THE BUTTERFLY

THE BUTTERFLY by Patricia Polacco

Patricia Polacco is known for her very moving picture books that often portray true events from her family's history. The Butterfly is no exception.

Set in France during World War II, The Butterfly is the true story of a single mother, Marcelle, who takes it upon herself to hide Jews in her home despite the danger it puts both her daughter, Monique, and herself in. Monique is unaware of the additional occupants in their home as the Jews are safely hidden away. That is until one night, she wakes up to see a Jewish girl, Sevrine, sitting on the edge of her bed petting her cat. A fast friendship is formed and Monique spends her days collecting things of interest to share with Sevrine during their playtime in the night. One of the items is a beautiful butterfly. As the girls release the butterfly into the night air, they are spotted by the neighbor next door. Everyone is now in terrible danger and a plan of escape is put into effect immediately. This is a beautiful story that highlights friendship and the lengths people were willing to go to assist the Jewish people during WWII.