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My Fate According to the Butterfly
By Amanda Nojadera,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Emotional tale of family, forgiveness, and drug addiction.
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What's the Story?
MY FATE ACCORDING TO THE BUTTERFLY tells the story of superstitious 10-year-old Sab Dulce, who believes she has a week left to live after seeing a giant black butterfly. In preparation for her death, which would fall on her 11th birthday, Sab decides she wants to spend her last day with her entire family. There's just one problem: Sab doesn't know why her sister, Nadine, hasn't spoken to their dad in a year. With the help of her best friend, Pepper, Sab starts spying on Nadine to see if she can figure out what happened between them. Can she reunite her family and repair their broken relationship before it's too late?
Is It Any Good?
This suspenseful and emotional tale thoughtfully tackles tough topics including the Philippines' drug war, addiction, and recovery, while emphasizing the power of family, friendship, and forgiveness. There aren't many books that describe the drug war and its aftermath from a kid's perspective, but My Fate According to the Butterfly does an excellent job of explaining these issues in a kid-friendly way. Sab shares a poignant moment with her mom, who explains how addiction is a disease while reassuring her that a family member's relapse wasn't her fault.
Readers will love Sab and Pepper's supportive friendship as well as Nadine's passion and commitment to social justice issues. The heartwarming conclusion shows Sab taking her fate into her own hands while highlighting the importance of communication, courage, and compassion.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the war on drugs in the Philippines affects the characters in My Fate According to the Butterfly. Did you know about it before you read this book? Do you think it should be more widely discussed in school?
Is Filipino superstition new to you? What did you learn? Where can you learn more?
How do the characters demonstrate communication, courage, and compassion? Why are these important character strengths?
Book Details
- Author: Gail D. Villanueva
- Genre: Contemporary Fiction
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters , Friendship
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Scholastic Press
- Publication date: July 30, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 240
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated: September 23, 2019
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