Hurry and the Monarch

by Antoine Ó Flatharta, Meilo So (Illustrator)

When the beautiful orange Monarch on her fall migration route from Canada to Mexico stops to rest at Wichita Falls, Texas, she makes friends with an old tortoise called Hurry. She tells him, "Maybe one day you'll break out of that shell, grow wings, and fly away," and then she is off again with millions of other Monarchs. In the spring, she stops again at Hurry's garden just long enough to lay her eggs and head north to Canada. Embedded in this lyrical and tender fictional presentation are the fascinating facts about the amazing 2,000-mile migration and the life cycle of butterflies. An afterword provides additional scientific data.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Childrens, Animals, Science, Juvenile, Nonfiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Kristy Breese]

What? This story is about a tortoise named Hurry and a Monarch Butterfly. Hurry meets a Monarch Butterfly as she migrates from Canada to Mexico. Hurry has always lived in the same garden and is curious why the Monarch Butterfly left her home in Canada. She mentions that it is because it got too cold for her in Canada. On her way back from Mexico she stops and rests in the garden where Hurry lives. The Monarch lays an egg and flies away. Hurry watches with amazement as the egg hatches into a caterpillar, then into a chrysalis, then transforming into a beautiful butterfly.

So What? This is a cute book for young readers. Students can learn about the migration of butterflies, and the distance their journey entails.

Now What? I will have this book available in my classroom library for students to enjoy while we are learning about butterflies.

[babyhippoface · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hurry the Texas tortoise befriends a monarch butterfly migrating south from Canada to Mexico in Fall; when Spring comes the butterfly returns to lay eggs on her way back north. Readers learn about the life cycle of monarchs as Hurry witnesses the springtime transformation from egg to caterpillar to butterfly. An afterword gives additional information on monarch migration and life cycles. O’Flaharta’s lyrical text is complemented by So’s lovely watercolors of content old Hurry and all the butterflies in migration. Perfect to accompany a classroom cocoon-hatching project, this book is an impressive selection for elementary life sciences collections.

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Science fun

[Elizabeth Sulzby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Information Within Fiction for Children: Butterflies and Their Life Cycle

I am working on units that includes both fiction and informational texts about the same topics for young children, particularly beginning readers and struggling readers. It was hard to find good fiction about butterflies and Hurry and the Monarch is pretty good. The information about monarch butterflies and their migration patterns is good and supported by a section at the end of the book going into more detail.

The name of the Texas tortoise is a bother to me--cutesy--but I can deal with it with a child or classroom of children. I understand why the author and illustrator used it but it does not "trip off my tongue" as the name of a tortoise since it is so close to Harry. Also Hurry is not a name of any person that I know. But, as I said, I can deal with it.

I have a recommendation for a new edition. I love the map of North America with Canada, the USA, and Mexico labeled. Wichita Falls is mentioned in the text and labeled in the map but it is the only city labeled. In the text, the monarch butterfly joins a flock of monarchs to fly "south toward Sweetwater." It would be good to also label Sweetwater and maybe also Eagle Pass and the Rio Grande. I have found that if a text mentions cities, directions, rivers, etc., it is good that the maps also contain these key items.

Now to the really good stuff: The illustrator, Meila So, has created a beautiful book through watercolor with variations of specificity (monarch, tortoise) and "illustrative gestures" (milkweed pods, seeds, and fluff; also the bluejay that fades off into qualities of the sky). The text of the author, Antoine O'Flatharta, is a good fit with the illustrations. I was worried that the monarch would be depicted as living over the winter and then flying back up north but the story has the monarch dying near the tortoise and laying an egg that turns into a caterpillar that then hatches, visits with the tortoise and flies away north.

In studying monarch with a child I have been tutoring, we learned that it takes 3 generations of monarchs to migrate up north but only one to return. Since the text does not contradict this, Hurry and the Monarch, fits well with my growing unit.

The story line can work for a fairly wide range of readers, emergent readers being read to by a parent or teacher as well as beginning conventional readers up through 3rd or 4th grade. The quality of the illustrations and text content makes it appropriate for older students for whom "decoding" is not a problem and both contribute to discussion about "authors craft" and "illustrators craft" to engage young writers in how they may construct their own texts.

While the story line works, the author uses a lot of sentence structures that may present problems: inverted syntax, introductory phrases, and unnecessary complexities within fairly short sentences. Unless a child already has had experience with such structures, this presents challenges. It even presents problems for me, an adult competent reader, in that the text presents hesitations rather than a text that "trips off the tongue."

The pages are not numbered so guiding children to find a particular page must be done visually and through description of the content/illustrations. For some reason that I cannot figure out, the dedications are on the left hand side of a two page illustration, while the story beginning is on the right hand side.

I would have to try this book out with a variety of children and in different contexts to know whether this book would become a “favorite” in a classroom. I can see its becoming a favorite for one or more particular children who love butterflies.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as Hurry the Texas tortoise is starting to think about winter, a monarch butterfly engages him in a conversation. "Maybe one day you will break out of that shell, grow wings, and fly away." After all, that's what happened to the butterfly. Hurry doesn't worry about the cold weather. "Cold days always change back into warms days if you wait." But the butterfly knows she has to keep going further south and meets up with a group of butterflies. But when spring returns, Hurry and the butterfly meet again. This time, the butterfly lays eggs on a milkweed plant before she heads north. And when the butterfly emerges, Hurry gets

From a garden in Canada, to Wichita Falls, TX, toward Eagle Pass and then over the Rio Grande into Mexico, the butterfly makes its journey away from winter. There is an Afterword that goes into additional details about the monarch's migration.

[Audrey Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book to illustrate the life cycle of a butterfly. It gives the reader two ways to look at traveling through life. Monarch, the butterfly, is in a hurry to move through life. On the move to a new adventure. Hurry, the tortoise likes the familiar. He knows things will change and enjoys the surroundings. Both views work for both characters. Which are you?

Growing up in Texas, I remember the monarchs. The adventure and change came to us.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming friendship springs up between a tortoise and a monarch mid-migration. Great illustrations, simple and nuanced discussion of scale in personal experiences, and of course, as with any monarch story, the return of the cycle with another butterfly again.

[Becka Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story that tells a narrative tale in an informative way regarding the path that the Monarch butterflies travel each year. My children are able to explain the journey, as well as the hardships, and the cycle of a butterfly throughout its life.

[Pamela Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute picture book to pique students' interest in the life cycle of the monarch butterfly. Hurry is a tortoise who watches the monarchs come and go through his garden on their migrations. Informative back matter.

[Jessica Strait · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t really latch onto the characters but I did learn something

[Amber Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hurry and the monarch is a story of how the monarch breaks out of her shell, spreads wings and flies away. She told him that it all happened in Canada. When the days get colder monarchs fly south and turtles sleep. The sky turns orange as the monarchs continue on their journey to Sweetwater. The monarchs sleep at night in various types of places. Each day has its own set of dangers as the monarchs fly toward Eagle Pass, and then over the waters of the Rio Grande in Mexico. They fly on until they reach the warm green forest they have been searching for.
This is a great book to teach about migration, and the life cycle of a butterfly. It also touches on patience and being in a hurry, and how two lives have those different characteristics.

[Whole And · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful resource while learning about Monarch butterflies. Learning through story leaves a deeper impression and Antoine O Flatharta summarizes the 3 generational journey of the Monarch very well using Hurry the tortoise as contrast and grounding in the story.

Meilo So's illustrations are warm, bright and beautiful, creating a visual experience of the thousands of Monarch's on this journey that seem otherwise unimaginable. I've read many butterfly information books and this one takes the cake although additional information is always welcome.

We combined this book with a trip to a butterfly conservatory and viewed "Flight of the Butterlfy" at our local Science Center. A perfect fit infused in our learning of these incredible creatures.

[Ribbon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hurry and the Monarch tells the lifecycle of a monarch butterfly from the perspective of a tortoise, ironically named Hurry. It starts with the monarch's migration as winter nears, putting the caterpillar and chrysalis phases much later in the book. The unconventional timeline works well, with the beautiful butterflies catching children's attention immediately. I know The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a classic but I tire of page after page of eating.

There are a lot of locations, largely in Texas, mentioned as the monarch migrates. I'm sure it's a popular book in those places but for most people it's not going to mean much. The rest of the educational focus plays better. The personality clash between the short-lived monarch and long-lived tortoise is enjoyable. The art is gorgeous.

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

What could be finer than a tortoise named Hurry? I wish I'd been this original. Hurry lives his long, long, long life in slow motion, in contrast with the brief and active life of a monarch butterfly, who lands on Hurry's shell and converses with him for a while before starting its incredible migration. This is a wonderful book with lovely, free, expressive watercolors. An excellent book on life cycles to share with kids.

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story, we meet Hurry the elderly tortoise, who has never gone anywhere. He befriends some monarchs who really, REALLY get around.

The artwork is absolutely stunning.





See what I mean?

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the illustrations. The text relates life cycle of monarch butterflies in a story, touching on the life of a tortoise in Texas. I don't like that the tortoise is named (and too cutely) but the monarchs are nameless. I think I'd rather it be a straight informational book as there are whole sections that don't involve the tortoise anyway.

[Nettie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hurry and the Monarch depicts the harrowing journey of the monarch butterfly who travels from Canada through the U.S. to Mexico. The story is great for children learning about butterflies and their lifecycle. It is extremely thorough in it's teachings about butterflies. My children loved the illustrations and Hurry the Texas tortoise.

[Kevin Bokay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story of a turtle and a monarch butterfly. Tells the story of the butterfly and contrasts it with a slower, calmer existence - the turtle's. The language is easy to read to pre-readers and readers alike.

[Elizabeth S · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nicely done book about a tortoise and a monarch butterfly. You see the monarch migrating, laying eggs, a caterpillar, new monarch growing... Well done. My 3-year old enjoyed it and certainly learned something about the monarch life-cycle.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very educational but very interesting too. It takes readers through the life cycle of a butterfly. I thought this would be a great book to read out loud during a science unit or during a lesson about the seasons. I really thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost used this in a read aloud. The book is about Hurry the tortoise who lives in a garden and interacts with a migrating monarch butterfly. The butterfly is always moving while Hurry waits patiently for the butterfly's return. Has information about monarch butterflies at the end.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of an old tortoise and a young monarch butterfly. I love the watercolor illustrations. The writing is lyrical and nice. But the whole story is a little bit strange. Which is saying a lot (or not enough) if you know me...

[Tripmastermonkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have a first grade class coming in tomorrow, expecting a butterfly story, and i came across this. beautiful artwork.

[Joelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter was a monarch for halloween so it was a timely read. It briefly explains the migration of the monarchs through a friendship between a turtle & a monarch.

[jenna Hudrlik · Rating 4 out of 5]

really beautiful illustrations

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Copyright: 2005
Genre: Fictionalized non-fiction
Thoughts: Accurate facts, good story.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

It follows the progress of a monarch in a way that a young child can understand.

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet little book to help children learn about the life cycle of the butterfly.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why read City Dog, Country Frog when you can read this instead? Alternately, read them both together!

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations tell the story of the Monarch migration from Canada to Mexico. The story of the butterfly life cycle also emerges as Hurry, a tortoise, makes a new friend.