This book was an extensive story of one monarch's journey north to lay her eggs on the milkweed. It has the expected sad ending since after laying her last egg the butterfly is doomed to die, but until then it was a very informative narrative about not only the monarch but all the animals she encountered along the way. It's part of a much larger series of books that I was completely unaware prior to stumbling over this book while looking for stories about monarchs. This one is illustrated by Kam Mak so it is exceptionally well done in that regard. The others have different illustrators, but the writing is great in this one at least. ( )

A monarch butterfly migrates north in this May entry of the series. The text is close to the original 1968 edition although the writing is crisper and some descriptions clearer, such as the explanation of how the insect's eggs are fertilized. The path the butterfly takes in the spring is a solitary one (unlike the fall migration), but it is brimming with life along the way as readers are treated to scenes of baby animals of all kinds. The new, full-color illustrations are large and attractive and add to the enjoyment of this informational book for transitional readers. --Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System