Butterfly Child

by Marc Majewski, Marc Majewski (Illustrator)

Overview

Author-illustrator Marc Majewski delivers a gorgeously painted, tender story about a young child who loves dressing up as a butterfly. A joyful celebration of creativity, self-expression, and family—perfect for fans of Jessica Love and Beatrice Alemagna.

I am a butterfly.

I spin and swirl, twist and twirl, flutter and flap, and when I open my wings, I fly!

A young child loves the spots and patterns found on butterflies, and fashions bold orange wings to become a butterfly child. But when other kids shun the child for the clothes they don’t understand, it takes a father’s encouragement for the kid to stay true to what they love and find joy in the butterfly wings once more.

* A Junior Library Guild Selection * Kids' Indie Next List Pick *

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063021556
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	11/01/2022
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	215,415
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 12.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Marc Majewski is a French illustrator and picture book maker based in Berlin. As a child, Marc spent all his time drawing, writing stories, and dressing up. Things haven't changed much since. Marc loves painting landscapes and scenes from the natural world. He is the author of several books, including Does Earth Feel? and Butterfly Child, published with HarperCollins. You can visit him at www.marc-majewski.com. 

Marc Majewski is a French illustrator and picture book maker based in Berlin. As a child, Marc spent all his time drawing, writing stories, and dressing up. Things haven't changed much since. Marc loves painting landscapes and scenes from the natural world. He is the author of several books, including Does Earth Feel? and Butterfly Child, published with HarperCollins. You can visit him at www.marc-majewski.com. 

Editorial Reviews

"A gorgeous story of being true to oneself that will brighten any shelf." — Booklist (starred review)

"A much-needed, heartwarming story of inclusivity.”  — Jonathan Van Ness, author of Peanut Goes for the Gold and star of Netflix’s Queer Eye

"Marc Majewski’s Butterfly Child is both lovely and incredibly moving. Like its creative young protagonist, this is a story that soars on beautiful wings." — The Fan Brothers, Creators of The Night Gardener

“Butterfly Child is a gorgeous testament to the importance of being yourself…and what a gift it is to have parents who encourage it. Beautifully written and rendered in lively color and stunning texture by Marc Majewski, this book is a true act of love.”  — Sasha Velour, Drag Queen 

"The book may tread familiar ground, it but does it so stylishly that many readers will be overjoyed. This flies high." — Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Does Earth Feel? “Quietly engaging. Thought provoking.”  — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

"A much-needed, heartwarming story of inclusivity.” 

Jonathan Van Ness

“Butterfly Child is a gorgeous testament to the importance of being yourself…and what a gift it is to have parents who encourage it. Beautifully written and rendered in lively color and stunning texture by Marc Majewski, this book is a true act of love.” 

Sasha Velour

"Marc Majewski’s Butterfly Child is both lovely and incredibly moving. Like its creative young protagonist, this is a story that soars on beautiful wings."

The Fan Brothers

2022-09-28
Sometimes parents need to be the wind beneath our wings.

This story opens with a young, tan-skinned protagonist with short brown hair making a pair of large butterfly wings (and a pair of antennae) so that they can pretend to fly. Leaving home, the protagonist wanders a verdant landscape, twirling and frolicing. Playtime is cut short, however, when a group of children tease the protagonist and try to pull off the wings. Frustrated, the child heads home to fume in bed. They are cheered up by their father, and the two repair and re-create the butterfly costume so that the child might fly again. Showing the bullies that they don’t care about their opinions, the butterfly child dances free, finding a friend along the way. The story uses spare language and lush illustrations to capture the joys (and societal pressures) that result from beating one’s own drum. The details of the acrylic illustrations may muddy in large group storytimes, but small groups and individual readers will find a strong message in the book’s pages. The bullies are male-presenting, and the only child to offer acceptance is female-presenting, but the father’s reaffirming role takes some of the sting out of the stereotypical gender roles presented. The book may tread familiar ground, but it does it so stylishly that many readers will be overjoyed. Characters are racially diverse; the child who befriends the protagonist is brown-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

This flies high. (Picture book. 8-10)

Kirkus Reviews