The Butterfly

 The Butterfly    Patricia Polacco

Philomel Books. New York. (2000). 42p., ISBN-0-399-23170-6, $16.99 hardcover

 Target Audience:

Ages 7-12, possibly older

 Synopsis/Characters:

Monique and Marcelle Solliliage; mother and daughter; Sevrine; townspeople and soldiers

Monique and her Mother live in a small French village during the Nazi Occupation of France.  Monique tries to ignore the soldiers that she sees daily and go about her life as usual.  Things begin to change as people begin to disappear from the village and Monique starts to see ghosts at the foot of her bed at night.

Monique discovers that her mother, Marcelle, is hiding Jews in their basement and soon the whole family is in danger and must flee for their lives.

  

What stands out:

Patricia Polacco’s wonderful storytelling and beautiful pictures bring this true story to life.  Ms Polacco is known for using her own family history and life for her stories and this one is no different.  The story is told in third person narrative, but we seem to see things through the eyes of Monique and feel her curiosity and fear as the story unfolds.

 Notes for fellow SLMS or classroom teachers:

 This is a wonderful book to use as a read aloud.  Though thought of as a picture book, I would use this with older children due to the content and the honest way in which the story is told.  There will be questions and discussion about the book and the topic can be a difficult one for younger children.  This could be a great addition to a middle or even high school WWII class.

  

Would you recommend the book to: classroom teachers, students, classmates, parents?

Yes, but see above note.  I love Patricia Polacco and think all libraries should have her books!  She is not afraid to tackle difficult topics and make them accessible for even younger readers.