Monarca

By Leopoldo Gout, Eva Aridjis

2022

First Published

4.02

Average Rating

239

Number of Pages

7H15M

Audio Length

An illustrated fable for all ages about a Mexican-American girl who transforms into a monarch butterfly and undertakes the great migration to Mexico, Monarca braids together the values of heritage, ecology, and personal transformation. On her thirteenth birthday, Inés receives a mysterious necklace from her abuela in Mexico that turns her into a monarch butterfly—the fulfilment of a prophecy linking Inés' destiny to her family's legacy and the butterflies' survival. The adventure continues as Inés joins the monarchs on their long journey south to the butterfly sanctuary in Mexico—an odyssey that has become increasingly perilous due to human activity. Together, the swarm travels from the northeast to the swamps of Louisiana to the pine-filled mountain tops of the western Sierra Madre, finally alighting at the Sierra Chincua sanctuary. On this wondrous journey in the vein of Jonathan Livingston Seagull and The Little Prince, Inés discovers the connections between all living beings, and the urgent need to protect the monarchs' migration and habitats. Divided into four chapters to mirror the four stages in a monarch's life—egg, larva, pupa and butterfly—Monarca blends Mexican folklore, environmentalism, and magical realism in an enchanting novella. Illustrated with stunning full-color drawings by Leopoldo Gout, this book will inspire readers to protect and cherish the sacred natural world around them.

Avg Rating

4.02

Number of Ratings

228

5 STARS

35%

4 STARS

40%

3 STARS

19%

2 STARS

1 STARS

goodreads

Authors

Leopoldo Gout

Author · 7 books

Leopoldo Gout, author of Genius, is a writer, artist, and filmmaker who hails from Mexico. After studying in London, Gout produced the award-winning film Days of Grace, which A. O. Scott of the New York Times called “potent and vigorous.” He is the executive producer of the number one new show of the summer, sci-fi drama Zoo on CBS and is partnered with James Patterson Entertainment to produce Maximum Ride. Leopoldo Gout resides in New York City with his wife and two children.

Eva Aridjis

Author · 1 books

Eva Aridjis is a prize-winning Mexican-American filmmaker and writer. She has directed five feature-length films which have screened at dozens of festivals including Sundance, Edinburgh and Los Angeles. Eva’s narrative film “The Favor” explores the strained relationship between a teenage boy (Ryan Donowho) and the man who adopts him (Frank Wood) and screened at art house cinemas in the U.S. and on the Sundance Channel. Eva’s second narrative feature “The Blue Eyes” tells the story of an American couple (Zachary Booth and Allison Case) who travel to Chiapas, Mexico and encounter a shape-shifting witch (Ofelia Medina). The film screened in theaters in Mexico and features an original score by JG Thirlwell. “Children of the Street” is a documentary which shows the plight of four street kids living on the streets of Mexico City. It was nominated for two Arieles (Mexican Academy Awards) and won the Best Documentary prize at the Morelia Film Festival. Eva’s second documentary “La Santa Muerte” examines a religious cult of people who worship death as a saint and is narrated by Gael García Bernal. “Chuy, The Wolf Man” is a portrait of a Mexican family with hypertrichosis and highlights the discrimination they suffer due to the hair on their face. The film screened in cinemas in Mexico and received glowing reviews. Eva taught Screenwriting at NYU’s Grad Film Program (where she received her MFA) and wrote on the episodic series "El Candidato" (Amazon/Televisa) and "Narcos: Mexico" Season 2 (Gaumont/Netflix). She is currently developing several series of her own, completing her 4th documentary feature, and preparing to direct her 3rd narrative feature. Eva has also directed many music videos including one for The Walkmen's "The Rat". Eva co-wrote the novella Monarca, published by Harper Collins in 2022.