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The Amazing Monarch: The Secret Wintering Grounds of an Endangered Butterfly
Hard to Find book
- GenresNonfictionNatureScience
112 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 11, 2013
What a wonderful book! I received this from NetGalley for review without consideration and am happy to say I am still marveling at the photographs included of monarch butterflies in their wintering grounds in central Mexico. This area was a mystery until its discovery in 1975.
Turley's photos at times seem almost surreal as the reader begins to realize just what is in the picture---thousands and thousands of butterflies. Some shots appear to be oriental impressionist paintings, with the play of light and design. The Monarchs migrate from the northeastern United States every year to the areas that have the oyamel fir trees they require for their winter nutrition. If you would like to know how they accomplish this trip ranging from 3000 to 4300 miles, there is an excellent summary at the end of the book, understandable to non-scientists (such as myself).
Interspersed with the photographs are poems, short folk pieces and stories. I will end with one from Hans Christian Andersen.
"Just living is not enough" said the Butterfly. "One
must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower." (p. 46)
I recommend this book to nature lovers, anyone who loves to watch butterflies and finds them a joy.
Turley's photos at times seem almost surreal as the reader begins to realize just what is in the picture---thousands and thousands of butterflies. Some shots appear to be oriental impressionist paintings, with the play of light and design. The Monarchs migrate from the northeastern United States every year to the areas that have the oyamel fir trees they require for their winter nutrition. If you would like to know how they accomplish this trip ranging from 3000 to 4300 miles, there is an excellent summary at the end of the book, understandable to non-scientists (such as myself).
Interspersed with the photographs are poems, short folk pieces and stories. I will end with one from Hans Christian Andersen.
"Just living is not enough" said the Butterfly. "One
must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower." (p. 46)
I recommend this book to nature lovers, anyone who loves to watch butterflies and finds them a joy.
February 5, 2014
1.5
Both photography and research, this book gives an in-depth look on the migrations of the Monarch Butterfly.
Although this book had incredible potential, there were many times I caught myself skimming past repetitive information, or uninspired quotes. I felt that Turley threw in every quote he found about butterflies, rather than just a selection of ones he felt were fitting and meaningful, and the page design for these was poorly executed. One of the quotes that he included was from National Geographic's take on this topic, which I honestly found myself wishing I had read instead. As for the topic writing, it seemed that every sentence was taken from one source or another, and made me feel as though this was just him stringing along others' sentences to form his own book.
While looking through his photography, I found myself taken aback by the absolute wonder and splendor of such a beautiful creature, but I also found myself wishing he'd have not included some of the photographs that he did, as I felt that they were mediocre at best, and seemed to take away from the breathtaking pieces that he had included. I also felt that some of the photographs were nearly identical, and imagined that he couldn't decide on which one to be included, and so, unprofessionally, threw both in. That said, I did enjoy the fact that he included the camera and lens information that he used for the shots, and I thought that the poem on the final page was well-chosen.
(This review was featured on www.evolvingthread.com )
Both photography and research, this book gives an in-depth look on the migrations of the Monarch Butterfly.
Although this book had incredible potential, there were many times I caught myself skimming past repetitive information, or uninspired quotes. I felt that Turley threw in every quote he found about butterflies, rather than just a selection of ones he felt were fitting and meaningful, and the page design for these was poorly executed. One of the quotes that he included was from National Geographic's take on this topic, which I honestly found myself wishing I had read instead. As for the topic writing, it seemed that every sentence was taken from one source or another, and made me feel as though this was just him stringing along others' sentences to form his own book.
While looking through his photography, I found myself taken aback by the absolute wonder and splendor of such a beautiful creature, but I also found myself wishing he'd have not included some of the photographs that he did, as I felt that they were mediocre at best, and seemed to take away from the breathtaking pieces that he had included. I also felt that some of the photographs were nearly identical, and imagined that he couldn't decide on which one to be included, and so, unprofessionally, threw both in. That said, I did enjoy the fact that he included the camera and lens information that he used for the shots, and I thought that the poem on the final page was well-chosen.
(This review was featured on www.evolvingthread.com )
September 21, 2025
Gorgeous photos with some really cool information about the Monarch. I very much enjoyed!
February 27, 2017
This strikingly beautiful book brings us photos of the Monarch butterfly. The author was granted permission by the Government of Mexico to enter protected breeding and wintering grounds. As the brown-orange gaily decorated butterflies gather before flying north, they completely cover trees. Innumerable insects make a lively scene as they take flight like a sky full of flowers.
Whimsical quotes are presented. Chinese philosopher Chuang-Tzu dreamt he was a butterfly, and he awoke to wonder if he was a man who dreamt he was a butterfly or a butterfly now dreaming it was a man. Emily Dickinson, Buckminster Fuller, Carl Sagan and Robert Heinlein are among those quoted, as is the Anon remark that if nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies. A Native American legend holds that we should tell our wish to a butterfly, who will tell it to the Great Spirit, who will grant the wish in thanks for letting the butterfly go free.
Meanwhile, the powerful, inspiring photographs take us up close and personal with these delicate creatures. With an artist's eye Windle Turley shows us a single Monarch on a bright yellow flower, or a tree draped with so many Monarchs that the mind has to make sense of the scene.
The Federal Police of Mexico are shown slowing road traffic as a cloud of Monarchs flies across. Nature notes explain about the eggs laid under leaves of the milkweed plant. The milkweed flowers in a seasonal cycle depending on latitude, so the butterflies chase north. Chemicals in the leaves do not harm the caterpillars, which store them so their bodies are distasteful to birds. Migrating butterflies may cover up to 150 miles in a day heading to Texas or the corn belt over several quick generations. Threats include environmental degradation, climate change, infestations of pine bark beetles in their wintering grounds, pesticides, weedkiller use on milkweed, and genetically modified corn pollen that kills caterpillars.
Whimsical quotes are presented. Chinese philosopher Chuang-Tzu dreamt he was a butterfly, and he awoke to wonder if he was a man who dreamt he was a butterfly or a butterfly now dreaming it was a man. Emily Dickinson, Buckminster Fuller, Carl Sagan and Robert Heinlein are among those quoted, as is the Anon remark that if nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies. A Native American legend holds that we should tell our wish to a butterfly, who will tell it to the Great Spirit, who will grant the wish in thanks for letting the butterfly go free.
Meanwhile, the powerful, inspiring photographs take us up close and personal with these delicate creatures. With an artist's eye Windle Turley shows us a single Monarch on a bright yellow flower, or a tree draped with so many Monarchs that the mind has to make sense of the scene.
The Federal Police of Mexico are shown slowing road traffic as a cloud of Monarchs flies across. Nature notes explain about the eggs laid under leaves of the milkweed plant. The milkweed flowers in a seasonal cycle depending on latitude, so the butterflies chase north. Chemicals in the leaves do not harm the caterpillars, which store them so their bodies are distasteful to birds. Migrating butterflies may cover up to 150 miles in a day heading to Texas or the corn belt over several quick generations. Threats include environmental degradation, climate change, infestations of pine bark beetles in their wintering grounds, pesticides, weedkiller use on milkweed, and genetically modified corn pollen that kills caterpillars.
September 21, 2013
A must have for butterfly lovers.
Breathtaking. If I needed to sum up The Amazing Monarch: The Secret Wintering Grounds of an Endangered Butterfly by Windle Turley in one word, that would do it. Fortunately, I have room to expound.
This book is stunning. The photographs are beautiful. I felt like I had escaped into a secret world of wintering monarchs as I turned the pages. From images of single monarchs to images of tens of thousands of them covering trees like a tapestry of black orange, and white, readers will linger over every photo. The details are exquisite, and Turley captures the monarchs from every angle, allowing a complete study of the butterflies as they take flight, land, alight on a flower, or flutter away. Having hauled my trusty Canon to many butterfly gardens, I know how difficult it is to capture a good image even in the most accommodating environment. How Turley managed to capture captivating images in the real environment of monarchs, I do not know, but I am very impressed.
The Amazing Monarch isn’t just a collection of beautiful images. Turley shares fitting quotes about butterflies and gives readers a lesson in the lives of the monarchs, from their migration patterns to their reproduction cycles to the numerous threats that make them an endangered species. People of all ages will enjoy this book and, hopefully, become advocates for the monarchs and their wintering grounds.
Breathtaking. If I needed to sum up The Amazing Monarch: The Secret Wintering Grounds of an Endangered Butterfly by Windle Turley in one word, that would do it. Fortunately, I have room to expound.
This book is stunning. The photographs are beautiful. I felt like I had escaped into a secret world of wintering monarchs as I turned the pages. From images of single monarchs to images of tens of thousands of them covering trees like a tapestry of black orange, and white, readers will linger over every photo. The details are exquisite, and Turley captures the monarchs from every angle, allowing a complete study of the butterflies as they take flight, land, alight on a flower, or flutter away. Having hauled my trusty Canon to many butterfly gardens, I know how difficult it is to capture a good image even in the most accommodating environment. How Turley managed to capture captivating images in the real environment of monarchs, I do not know, but I am very impressed.
The Amazing Monarch isn’t just a collection of beautiful images. Turley shares fitting quotes about butterflies and gives readers a lesson in the lives of the monarchs, from their migration patterns to their reproduction cycles to the numerous threats that make them an endangered species. People of all ages will enjoy this book and, hopefully, become advocates for the monarchs and their wintering grounds.
September 27, 2013
I received an electronic review copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Turley's photographs are breathtaking--any butterfly lover can appreciate the magic of his images. Few people have had such unrestricted access to the monarch wintering grounds, so to be allowed to see them through the lens of such a talented photographer is a real treat.
Interspersed throughout the photographs are a collection of stories, quotations, and poems relating to butterflies. They were fun additions and added an element of whimsy to the book. However, I would have preferred if some of the scientific information was also included throughout the book, instead of having it all at the end. I think that if it had been distributed better, it would have been less overwhelming and more enjoyable. Instead, I felt like I was shown a thing of great beauty, and then expected to sit through a dry essay at the end.
It's still a lovely book, with some incredible information. It just could have been designed a bit better.
Turley's photographs are breathtaking--any butterfly lover can appreciate the magic of his images. Few people have had such unrestricted access to the monarch wintering grounds, so to be allowed to see them through the lens of such a talented photographer is a real treat.
Interspersed throughout the photographs are a collection of stories, quotations, and poems relating to butterflies. They were fun additions and added an element of whimsy to the book. However, I would have preferred if some of the scientific information was also included throughout the book, instead of having it all at the end. I think that if it had been distributed better, it would have been less overwhelming and more enjoyable. Instead, I felt like I was shown a thing of great beauty, and then expected to sit through a dry essay at the end.
It's still a lovely book, with some incredible information. It just could have been designed a bit better.
January 30, 2014
The photos in this book are incredible and it would be a wonderful purchase for that reason alone. The quotes sprinkled through the pages are a collection of poems, thoughts, and stories of butterflies from a variety of sources ranging from Zhuangzi (Chuang-tzu) to Carl Sagan. If the photos and sayings were the only contents, it would still seem a complete book. But then there is the text that follows the photographs. A complete explanation of the annual migration is given, broken down into stages by season. There is a discussion of the dangers facing the North American monarchs and the fears of experts that they may not survive the next 20 years. Those pages would be an excellent resource for older students who are studying migration, animal adpatation, or man's impact on the environment. Whether you're a young reader merely enjoying the photographs, an avid butterfly gardener interested in all the life cycle details, or a student doing research - it will be an enjoyable read and a treat for the eyes.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
October 2, 2013
Le foto sono fantastiche, come fantastica è questa farfalla (le immagini di alberi interamente ricoperti da stormi di Monarch sono incredibili, gli insetti sono una forza della natura), purtroppo non mi è piaciuto che fossero alternate a aforismi e citazioni tratti da vari autori.
Avrei preferito che le foto fossero alternate a descrizioni biologiche o comportamentali di questa specie di farfalla.
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The photos in the book are truly amazing, and amazing is this butterfly (the pictures of trees covered of Monarchs are wonderful, insects are a force of nature), however I did not like that they were alternated with aphorisms and quotes from various authors.
I would have preferred to have, in the main part of the book, photos and biological/behavioural aspects of the butterfly life.
Avrei preferito che le foto fossero alternate a descrizioni biologiche o comportamentali di questa specie di farfalla.
---
The photos in the book are truly amazing, and amazing is this butterfly (the pictures of trees covered of Monarchs are wonderful, insects are a force of nature), however I did not like that they were alternated with aphorisms and quotes from various authors.
I would have preferred to have, in the main part of the book, photos and biological/behavioural aspects of the butterfly life.
October 7, 2013
The pictures are nice, but this book really wasn't very exceptional.
Some of the pictures are nice, but there were a couple that I felt were disjointed and awkward. The few awkward pictures really ruined the rest of the pictures for me because they were what I focused on.
The writing itself wasn't that fantastic. The information was given to the reader in an awkward manner that I didn't really enjoy. The writing was a little too flowery and not factual enough for my taste.
On an unrelated note: I read this as an ebook and the file size was so huge, it kept crashing my iPad. That detracted from the reading experience as well.
I received this book for review purposes via NetGalley.
Some of the pictures are nice, but there were a couple that I felt were disjointed and awkward. The few awkward pictures really ruined the rest of the pictures for me because they were what I focused on.
The writing itself wasn't that fantastic. The information was given to the reader in an awkward manner that I didn't really enjoy. The writing was a little too flowery and not factual enough for my taste.
On an unrelated note: I read this as an ebook and the file size was so huge, it kept crashing my iPad. That detracted from the reading experience as well.
I received this book for review purposes via NetGalley.
September 21, 2013
Stunning photography of beautiful monarch butterflies fills this book. I was amazed to see trees just drenched in butterflies as well as brilliant close-ups of wings and mouth parts. The photography was artfully paired with inspiring quotes about butterflies for a joyful experience.
Towards the end of the book the feat of Monarch migration process is explained with current scientific data in an understandable way. It is obvious that the author put a lot of time in to understand the complicated ways of Monarch butterfly behavior. Hopefully this book will help the Monarch butterfly and help people to see that they can also help the Monarch butterfly.
January 18, 2014
I received an electronic review copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Some photographs were beautiful however some were quite noticeably photo-shopped. The real problem with this book was the lack informational text intersperse through the book which made me feel I felt I was looking at someones photo album and not reading a book. The quotes were a nice touch.
Once I did get to the informational text (88 pages in) at the end of the book I found it to be dry and basic.
Some photographs were beautiful however some were quite noticeably photo-shopped. The real problem with this book was the lack informational text intersperse through the book which made me feel I felt I was looking at someones photo album and not reading a book. The quotes were a nice touch.
Once I did get to the informational text (88 pages in) at the end of the book I found it to be dry and basic.
October 27, 2010
This photos in this book are absolutely breathtaking! I actually got this because I knew my mom would go nuts. She loves butterflies and seeing her face light up at the gorgeous pictures was wonderful. This would make the perfect holiday gift!
January 24, 2015
The Amazing Monarch: The Secret Wintering Grounds of an Endangered Butterfly
by Windle Turley
the beautiful pictures is not to be believed the poetry and prose enlightens the readers and creates a creative and beautiful connection of the winter grounds of the butterflies.
January 23, 2014
What a beautiful book.
September 10, 2016
One of the best nonfiction books for children I've seen.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews