Summer Birds: The Butterflies of Maria Merian by Margarita Engle, with pictures by Julie Paschkis

As an admirer of the the subject of this picture book and the author, Margarita Engle, who won a Newbery Honor for The Surrender Tree, and whose other histories told in verse include, most recently, The Firefly Letters, I looked forward to Summer Birds (Henry Holt). And wasn't disappointed. The first person narrative focuses on the life of the artist and scientist at thirteen, though the book ends with her wondering about her life as adult. Accompanied by Julie Paschkis's most whimsical pain...