BUGGY BOOK REVIEW: “How to Raise Monarch Butterflies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids”

For as long as I can remember I have had an interest in butterflies. In fact, one of my fondest memories as a child during the 1970’s was raising monarch butterflies every summer with my mother’s help. She would drive me to places where milkweed was growing and would help me find the tiny eggs and caterpillars, which we would bring home, raise and then release the adults. We would raise hundreds each summer. What is truly sad is that today, finding eggs and caterpillars seem to be almost impossible as monarch populations are on the decline.

When I was raising them, all I knew was that the caterpillars ate milkweed. The subject of this review, which I would’ve loved having back in the day, gets much more into the requirements needed to successfully raise what is perhaps the world’s most well-known butterfly.

“How to Raise Monarch Butterflies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids” is a great book for kids of all ages. Even adults will benefit from what this book has to offer. What it presents is very clear and concise and the photos are phenomenal. This book would be a great introduction to butterflies in general, especially for anyone who would like to raise them in captivity, with the intention of releasing back into the wild.

Author Carol Pasternak has a true winner here and should be in every personal or classroom library. The book is divided into seven, easy-to-read chapter and though they are easy, they are not dumbed down. The information is very concise and the photographs, as you can see in the accompanying pictures, as such a highlight! This truly is a step-by-step guide in every sense of the word and children of all ages will benefit from what it has to say.

The best part about this book, in my opinion, is that it gets kids outside exploring nature, spending less time on their screens and devices. Nature and wildlife has taken a backseat to the beauty of the world. Raising monarchs, or any butterflies for that matter, will also be a tremendous bonding exercise for parents and their kids. In today’s world, where both parents are usually working and quality time is at a minimum, raising butterflies is a great way to get away from it all and learn how to appreciate some of the natural beauty in the world. To order your own copy, just click on the image below.

~David Albaugh