MARIA MARIPOSA
By: Karla Arenas Valenti
Illustrated by: Ana Ramirez González
Published: July 16, 2024
Publisher: Chronicle Kids
Fiction
Maria is waking up in a new apartment in a new city and today she is starting a brand-new school. Maria is from Mexico and is very anxious about all the new things that are happening. Until she spots a special gift from Mexico fluttering by…a butterfly or “¡Una mariposa!”
The butterfly reminds Maria of all the things she loves about home and she carries the memories with her on her magical butterfly wings as she heads off to school. The wings give her so much joy that she spreads joy everywhere she goes until she starts to feel nervous again, makes some mistakes, and is teased. Then she starts to feel very lonely and her magical butterfly wings aren’t helping her anymore.
With a mixture of English and Spanish words and a bit of magical realism, Maria’s story will resonate with kids. If your child has ever felt left out, been nervous about going to school, or has ever been teased, they will wish they had butterfly wings like Maria. The illustrations are full of color and show the magic swirling around Maria as she spreads joy to others. They also show Maria’s sadness as the light begins to dim around her. Kids will realize that they had the magic inside them all along and soon they won’t need their magical wings.
The story of the butterfly’s migration mirrors Maria’s immigration to the United States. Kids will learn about the journey butterflies take to the US and Canada and back to Mexico. Maria’s story will also remind kids to have compassion and offer kindness and friendship to new kids in their neighborhood or classroom. When Maria makes a connection with someone on the playground, everything changes for Maria.
The author’s note at the end of the book offers a glimpse into the author’s own childhood of living in a bicultural home and not feeling a part of either culture. She also shares facts about immigration as well as information about the migration of butterflies and dragonflies. She includes resources for learning more about their migrations at the end of the book.
Karla Arenas Valenti is the author of various picture books, chapter books, and middle-grade novels. A native of Mexico City, Karla has spread her wings into many other places living in France, Germany, Japan, and most recently the Chicagoland area, where she resides with her family, two cats, and hundreds of books. You can learn more about Karla and her books at her website, HERE.
Ana Ramirez González is an artist and filmmaker at Pixar Animation Studios by day, and a New York Times bestselling illustrator by night. Born and raised in Guanajuato, Mexico, Ana attended art school in France before studying film and animation at the California Institute of the Arts. In her spare time, Ana loves to write and figure skate. She divides her time between San Francisco, Paris, and Guanajuato.
To purchase a copy of MARIA MARIPOSA, click HERE.
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Posted Under Ana Ramirez González, Book Review, butterfly, Children's books, fiction, immigration, Karla Arena Valenti, magical realism, Mexico