Just So Stories

EK Books

October 2023

9781922539564

RRP: $24.99

Butterflies have been very important to us since we lost our Jen. And we have lost count of the number of times they appear at significant moments. So it was little wonder that this lovely picture book had special appeal for me.

Olivia is the butterfly girl and at home in the country, she is always surrounded by her colourful friends. But when she and her family move to an apartment in the city, which is all bare and grey concrete, she is terribly sad and lonely because no matter how hard she tries, the butterflies don’t come.

She realises that the butterflies certainly won’t come if there are no flowers and plants, so sets about creating a balcony garden. Still, the butteflies don’t come – but other new friends do. Neighbours see her beautiful creation and ask for her help, and soon the entire building is blooming – and, at last, the butterflies are back.

Olivia finds herself with friends of both the human and winged variety. It is a gentle and encouraging narrative, and the addition of the ‘how to’ of creating a butterfly garden is a fabulous idea.

I can easily envisage this becoming an engaging class project, and not only will the children be contributing to genuine eco-balance but so much learning can be incorporated into the entire exercise. It would be very easy indeed to create cross-curricular/integrated learning activities springboarding from this one book, with its themes of friendship, cross-cultural and inter-generational connections and community blending with the environmental aspect, and there are teaching notes to assist with thi

Ashling Kwok’s text is perfectly suited to the ebb and flow of Olivia’s experience, and Arielle Li’s gorgeous pastel illustrations are exactly right for the mood of the story. Altogether, it is both charming and valuable in a teaching context as well as for pure personal enjoyment, and I highly recommend it to you for Littles from around 4 years upwards. Prepare to plant!! 🦋💐