Solimar, a mestiza princess in an olden Mexico kingdom, breaks the rules one day and crosses the creek to visit the migrating monarch butterflies, who bestow a gift of a magic upon her. Soliimar thinks she has enough troubles trying to negotiate this new power, but there's also trouble brewing with a neighboring kingdom that could lead to far worse consequences ...

This book has a beautiful cover and the author is an appeal with her numerous accolades for previous titles. I loved the idea of monarchs containing magic and really enjoyed that plotline as Solimar discovers the boundaries of what this means for her and others around her. The message of protecting nature and endangered species is there but without being overly didactic.

At one point, I thought to myself that this felt a bit like a Disney movie, with a teenaged princess (who has all the familial loyalty and innocence of a child and none of the snark of an actual teenager) and her faithful pet companion on the cusp of her coronation. A little after that I flipped back to the publication page and saw that it is a Disney property. That being said, Pam Munoz Ryan still writes with all her usual beauty, so this isn't the rubbish of a Disney movie plot poorly converted into a novel. However, it does bear some elements of a typical Disney story as the young princess is separated from her parents and must save the day with the help of a plucky, impoverished boy around her age.

Still, it was an enjoyable read overall. I did feel, however, that the climactic ending glossed over some key details. We're in the middle of a scene basically and then it skips to three days later, which was odd to me. I wish a little more had been explained here.

Besides the key message about environmentalism, there's also a minor subplot about Solimar wanting the kingdom to be more democratic and contain the council of both men and women. It's not much, but at least it's something. ( )

This book held so much promise for me. I love how it started--a young woman about to have her quinceanera. A young woman who wants to be ruler of her family's kingdom one day but she cannot--due to her being a woman. A young woman who finds herself being the protector of butterflies and must ensure their safety, and her family's safety, from those who do not value the land.

But then, I just got bored. Solimar's journey to find her father and brother on the Coast (so they can help defeat the evil jerk who betrayed them).....it read like a Gary Paulsen adventure novel. (Very similar to Northwind that I read earlier). Is that bad? Not necessarily.

I have grown to be enthralled by Pam Munoz Ryan's writing. She writes lyrically and descriptively. This time, I felt it lacking. Which is a shame! Especially because we have a diverse character and an interesting backdrop. The delivery is just missing. ( )

I wanted to love this, but found it slow going to start with. Once the action started, it really pulls you along, but it takes a while to get there. I am reviewing an arc, so it may well improve before publication. Huge points for creativity in some senses — loved the quirky magical power, the importance of protecting the monarch butterflies and the forest, the mile a minute raft adventure. I’m not really into princesses, so that didn’t do anything for me, but I suspect it will go over very well with the intended audience. I am really glad to see fantasy with a strong Latinx girl character at the center.

Advanced Readers Copy provided by edelweiss ( )

Solimar is the princess of a fictional kingdom, San Gregorio, in Mexico, which is home to a forest that’s a migration stop for Monarch butterflies. Wanting to sit with the butterflies when they arrive in the forest, Solimar is caught up in a magical experience: she has been chosen to be protector of young and weak butterflies that cannot survive on her own, and, while she serves as protector to the young butterflies, Solimar will be able to predict the near future. If you like adventure stories that feature resourceful princesses, this is a book you’ll want to read. Video review at https://youtu.be/gHd82CTajzs