Señorita Mariposa

June 15, 2019
A bilingual love poem of admiration and respect for the millions of monarch butterflies that journey south to Mexico every year. From a chrysalis on the title page, Señorita Mariposa invites readers to follow the monarch butterfly as it embarks on a journey spanning thousands of miles, "Over mountains capped with snow... / To the deserts down below." In the same manner, the monarch butterfly exiting the chrysalis at the end of the book then invites readers to flip back to the beginning and restart the journey. Almada Rivero's warm and friendly illustrations showcase the various people and animals the monarch encounters in its 3,000-mile journey, including a couple of brown-skinned children who welcome Señorita Mariposa to Mexico as the text reads, "Can't believe how far you've come." Gundersheimer's recounting of the lepidoptera's journey is told in a bilingual poem, English set in a serif type and Spanish set in sans-serif. Like the butterfly traveling south and north, the languages switch prominence, displaying in the larger font the principal--and rhyming--language in each spread. Although at times distracting, this technique is a valiant attempt to give equal importance to each language. Backmatter includes facts on the round trip the butterflies undertake, the "super generation" that makes the trek south, and a call to action to protect the monarchs as they slowly lose their habitats. Uplifting and inspiring of further research. (Picture book. 3-6)

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July 19, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-A monarch butterfly is flying south, crossing cities, deserts, and mountains while children and animals see her pass through, witnessing her journey and admiring her beauty. Musician and Latin Grammy Award winner Mister G offers his first bilingual fiction picture book based on his song Señorita Mariposa set to English and Spanish text. The literary adaptation delineates the journey of the monarch butterfly from Canada to Mexico using rhyming English lyrics accompanied by well-translated Spanish text. The verses are loosely structured as moving along with the butterflies, where the bold curvilinear black font of the text calls to mind the movement of the butterfly. This setting offers a visual stimuli that is pleasant, but that is contrasted by an oscillation of the two languages as the verses progress, which may be disorienting for non-bilingual readers. The text is set to simple verses where the rhyming structure provides a sense of unity and an auditory element that will engage preschoolers during storytime. Kindergartners will also enjoy the digitally made art that brings to life the narrative with emotionally expressive animals and children. The back matter contains Author's Notes referring briefly to the monarchs' journey, their contribution to the planet, and their struggles with climate change. VERDICT A playful picture book for the public library that could be used to foster consciousness about protecting the planet and to explain migration and the role of butterflies in pollination.-Kathia Ibacache, Simi Valley Public Library, CA

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