflies and nature way more than I did before. It made me want to help protect animals and our Earth.

Two of the literary devices the author used in this book were rhyme and imagery. I loved how the author used rhyming lines to make the story sound like a song. It made it really fun to read and easy to remember. The imagery was amazing too because he used words that helped me picture the fields, the skies, and the butterfly’s journey so clearly. I would consider this book an anti-bias book because it shows how people from different countries and backgrounds all care about the same beautiful things in nature. It celebrates diversity and teaches kids that the environment connects all of us, no matter where we live.

[Emily Sauther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Señiorita Mariposa, while definitely for young readers, is a joyful and valuable story about the migration of butterflies. This book is told simultaneously in English and Spanish, with one language being bolded and one language displayed smaller underneath. The primary language of the text in bold switches from page to page giving equal weight to the importance of both languages in the story. Ben Gundersheimer (mister G) who authored the book has apparently been dubbed “a bilingual rockstar” by the washington post, making his translations trustworthy.

I would almost consider this book a very early informational text. Though it is told in the form of a song and there are some fantasy elements, such as animals with human-like faces and expressions, there are elements in the illustrations which are factually accurate to the different aspects of the life of a butterfly. There are depictions of the butterfly’s life cycle, taking it froma a caterpillar, the chrysalis, and finally a hatched butterfly. There is also a page which illustrates the sheer amount of butterflies which eventually end up in central america and rest in the trees. There is also a garden which plants milkweed, one of the best food sources for monarch butterflies. The author’s note in the back outlines all of this, giving it credibility. With those informational pieces is integrated aspects of poetry through song. The chorus echoes and sticks in the reader's mind, making the story flow.

The illustrations are what make this book special. The beautifully depicted landscapes and joyful children, in addition with accurate depictions of the parts of a butterfly’s migration convey much more information about butterflies than the text does alone.This book follows Señiorita Mariposa, the Little Butterfly, through her journey south through all different places in North and Central America. Gently and lovingly children interact with the butterflies as the butterflies migrate through where different children live. The migration of the monarch butterflies is something that is a shared experience between people of many cultures, making them the perfect subject to expand young reader’s view of the world and connect very young readers to other people from different parts of the world.

[Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Senorita Mariposa is about the journey of a Monarch Butterfly that flies south, all the way from Canada to Mexico. Throughout the journey she passes beautiful landscapes going over mountains, cities, and desserts. Along the butterfly’s journey in the book, she interacts with other insects, such as a bumblebee. Ultimately, Senorita Mariposa unites with another generation of monarchs. This book is written in English and Spanish making it accessible to bilingual readers. A major theme in this book is protecting our environment and planet. The book is about the incredible annual migration of the monarch butterfly. Butterfly’s pollinate flowers throughout its migration. Pollination is very important for harvesting fruits. In the book there is an illustration showing the butterfly interact with another critical pollinator insect which is a bumblebee that is also declining in our planet. The main genre of this book is poetry. If I were going to read this book to children, I could teach them that the monarch butterfly fly as far as 3,000 miles from Canada to Mexico. Additionally, that as years go by there are fewer butterflies due to loss of habitat and other factors. I really enjoyed this book because of its rhyming and rhythmical flow and its accessibility to bilingual readers since I am bilingual myself. It was enjoyable in both languages.
Some of the writing craft techniques that the author used in this book are that the author rhymed in English and translated in Spanish. Then vise versa, rhymed in Spanish and translated in English. Another craft techniques are how the author describes the butterfly’s journey in detail. I would consider this book to be an example of an anti-bias book because it is about the migration of a monarch butterfly. It is simply a book that is informational that tells the story in two languages.

[Alexandra Castro-Velez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come along an adventure with beautiful monarchs in the book Señorita Mariposa.In this book, Ben Gundersheimer tells the story of the amazing migration of the monarch butterfly to Mexico. I thought the story was fun and educational because it teaches about nature while celebrating two cultures in English and Spanish. The major themes in the book were cultural connection and hope. For example, the monarch butterfly’s long journey shows the incredible resilience and hope of their journey, also the fact that the butterfly experiences people of all cultures and because the book is also in Spanish shows the celebration of culture. The main genre of this book is Novels in verse. Children reading this book could learn about the migration of butterflies while also having a nice introduction into learning another language.This book was a WOW book for me because of the bright and joyful illustrations and because of the beautiful it was made into a song.

Two of the literary devices the author used in writing this book were rhyme and imagery.The author uses rhyme throughout the story making it into a musical and fun to read aloud. He also uses imagery by painting vivid pictures with words by describing the butterflies fluttering through their journey. These literary devices enhanced the quality of the writing by making the story feel lyrical and visually entertaining.

I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because it embraces both English and Spanish, it encourages the appreciation of different cultures.

[Nathan Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

The soft flapping of butterfly wings already remind me of a poem, which makes this book in verse about butterflies all the better. This book is about the journey the monarch butterfly makes from Canada, to Mexico and back every year. It goes over the different areas they go through, such as mountains and deserts and how fast they travel. The book also offers many different facts about the butterflies in both Spanish and English. The major themes in this book include the preservation of butterflies and the idea that people of all ages, regardless of ethnicity, need to take a role in the preservation. The main genre of this book is poetry. Children reading this book could learn about a possible new passion they could have about conservation. They could also learn that everyone regardless of age, where they're from, or how they look can help in the process. This is a WOW book for me because of the Spanish and English translations. I have never experienced a read like this and absolutely loved the inclusion of both languages as Monarchs travel from Predominantly English speaking areas to Spanish speaking areas.
Some of the literary devices used in the book that enhanced the reading included hyperbole's to describe how fast the Monarch's travel, and the repetition of how beautiful they are. I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book as everyone is depicted as a real human and does the the opposite of bias by trying to bring people together under a cause.

[Hasset · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go on a little journey with Señorita Mariposa! In this book, we see the beautiful little butterfly and a little journey as well. The major themes of this book are to see how beautiful nature is and also to love nature (the butterfly is an example because the book focuses on the butterfly's journey and how beautiful she is). The main genre of this book is poetry! Through reading this book I learned to appreciate the small animals in the world, and also that butterflies migrate, which I think children can learn as well! This book was a WOW book for me because I really liked the illustrations used in the book as well and it was a nice poem with rhymes in it which was fun!

Some of the literary devices that the author used in writing this book were rhyme and imagery. The author used rhythm because the sentences end in a similar way, for example on one of the pages it says "It's hard to say goodbye, But I know you have to fly". The author uses imagery because most of the sentences paint an image in the reader's head, for example on one of the pages when talking about the butterfly it says, "I like to see you in the trees, playing with the bumblebees, your pretty orange wings makes me want to sing". I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because, the book is focused on a butterflies journey and it is not targeting anyone or anything.

[Margaret]

Early this spring along the road taken by my canine companion and me on our daily walks were the shells of milkweed pods among the dried grasses and leaves. For the most part, the seeds were still snuggled inside. For a gal with the goal of having a field of milkweed for the monarch butterflies, this discovery was pure gold.

The numbers of these marvelous, brightly colored creatures, in recent years, is decreasing due to climate change and loss of habitat. We, as humans, are at the root of their problems, but if we do everything possible, we can reverse their possible extinction. Planting milkweed seeds is one of several solutions.

Anyone of any age can become a champion for these butterflies. Senorita Mariposa (Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, August 6, 2019) written by Ben Gundersheimer (Mister G) with illustrations by Marcos Almada Rivero, through lively text in both English and Spanish and Spanish and English and vibrant images, follows the miraculous annual migration of monarchs from Canada and the United States to Mexico. You'll be singing and dancing and clapping and toe-tapping from beginning to end.


My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in rhyming text featuring both English and Spanish, this is the story of the migration journey of monarch butterflies from Canada to Mexico. When reading this book, you can hear Gundersheimer's musical talents peeking through, as his writing takes you on a very lyrical journey (the book is actually based off of a song from his "Chocolalala" album!). Mexican illustrator Marcos Almada Rivero’s illustrations are colorful and happy, engaging even the youngest of audiences in this story. The cast of characters is nicely diverse, and the people and animals (even the butterflies) are featured with wide, inviting eyes.
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When reading through this with my girls, we noticed that sometimes English is featured first, but sometimes, the Spanish is on top. When I asked Gundersheimer about this, he said he intentionally switched so that readers would see both languages featured. Intentionality like this goes such a long way to creating lasting impact among young readers and breaking down barriers!

[Thea Fuerstenau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Senorita Mariposa is an informative book that can be read in Spanish and English, with a rhythmic tone asking to be sung. Senorita Mariposa is about the Monarch butterfly migration from Canada to Mexico and all the places between. Accompanied by a science lesson, Senorita Mariposa can be included in many extension activities about migration and the importance of protecting our planet and its beautiful creatures like the Monarch. The illustrations show children with looks of wonder and delight on their faces as they admire the butterflies on their path to Mexico, which helps capture the emotional link to the story with the central theme of protecting the planet. The book's end pages give the reader and viewer some background knowledge about migration and its importance. The text and illustration accompany each other well, with the images taking two pages while text takes one page. Finally, the author ends the book with a note on why he decided to write the book giving readers even more information they'll likely share.