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Uncle Monarch and the Day of the Dead
A family celebrates Día de Muertos, a holiday for remembering those who have passed. When the monarch butterflies return to her Mexican countryside, Lupita knows that Día de Muertos, "the Day of the Dead," is near. She and her favorite uncle watch the butterflies flutter in the trees. When a butterfly lands on Lupita's hand, her uncle reminds her that she should never hurt a monarch because they are believed to be the souls of the departed. Lupita and her family get ready for the holiday. When the first of November arrives, the family will go to the cemetery to honor the memories of their loved ones. But this year is different—Lupita's uncle cannot join them. Now, Lupita learns the true meaning of the celebration.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2008
38 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 4, 2022
Together with her beloved Tío Urbano, Lupita looked forward to the return of the monarch butterflies every year - those gossamer-winged beauties which were, according to her uncle, the souls of departed loved ones - whose arrival heralded the coming of Día de Muertos - the Day of the Dead. One of the most important holidays in the Mexican year, Día de Muertos was a day to remember family members who had died, to celebrate their lives, and to care for their graves. When frail Tío Urbano dies, just days before the celebration, Lupita finds extra meaning in the day...
Mexican author Judy Goldman, who has published a number of children's books in Spanish, weaves together family tale and holiday story in Uncle Monarch And the Day of the Dead, which had me tearing up on my train-ride this morning. The accompanying color pencil illustrations by René King Moreno have a beautiful, impressionistic quality to them, perfectly capturing the beauty of the monarchs, and the warm affection between Lupita and Tío Urbano. An excellent book, both to introduce Día de Muertos to young readers, and to address the topic of the death of a loved one, this is one I highly recommend!
Mexican author Judy Goldman, who has published a number of children's books in Spanish, weaves together family tale and holiday story in Uncle Monarch And the Day of the Dead, which had me tearing up on my train-ride this morning. The accompanying color pencil illustrations by René King Moreno have a beautiful, impressionistic quality to them, perfectly capturing the beauty of the monarchs, and the warm affection between Lupita and Tío Urbano. An excellent book, both to introduce Día de Muertos to young readers, and to address the topic of the death of a loved one, this is one I highly recommend!
October 13, 2022
Beautifully illustrated and written, this is a heartfelt story of family and celebrating the Day of the Dead, Dia de Muertos. It also deals with grief and loss of a family member in a way highly accessible and understandable for a young child. There is a glossary in the back for the Spanish words and information included about the Mexican celebration of Dia de Muertos.
November 6, 2021
Beautifully illustrated—celebrates Day of the Dead (with marigolds and an altar) as well as Monarchs.
December 1, 2015
Uncle Monarch and the Day of the Dead is written entirely in English, though it is rich in Mexican cultural heritage, focusing as it does on the traditions of Día de los Muertos. At the back of the book, for instance, Goldman includes a list of Spanish terms and their definitions, including mole, “a rich, dark sauce made with, among other things, peanuts, chilies, tomatoes, and chocolate”, and cempazuchitl, “a type of marigold”, usually used to decorate altars for the dead. She also includes a page explaining the cultural significance of this Mexican holiday: “Many Mexicans believe that the souls of those who have died return on those days, and they are lovingly remembered by family and friends… Día de muertos is a time of fun, remembrance, and love.” This book is not only a great resource for teaching children about significant cultural traditions, but also for explaining the reality of death in a gentle and comforting way.
The story starts with a little girl, Lupita, running to her elderly uncle, Tío Urbano, to tell him that the monarch butterflies have arrived for the season. Lupita and Tío Urbano exit the house to admire the marvelous monarchs, and bask in the bitter-sweet memories that they bring each fall. Tío Urbano reminds Lupita of the familiar admonition that you must never capture or hurt a monarch butterfly, “for they are the souls of the dead ones, who have come back to visit us before Día de Muertos.” Tío Urbano explains to Lupita why Día de Muertos should not be a sad day, but rather a day to remember loved ones who’ve passed, and the good times spent with them: “Never be afraid of the dead, for those who loved us can never hurt us. We will always miss them, and this is why it is a blessing to receive the butterflies before Día de Muertos, when we show our dead that they are treasured and not forgotten.” Lupita and Tío Urbano spend a moment together fixated on the mesmerizing, undulating swarm of orange and black, remembering their loved ones who are no longer with them.
The illustrations, done with soft colored pencils, complement the story’s soothing tone. My favorite image is one of Lupita and Tío Urbano staring up at the canopies of coniferous trees, with hundreds of butterflies flying through the shady maze. The forest resembles the pine-oak forests in Mexico, where a biosphere reserve was created to protect this transient species. The monarch butterflies migrate from North America down to these Mexican forests during the colder months, and then back to the US when it warms again. They are the only known butterfly to make a two-part migration the way that birds do. According to Annenberg Learner, “People in the region have noticed the arrival of monarchs since pre-Hispanic times.” This symbol has long been a part of Mexican culture and tradition. People all over the country associate the monarch butterflies with Día de los Muertos.
In recognizing the monarch butterflies as reincarnations of the dead, and emphasizing the sacredness of these butterflies, this story also speaks to the importance of respecting and preserving nature and its habitats: “Lupita nodded and said, ‘I must never capture or hurt a monarch’.” The monarch butterflies’ seasonal habitat is currently threatened by climate change, as the increase in winter precipitation risks freezing the butterflies’ wings while they lay dormant. By teaching Lupita about the different ways of honoring loved ones, Tío Urbano also instructs her on a similar respect due to the environment.
Once Lupita and Tío Urbano enter the house, Lupita starts helping her parents prepare for the festivities of Día de Muertos, while her uncle sits and rests. As she does so, the reader learns about the different traditions that accompany this holiday, such as putting up an altar to commemorate the dead with family photos, candles, and sugar statues of skulls, and making food that they “liked in life, and would now enjoy in spirit.” Lupita and her parents set up an arch of cempazuchtil flowers and string rows of colorful papel picado from one end of the living room to the other. Lupita also uses the cempazuchtil flowers to make a path of petals leading up to the house to guide the dead (the strong scent of the flowers is said to guide the spirits home). As Lupita dedicates herself to welcoming the deceased back into the lives of the living, she learns a great deal about the meaning of the holiday. This proves to be an invaluable lesson later on, when she is confronted with the death of a loved one for the first time.
I loved this book and it would certainly be a perfect addition to any household or classroom.
For access to the full review and additional resources, check out our Vamos a Leer blog at teachinglatinamericathroughliterature.com
The story starts with a little girl, Lupita, running to her elderly uncle, Tío Urbano, to tell him that the monarch butterflies have arrived for the season. Lupita and Tío Urbano exit the house to admire the marvelous monarchs, and bask in the bitter-sweet memories that they bring each fall. Tío Urbano reminds Lupita of the familiar admonition that you must never capture or hurt a monarch butterfly, “for they are the souls of the dead ones, who have come back to visit us before Día de Muertos.” Tío Urbano explains to Lupita why Día de Muertos should not be a sad day, but rather a day to remember loved ones who’ve passed, and the good times spent with them: “Never be afraid of the dead, for those who loved us can never hurt us. We will always miss them, and this is why it is a blessing to receive the butterflies before Día de Muertos, when we show our dead that they are treasured and not forgotten.” Lupita and Tío Urbano spend a moment together fixated on the mesmerizing, undulating swarm of orange and black, remembering their loved ones who are no longer with them.
The illustrations, done with soft colored pencils, complement the story’s soothing tone. My favorite image is one of Lupita and Tío Urbano staring up at the canopies of coniferous trees, with hundreds of butterflies flying through the shady maze. The forest resembles the pine-oak forests in Mexico, where a biosphere reserve was created to protect this transient species. The monarch butterflies migrate from North America down to these Mexican forests during the colder months, and then back to the US when it warms again. They are the only known butterfly to make a two-part migration the way that birds do. According to Annenberg Learner, “People in the region have noticed the arrival of monarchs since pre-Hispanic times.” This symbol has long been a part of Mexican culture and tradition. People all over the country associate the monarch butterflies with Día de los Muertos.
In recognizing the monarch butterflies as reincarnations of the dead, and emphasizing the sacredness of these butterflies, this story also speaks to the importance of respecting and preserving nature and its habitats: “Lupita nodded and said, ‘I must never capture or hurt a monarch’.” The monarch butterflies’ seasonal habitat is currently threatened by climate change, as the increase in winter precipitation risks freezing the butterflies’ wings while they lay dormant. By teaching Lupita about the different ways of honoring loved ones, Tío Urbano also instructs her on a similar respect due to the environment.
Once Lupita and Tío Urbano enter the house, Lupita starts helping her parents prepare for the festivities of Día de Muertos, while her uncle sits and rests. As she does so, the reader learns about the different traditions that accompany this holiday, such as putting up an altar to commemorate the dead with family photos, candles, and sugar statues of skulls, and making food that they “liked in life, and would now enjoy in spirit.” Lupita and her parents set up an arch of cempazuchtil flowers and string rows of colorful papel picado from one end of the living room to the other. Lupita also uses the cempazuchtil flowers to make a path of petals leading up to the house to guide the dead (the strong scent of the flowers is said to guide the spirits home). As Lupita dedicates herself to welcoming the deceased back into the lives of the living, she learns a great deal about the meaning of the holiday. This proves to be an invaluable lesson later on, when she is confronted with the death of a loved one for the first time.
I loved this book and it would certainly be a perfect addition to any household or classroom.
For access to the full review and additional resources, check out our Vamos a Leer blog at teachinglatinamericathroughliterature.com
December 12, 2021
Lupita spots a monarch butterfly with Uncle Urbano, who told her that butterflies carry the souls of the dead ones back before the Day of the Dead. A unique celebration in Mexico, the holiday is to treasure, honor, and remember the dead people. This book tells a touching story about the Day of the Dead, migration of monarch butterflies, and the Mexican way of remembering and celebrating dead family members and friends.
November 15, 2012
This is a sweet and melancholy story about a young girl in Mexico who awaits the return of the monarch butterflies every year and shares the delight and wonder with her great-uncle. He is old and ill and he dies just before el dia de los muertos. She's sad, but their traditional celebration of the Day of the Dead brings her comfort. It's very nice that it connects the monarch migration with the celebration, and my students responded positively to it.
August 25, 2008
This is not a bad little book, and could possibly be used in the classroom if you're studying Mexican culture and The Day of the Dead. (I just didn't care for it personally, thus the 2 stars.)
Want to Read
November 11, 2010for Day of the Dead
April 16, 2012
This book is set in Mexico and drops in a few Spanish words here and there. It would be a nice addition to a collection on cultural practices. Very pretty illustrations.
November 26, 2014
A sweet one.
Submitted purchase request 11/14
Submitted purchase request 11/14
November 17, 2015
Another book honoring the departed, with a recent death in the family. One picture spread didn't appear to follow text, no brightly painted graves were shown. Glossary and info on Day of the Dead.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews