La Mariposa [Hardcover]

Francisco Jimenez (Author), Simon Silva (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

In his first year of school, Francisco understands little of what his teacher says. But he is drawn to the silent, slow-moving caterpillar in the jar next to his desk. He knows caterpillars turn into butterflies, but just how do they do it? To find out, he studies the words in a butterfly book so many times that he can close his eyes and see the black letters, but he still can't understand their meaning. Illustrated with paintings as deep and rich as the wings of a butterfly, this honest, unsentimental account of a schoolchild's struggle to learn language reveals that our imaginations powerfully sustain us. La Mariposa makes a subtle plea for tolerance in our homes, our communities, and in our schools.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-Francisco is excited about going to school-until he gets on the bus. The cacophony of voices all speaking English, a language he doesn't understand, leaves him apprehensive and headachy. He fares no better in the classroom. Though he tries to listen, he is often overwhelmed and his mind drifts. His only solaces are drawing and watching a caterpillar in a jar on the science shelf. At recess, he plays with a child who speaks a little Spanish, only to be scolded by his teacher for not speaking English. During the winter, seeing that Francisco has no jacket, the principal gives him one from the lost and found. It proves to belong to a classmate who wrestles Francisco to the ground and accuses him of stealing it. The child withdraws even further. However, by the end of the year, he, like the butterfly, unfolds from his cocoon and begins to gain confidence. The story is open-ended, with no real resolution, and the episodic plot does not make for a compelling narrative. The strength of the book lies in its ability to capture the frustration and isolation experienced by children who do not speak the dominant language. Potent as a discussion starter, La Mariposa helps readers identify with and build empathy for the protagonist. Silva's acrylic illustrations, using strong lines and bold colors, are a bit overwhelming for the quiet story at times, but are eye-catching nonetheless. Especially suited for schools with an ESL population, this is an excellent choice for raising awareness and creating an opening for dialogue.
Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Held back in school because he did not speak English well enough, the author speaks of himself in the third-person to tell this autobiographical story of a school incident. Francisco is a young immigrant boy from Mexico trying to adjust to first grade in the US. Unlike the other children, Francisco wears suspenders, does not understand school bells, and can't comprehend a word his teacher is saying. His fascination with a caterpillar in a jar leads to flights of fancy; he imagines himself flying out of the classroom and over the rows of lettuce where his father works. Difficulties include a misunderstanding that leads to a fight with classmate Curtis, and a butterfly picture, drawn by Francisco, that disappears. Jimnez successfully captures the confusion and isolation of his protagonist in an unembellished, straightforward narration; the ending is impossibly happy, as he wins a prize for his art, makes amends with Curtis, and a newly hatched butterfly goes free. Silva's characters are strongly outlined in black, and his robust scenes of landscapes and classrooms are rich with the oranges of the monarch, echoed in fields, sunsets, and the flannel of Francisco's shirt. (glossary) (Picture book. 6-9) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (September 28, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395816637
• ISBN-13: 978-0395816639
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #708,930 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Francisco Jiménez emigrated from Tlaquepaque, Mexico, to California, where he worked for many years in the fields with his family. He received both his master's degree and his Ph.D. from Columbia University and is now chairman of the Modern Languages and Literature Department at Santa Clara University, the setting of much of Reaching Out. He is the award-winning author of The Circuit, Breaking Through, La Mariposa, and his newest novel, Reaching Out. He lives in Santa Clara, California, with his family

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LA Mariposa, December 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: La Mariposa (Hardcover)

The book was written true-to-life and it uses appropriate spelling words for young students and wonderful Spanish words for everyone. Excellent color illustrations. I would recommend this book to an adult or older student so they could read it to a younger child, K through the 4th grade.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fly Free, Butterfly, Fly Free!, August 24, 2002

By 

Daniel L. Berek (Flanders, NJ, United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: La Mariposa (Paperback)

Having read "The Circuit" by the same author, I was eager to read "La Mariposa" to my younger students. Francisco Jimenez creates beautifully written semi-autobiographical stories about life as a child of a family of migrant farmers from Mexico. The the eyes of the main character, Francisco, we experience a child's first day in a new school, where he is the object of stares and, at the hands of a bully, ridicule. However, Francisco is a dreamer, and he conveys his dreams through beautiful pictures of... butterflies. The goodness of his teacher and classmates shine through in the end of this beautiful and sensitive story as they admire his artwork and share in his dream.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars La Mariposa-Briseida Ramos, November 16, 2008

By 

Briseida E. Ramos "Briseida Ramos" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: La Mariposa (Paperback)

Book Review: La Mariposa--Briseida Ramos
La Mariposa by Francisco Jimenez, is about a small boy named Francisco who is headed to his first day of school. Francisco does not know English and in school that is the only way of communicating or he'll get in to trouble if he starts speaking in first first language which is Spanish. Francisco gets in trouble a few times because he doesn't pay attention to the teacher because he doesn't understand her, so he day dreams most of the time because his head hurts from trying to understand what she is trying to say. Many children in school do not accept him because everyone else speaks English except his friend, Arthur. Later on his friend, Arthur avoids Francisco because he doesn't want to get in trouble from speaking Spanish.
Francisco faces a lot of obstacles in trying to fit in school with everyone else. He gets into a fight with another boy because of a jacket that the principle had given him from the lost and found, finding out later on that it belongs to Curtis, the other boy. The teacher Miss. Scalapino gives them an assignment which Francisco doesn't understand, so she decides to le4t him draw whatever he wants. Because of this assignment Francisco starts fitting in with the other students. Francisco decides to sketch out a drawing of a butterfly and the teacher likes it a places it on the board. Francisco receives first place for his drawing and everyone rush to see the blue ribbon placed on the drawing. Everyone starts accepting Francisco and at the end they all look at a butterfly come out of its cocoon.
The story shows transformations in where bicultural and bilingual differences in a child can be accepted by others. There are many difficult circumstances that go through the life of someone that has a limit in communication and acceptance from others, but his story shows how it is accepted and can be accepted because differences make us unique. Those differences make us who we are in the form that we are not that different. Jimenez shows the importance of transformation and acceptance throughout a child's life and how there are many that can go through this. The book is a good book to have in any grade level because it shows the benefit that either kindergarten through any grade, but especially the elementary level students can learn from real life experiences. Elementary is a good level to start showing children the importance that we are all equal, in a unique way.
Illustrations, done by Simon Silva show the richness in colors of the culture. Brown, orange, and other colors are portrayed together and show a vivid picture of how the fields look like when a person awakes in the morning. The colors of the sun coming out and going in show the relation of reality.
Francisco Jimenez shows his life through writing his books, especially in The Circuit. Francisco Jiménez uses stories from his own life to portray what it's like to be a child who must hide from truant officers if farm work must be done, and who must hide from immigration officials in order to continue living in this country. Jimenez, "Born in Tlaquepaque, Mexico, in 1943, Francisco Jiménez grew up in a family of migrant workers in California. Jiménez spent much of his childhood moving around California with no permanent home or regular schooling, yet despite incredible odds he went on to have a distinguished academic career. A graduate of Santa Clara University, he also attended Harvard University and received both a Master's Degree and Ph.D. from Columbia University." In La Mariposa, Francisco shows the relationship of using both English and Spanish languages letting the reader discover the meaning through a glossary at the end of the story.
Some awards which Jimenez received throughout his life are:
* 2003 Elected an Honorary Associate of the Hispanic Society of America by the Board of Trustees of the Society
* 2003-present The Asociación Cultural Latino Americana of Central California established an annual "Francisco Jiménez scholarship for Hispanic youth attending college.
* 1998 - 1999 SCU Faculty Senate Professor in recognition of outstanding professional achievements and contributions to Santa Clara University
* 1998 - present Fay Boyle Endowed University Academic Chair
* 1996-1997 James Barnes Farmer Distinguished Guest Professor for 1996-1997, Miami University, Ohio.
* 1986 - 1998 Phil and Bobbie Sanfilippo Endowed University Academic Chair
* 1978 "President's Special Recognition Award for Faculty." (The award recognizes superior teaching, publication, and special service to the Santa Clara University community.)
Other recognitions, but to name a few are:
* Honored by the Asociación Cultural Latinoamericana by naming a scholarship after me, July 26, 2003.
* Commendation by the Governor of the State of Jalisco, Mexico, "for promoting Mexican culture in the U.S." Ceremony took place in Long Beach, California, June 21, 2003.
* Featured in Telemundo, "Al Rojo Vivo" (2003).
* Featured in Univisión, "Aquí y Ahora" (2003).
* Featured in Selecciones (Readers' Digest), section "Triunfadores" (May 2003).
* Commendations from U.S. Senators Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and from the United States Congress for being selected United States Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement the Advancement Teaching (2002).
In La Mariposa:
* Parents' Choice Recommended Award
* Smithsonian Notable Book for Children
* Américas Commended List
Mr. Jimenez "has been the director of the Ethnic Studies Program since 2000. He has been on the faculty of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Santa Clara University since 1972." I think that it is important how Jimenez shows his life in La Mariposa and other books because he is able to show his life through the eyes of children, young adults, and adults.
In my opinion, I enjoyed La Mariposa and I think that this book is a good book to have for all ages. I can relate through a lot that Jimenez goes through growing up, since I also came from Mexico and was born in San Luis Potosi, I show a connection and relation to his experiences that are still in the process. This book can be understood through anyone coming from another place also. I think that this book deserves more than a thumbs up but something spectacular because it's a real life experience through the eyes of children and others. I gave it Five Stars, I loved the book!!