The Butterfly-Picture Book # 16

Author: Patricia Polacco
Title: The Butterfly
Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Readability Score: 4.1
Theme: compassion during a time of war
Genre: Non-Fiction
Sub genre: History
Primary and secondary characters: Monique and Sevrine are the primary characters and their parents, the Nazis, and Monsieur Marks are the secondary characters
Awards: N/A
Publishing Company: Philomel Books
Date of Publication: 2000
ISBN: 0-3999-23170-6
Summary: This book is about how the Nazis have taken over a small town French village. A young girl named Monique is the main character. One night she encounters a ghost that she finds sitting on the edge of her bed. She describes her as dark with having very sad eyes. Monique said that she felt a sense of fear for her. However, it turns out not to be a ghost after all, but a young girl named Sevrine. This girl has been hiding from the Nazis in Monique's basement, since the war was occurring. During this war the children were unsure if their education was even promised for the next day. The young children had to live in fear of the "tall boots" that took over their village, which represented the Nazi soldiers. Many nights passed before Monique saw her friend Sevrine. Meanwhile, her village was being bombarded with Nazis who were capturing and beating other people who were not like them. Monique discovered that Sevrine and her family, as well as others, had been living in the basement of their home in hiding since they were Jews. One day as Monique was picking flowers for her mother, she spotted a beautiful butterfly. She was amazed at its fluttering from flower to flower until several Nazi soldiers approached her and took the butterfly in their fist, killing it. She was horrified as she remembers how they treated her friend Monsieur Marks, who was beaten by them. Monique begins to bring Sevrine things from the outside world to show her, as she is still in hiding from the world. She brings her a butterfly and it represents Sevrine's freedom which she used to have and it also gives her hope for a future freedom. One night as they are playing, their neighbor spots them. They are fearful of being reported so it is no longer safe for them to stay there. They begin to escape to a safer location where the Nazis will not find them. A few weeks later Monique and her mother were planting in the garden when all of the sudden butterflies began to land on the flowers. People began to gather around and watch the beauty and Monique said it was a sign that Sevrine was safe with her family.

I would use this book in the classroom to talk about history and the time period that this occurred in with the Nazis. Students can compare and contrast the differences and what they had in common with this time period. They can also talk about the friendships and relationships that were made throughout the story and discuss what they would have done in Monique's situation.