Book Blurb {I Lived on Butterfly Hill}

I Lived on Butterfly Hill
By: Marjorie Agosin
Illustrated: Lee White

This book, was long and I can see that it might be intimidating to young readers. There were sketches/pictures on a few pages, but the length was still a lot to consume. It was almost as if reading three stories in one book. 

Celeste Marconi is a young girl living in Chile around the 1970 (I had to look this up for the book does not reference a date, that I remember).  Her parents are doctors and working in serving the poorest Chileans. Celeste is an only child but lives with her Abuela as well as her Nana who is the nanny that took care of her mom as well. Abuela is a Jewish refugee from World War II, while Nana is a natural healing lovely lady who takes care of the house but is part of the family. 

Celeste loves school and her friends, but when their President, a great caring man, is killed and the government is ran by a dictator Celeste's parents have to go into hiding. Celeste's Abuela ends up sending Celeste to live with her Aunt (Tia) in Maine. She lives in a small place called, Juliette Cove, for 2 years. She has never spoken English in her life. But working for a year with her Korean friend, Kim, she learns to speak English. She is in Main for 2 years when she hears that the dictator has been overthrown and she goes back to Butterfly Hill, Valparaiso, Chile. 

When she returns to her home (although she found home in Maine), she is sadden by not being united with her Parents who are still in hiding. Her friend, Cristobal, helps her go up the coast in search for her father and her mother comes home later. 

A new President is elected in their country (their first woman), and Celeste wins a writing contest and the president is impressed and selects her writing as the winner. Celeste, wants to exchange her prize to make a library for others. A traveling library. 

As Celeste grew from a young girl into a young lady her heart grew as well. From seeing her parent's poorest clients (freezing babies feet), to being judged and the punch line for bullies in Maine, to isolation from culture shock, to her country suffering, burning books and her heart growing for the love people in writing. You watch her transform (like a butterfly) through the book. 

Although the book is long, it covers three to four years,  where many MAJOR events take place. I highly recommend this book. 

Once you read this book, please read "Refugee" by Alan Gratz! 

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After I posted this blog I realized I had a specific form to fill out, so I'm just going to post that here too! It is a checklist so I am going to use it as such.

Title: I Lived on Butterfly Hill

Author/Illutrator: Marjorie Agosin and Illustrated: Lee White

Does the story:

Relate to children’s interests? ✅ Historical fiction - young adults
Provide various conflicts for readers to explore? ✅ yes, facing change and destruction of country and relationships as well as poverty
Provide age-appropriate content? ✅ very select audience
Encourage discussions/conversations? ✅
Distort history? No, in fact I had to look up the history, I had no idea! 
Comments/Insights: See above. Seriously a cute story.

Do the characters:

Represent a variety of people within cultural groups, age ranges and sizes and disabilities? YESSSSS. Chile has such a fast group of people! 

Are the “good” characters a reflection of a variety of backgrounds? ✅ Yes!! Jewish, Hispanic, American, Native
Include females as well as males in leadership and/or non-traditional roles? ✅ yes!! First female president.
Represent diverse people at the same “level” of the white characters? Yes, very much so! 
Are all characters depicted realistically and genuinely? Yes, the trip to find her father was a tad fetched. But maybe in the 70's teenagers just went around looking for parents. 
Tend to be depicted as stereotypical? 
Comments/Insights: 

Does the theme:

Offer readers a variety of things to think about, question, and consider? ✅
Explore, instead of preach, values? ✅
Include lessons from which readers can learn? ✅
Tell the story of a diverse population in a condescending manner, whether contemporary or in the past? ✅
Comments/Insights: It would most definitely provide a discussion!

Does the story’s setting:

Reflect a variety of places and spaces?  Many places, Chile and united states mainly. 
Represent urban, suburban, and rural settings realistically? both. 
Represent cultural settings realistically?  I think so. 
Comments/Insights:

Do the story illustrations (if there are any): 
Include representation of diverse populations? I didn't honestly pay attention to the sketch, few. 
Contain diversity represented within cultural groups? They are black and white sketches. 
Include characters depicted realistically and genuinely?
Avoid reinforcing societal stereotypes?
Comments/Insights:

Book as a Whole 

Would you be embarrassed to read the book to children of a different culture, and their parents? No, I think anyone and everyone should or could read this book. 
What is the author’s background for writing the book?  was raised in Chile by Jewish parents, so yes, she would have background knowledge to write this book. 
What is the context of the book?