A Long Way Home, written by Jean Little and illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. Scholastic, 2022. $19.99 ages 5 and up

 

"One afternoon, Maya was on her knees
staring at the plants when Jane arrived. 
Silent, she waved her arm to her friend.
Come here. Quiet, quiet, that arm said.

A bright orange-and-black 
butterfly was fluttering flower to 
flower. 
At last." 

Losing Jean Little in 2020 was a blow for those who have shared her warm and inspiring stories over the years. When she visited our elementary school a long while ago, she showed our kids that a writer could be as warm and inspiring as the stories she wrote. She was funny, quick to share events from her life, and happy to answer questions that children asked. Lucky we are to have Jean's final story to read today for children interested in nature and helping to make a difference.  

This is a story of friendship and migration. Jane and Maya are an unusual pair; despite that, they become fast friends immediately. Jane's outgoing, talkative nature is balanced by Maya's quiet willingness to listen. Jane has lived in the same house for her lifetime. Maya is a refugee, new to the community. At school, they learn from their teacher that many species of birds and animals are disappearing. Jane cries on the way home that day. 

Wanting to do something, the two talk with Jane's grandfather where he is working in the community garden. He suggests that they might save 'some butterflies'. They want to know more, and he is there to help them. They talk about monarchs and their dwindling numbers. Explaining that they need milkweeds to feed the caterpillars, they decide to plant some. Waiting for the plants to grow is s chore. Finally, they see a monarch lay an egg and disappear. More waiting until a caterpillar emerges. They watch carefully as that caterpillar grows, makes a cocoon ... then more waiting. When the butterfly finally emerges, they know from their reading that it has a long journey ahead of it. 

Following its departure, Maya shares her story of the long journey her family took to find a new home. 

""I was also little when we started. 
But I couldn't fly." Her smile was small. 
"My mother had to carry me." She paused. 
"We're here now.""

The warmth of this timeless story is enhanced by Gabrielle Grimard's soft, emotional art. There is much to see for keen observers wanting to know more about the monarch, its life cycle and its elegance.  It also provides awareness for the arduous journeys some families in their quest for a new place to live.