Butterfly Boy

Every sunny afternoon, Emilio wheels his grandfather outside to watch the butterflies. Emilio's grandfather can no longer speak, but Emilio can see happiness in the older man's eyes as he watches butterflies dance through the air. But one day the butterflies fly away. Can Emilio bring them back and make his grandfather smile with more than just his eyes? Virginia Kroll's beautiful story is written with love and is magically illustrated by Gerardo Suzán.

Virginia Kroll is the author of many books for children, including Hands!, illustrated by Cathryn Falwell. She lives in Buffalo, New York.

Gerardo Suzán is an award-winning artist whose work has been exhibited around the world. He lives in Mexico City.

A boy and his grandfather joyfully watch a gathering of butterflies in this story set in Mexico.

A boy and his grandfather joyfully watch a gathering of butterflies in this story set in Mexico.

Publishers Weekly

Striking artwork distinguishes this tale of Emilio and his invalid grandfather, Abuelo, who are visited one afternoon by a flock of red admiral butterflies. Watching them, Emilio knows his grandfather is "smiling inside, even though his mouth could no longer show it." In winter, they research the butterflies and eagerly await their return. But when Emilio's father paints the garage blue (red admirals like white surfaces), it's up to the boy to ensure they'll come back to delight his grandfather. Kroll's (Masai and I) prose is deft and assured, her pacing impeccable, and the affectionate relationship between Emilio and his grandfather rings true. Mexican artist Suzn plays up the Latino flavor with a fiesta-bright palette, and, with a nod to magical realism, he serves up dreamlike images that float and hover against a cerulean backdrop. Hats dissolve into flowers, birds and cloud-dappled skies, while the flattened planes of the characters' sculptural faces mirror the strength and solidity of totems. The eye-catching images will draw readers in; the affecting story will sustain their interest. Ages 5-8. (May)

Virginia's name is familiar to readers of children's periodicals---she had published more than 1,400 articles and stories for magazines such as Wee Wisdom, Turtle, The Dolphin Log, and Highlights for Children. But magazines are just the beginning. In 1992 Virginia published a trio of picture books, including Helen the Fish and My Sister, Then and Now. Her book Masai and I arrived on 1992 best-book list in Publishers Weekly, Smithsonian, and Book Links. She now has more than fifteen books scheduled for publication with Macmillan, Henry Holt, and Little, Brown, among others. With six active children and a lively granddaughter, Virginia has inspiration close at hand. She has spent much of her working life as a teacher, and now serves as a writing instructor at Medaille College. "Kids are so important in my life," says Virginia. "I've never been without them. They're responsive, receptive readers, and that's the kind of ausience I like.