Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery
Author: Meeg Pincus
Illustrator: Yas Imamura
Sleeping Bear Press
14 March 2020
40 pages

Book description from Goodreads: “For decades, as the monarch butterflies swooped through every year like clockwork, people from Canada to the United States to Mexico wondered, ‘Where do they go?’ In 1976, the world learned the answer: after migrating thousands of miles, the monarchs roost by the millions in an oyamel grove in Central Mexico’s mountains.

But who solved this mystery? Was it the scientist or the American adventurer? The citizen scientists or the teacher or his students? Winged Wonders shows that the mystery could only be solved when they all worked as a team–and reminds readers that there’s another monarch mystery today, one that we all must work together to solve.”

Need some reviews of Winged Wonders?

• Celebrate Picture Books
• Kirkus

And here’s the cover reveal and an author Q&A with Meeg Pincus at Celebrate Picture Books.

Educational Activities inspired by Meeg Pincus’ Winged Wonders:

• Before Reading–From looking at the front and back cover: 
  • What do you already know about butterflies?
  • What do you think the monarch migration mystery is?
  • Why might butterflies be called “winged wonders”?
  • If you could ask the author any question before you read the book, what would it be?
• After Reading–Now that you’ve read the book: 
  • Where did the people–scientists, citizen scientists, and regular folk–discover that the butterflies went?
  • What were the most important things you learned about butterflies?
  • What other story does Winged Wonders remind you of?
  • What is a citizen scientist?
  • How can YOU help the monarch butterflies?
• Science–While Winged Wonders has lots of information about monarch butterflies within the main story and the back matter, there’s so much more to learn about these amazing creatures! Consider watching the following short informational videos to learn more: 
  • “The Amazing Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly”
  • “How to Create Your Own Monarch Butterfly Rest Stop”
  • “Monarch Butterfly: Emerging Time Lapse”
  • “Unraveling the Monarch Butterfly Migration Mystery”
• Activities–With an adult’s help, try the following butterfly-​themed crafts: 
  • Bow Tie Pasta Butterfly–Super easy and cute as can be!
  • Coffee Filter Butterfly–Suitable for the youngest of readers.
  • Sponge Painted Butterfly–Kids will have a blast with sponge painting.
  • Stained Glass Butterfly–This easy-​to-​make tissue-​paper craft does look like stained class. It’s inexpensive, too!
  • Washi Tape Butterfly–The only hiccup is you really do need the washi tape. But after you’ve got that, you’re set to go.
• Further Reading–Which of these other picture books about butterflies have you read? (Click on the book cover for more information on any of these titles!)