All summer, I’ll be sharing books for kids of all ages on topics that interest them or offer something new to learn about. Most of the time, these will be nonfiction books, but sometimes we can learn from fictional stories too. I believe reading over the summer is so important, and keeping kids interested in reading by finding relevant books about topics that they are interested in is very important. Kids should read at least 20 minutes every day, and I hope that these books offer you ideas to keep your kids reading and learning all summer.
I hope you will stay tuned to these posts. They will always have Summer Read-to-Learn in the title and will be tagged in the post. There will be books on all kinds of topics kids love to read and learn about. Be sure to stop by each week to see what book I’m sharing as part of my Summer Read-to-Learn series.
To see all the books in the Summer Read-to-Learn series, click HERE.
MONARCH AND MOURNING CLOAK
A Butterfly Journal
By: Melissa Stewart
Illustrated by: Sarah S. Brannen
Published: March 3, 2026
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Non-Fiction
The first week of June is International Nature Journaling Week, which makes it the perfect time to share this book with you. Melissa Stewart hopes that reading her book will encourage kids to go outside, observe nature, and create their own nature journal of the plants, flowers, insects, birds, and anything else they see.
Butterfly facts combined with beautiful illustrations and poems make me yearn to go outside and be with nature. Brannen’s watercolor paintings on the page encourage me to get my paints out and try my hand at painting. Labels on the trees, flowers, butterflies, and animals offer kids lessons on the environment and plants that are best for nature journaling.
The process from caterpillar to butterfly fills the pages of the book. Kids will notice through the journal entries that it takes months for a butterfly to emerge. This is the time of year to spot a caterpillar dreaming of becoming a butterfly. You just have to go outside and look. Brannen’s illustrations are accurate and quite lovely. Her step-by-step illustrations of a butterfly leaving its chrysalis are encyclopedia-worthy, giving kids a keen and detailed understanding of the process.
The end of the book explains journaling, sketching, various butterfly facts, and a map of their migration. I encourage you to share this book with your child and then head to a local nature center or park to watch for butterflies.
Check out these videos about the book, HERE.
Download your own Nature Journal, HERE.
Melissa Stewart is a leading voice in children’s nonfiction, with more than 200 science books to her name. Her work has been translated into more than a dozen languages and has garnered awards such as the Sibert Honor, two Green Earth Book Awards, and three ALA Notables. Her best-known titles include Meet the Mini Mammals, illustrated by Brian Lies, and Can an Aardvark Bark? and Fourteen Monkeys: A Rain Forest Rhyme, both illustrated by Steve Jenkins. After earning a bachelor’s degree in biology from Union College and a master’s degree in science journalism from New York University, Melissa worked as a children’s book editor for nine years before becoming a full-time writer. While gathering information for her books, she has explored tropical rainforests in Costa Rica, gone on safari in East Africa, and swum with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands. She lives in Massachusetts. For more information, including teacher resources, videos, and more, visit melissa-stewart.com.
Sarah S. Brannen is an award-winning author and illustrator of more than two dozen books for children, including Lolly on the Ice. Her authored works include the groundbreaking Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, named one of the best 100 children’s books of the past 100 years by Booktrust, and her illustrated works include the Sibert Honor book Summertime Sleepers and Feathers: Not Just For Flying, written by Melissa Stewart. To learn more, visit sarahbrannen.com.
Click HERE to purchase a copy of MONARCH AND MOURNING CLOAK
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Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.
Posted Under Book Review, Children's books, Melissa Stewart, Sarah S Brannen, Summer Read-to-Learn, butterfly, journal, nature, non-fiction