The monarch effect : surviving poison, predators, and people / Dana L. Church.

Title :

The monarch effect : surviving poison, predators, and people

Author:

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Books

Summary:

"With their stunning black-and-orange wings, monarch butterflies are one of the most recognizable insects on the planet. But despite their delicate beauty, these creatures are warriors. The moment they hatch, they're fighting for their lives. Everything is the enemy: from the very leaf they live on to the humans and animals around them to nature itself. How does such a tiny egg survive to become a butterfly? And even after emerging from the cocoon, unimaginable danger awaits: migration. Every year, monarchs take flight, making one of the greatest migrations in the world. However, for a long time, their destination was unknown within the scientific community. Through the research of scientists in Canada and the United States and the support and efforts of ordinary people as well as Indigenous knowledge in Mexico, that mystery was finally solved. But to do so would involve years of searching across three countries and encounters with feuding scientists, the consequences of colonialism, and life-and-death stakes"--

"A not-so-typical look at the mysteries of the monarch butterflyScholastic Focus is the premier home of thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and thoughtfully designed works of narrative nonfiction aimed at middle grade and young adult readers. These books help readers learn about the world in which they live and develop their critical thinking skills so that they may become dynamic citizens who are able to analyze and understand our past, participate in essential discussions about our present, and work to grow and build our future.With their stunning black-and-orange wings, monarch butterflies are one of the most recognizable insects on the planet. But despite their delicate beauty, these creatures are warriors. The moment they hatch, they're fighting for their lives. Everything is the enemy: from the very leaf they live on to the humans and animals around them to nature itself. How does such a tiny egg survive to become a butterfly? And even after emerging from the cocoon, unimaginable danger awaits: migration.Every year, monarchs take flight, making one of the greatest migrations in the world. However, for a long time, their destination was unknown within the scientific community. Through the research of scientists in Canada and the United States and the support and efforts of ordinary people as well as Indigenous knowledge in Mexico, that mystery was finally solved. But to do so would involve years of searching across three countries and encounters with feuding scientists, the consequences of colonialism, and life-and-death stakes. Weaving together the untold story of survival, scientific discoveries, and the relationship between humans and butterflies, The Monarch Effect explores how one small insect can have an incredible impact on the entire planet"--

Language:

English

Audience:

Ages 8-12 years Scholastic Inc.

ISBN - ISSN:

9781338749229

1338749226

Physical Description:

309 pages : illustrations, 22 cm.

Contents:

Rivers of Butterflies -- Baby Monarchs and barfing Blue Jays -- Where do they go? -- More to the story -- Squabbling scientists -- Secrets of the forest -- Tracking migration -- Tracking more than migration -- Monarch "smarts" -- Monarchs around the world -- Monarch emergencies -- Living near the Monarchy -- Conclusion: more than a butterfly.

Subject:

Monarch butterfly -- Juvenile literature.

Monarch butterfly -- Migration -- Juvenile literature.

Monarch butterfly -- Effect of human beings on -- Juvenile literature.

Monarch butterfly.

Monarch butterfly -- Migration.

Monarch butterfly -- Effect of human beings on.

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The monarch effect : surviving poison, predators, and people / Dana L. Church.

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Summary

A not-so-typical look at the mysteries of the monarch butterfly

Scholastic Focus is the premier home of thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and thoughtfully designed works of narrative nonfiction aimed at middle grade and young adult readers. These books help readers learn about the world in which they live and develop their critical thinking skills so that they may become dynamic citizens who are able to analyze and understand our past, participate in essential discussions about our present, and work to grow and build our future.

With their stunning black-and-orange wings, monarch butterflies are one of the most recognizable insects on the planet. But despite their delicate beauty, these creatures are warriors. The moment they hatch, they're fighting for their lives. Everything is the enemy: from the very leaf they live on to the humans and animals around them to nature itself. How does such a tiny egg survive to become a butterfly? And even after emerging from the cocoon, unimaginable danger awaits: migration.

Every year, monarchs take flight, making one of the greatest migrations in the world. However, for a long time, their destination was unknown within the scientific community. Through the research of scientists in Canada and the United States and the support and efforts of ordinary people as well as Indigenous knowledge in Mexico, that mystery was finally solved. But to do so would involve years of searching across three countries and encounters with feuding scientists, the consequences of colonialism, and life-and-death stakes.

Weaving together the untold story of survival, scientific discoveries, and the relationship between humans and butterflies, The Monarch Effect explores how one small insect can have an incredible impact on the entire planet.

Author Notes

Dana L. Church is the author of The Monarch Effect: Surviving Poison, Predators, and People and The Beekeepers: How Humans Changed the World of Bumble Bees . She received her PhD at the University of Ottawa in Canada, where she studied bumble bees (and never got stung!). She lives in southern Ontario with her husband, two children, and their big, black, friendly dog. You can find out more about Dana and her writing at danachurchwriter.com.

Reviews (3)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 5 Up--It was as recently as 1975 that the overwintering site for millions of eastern monarch butterflies was discovered in Michoacán, Mexico. Initially credited to Canadian zoologist Fred Urquhart and his wife Norah, the breakthrough was actually made by an Indigenous Mexican naturalist, Carolina Trail (then Aguado), and her American husband, working for Urquhart. Church traces the intrigue among scientists racing to study the migration while keeping the site secret, as well as subsequent studies over decades examining how the insects know where and when to go, how they find milkweed for their caterpillars to eat, and much more. Later chapters outline challenges to conservation of the endangered butterflies and their fragile ecosystem. The tone of the writing is colloquial, with judgments like "really cool" or "super interesting." An author's note includes many suggestions of resources for learning more about the topic, recommendations for becoming involved by tracking and monitoring, and other citizen science initiatives. The volume concludes with a lengthy glossary and very extensive list of references, including books, magazine and newspaper articles, websites, and interviews, much of which will be inaccessible to the book's target audience. However, there are no individual source notes or citations. Photos and other illustrations complement the text throughout. VERDICT While there is much to fascinate budding biologists, the writing in this extensive text can be slow moving and is best suited to patient middle school readers.--Bob Hassett

Kirkus Review

An overview of monarch butterfly science. Church offers an extensive account of the discovery of the phenomenon of monarch migration from the east and central U.S. and Canada to their winter home, north of Mexico City. She opens with what locals knew at the time, describing 1940s school trips (recalled by Homero Aridjis, later Mexico's UNESCO ambassador) to see "rivers of butterflies" in sanctuaries in Michoacán. She later details Aridjis' successful efforts to protect them through UNESCO World Heritage Site status. In between, the author describes monarch development and recounts the series of experiments that led to scientific understanding of their life cycle. Similarly, she describes the procedures that two different sets of scientists developed to track migrating monarchs. Church devotes a full chapter to the experience of Catalina Trail, the Mexican woman who led Canadian scientists to the actual wintering sites. She then describes efforts to protect these sites, human pressures on the sanctuaries, the rise of citizen science tracking efforts in the U.S., and the impact of changing agricultural practices. She even discusses monarch populations west of the Rocky Mountains and beyond North America. Occasional black-and-white photos supplement the text. This thoroughly researched work is not easy reading for the intended audience, but educators and determined science-minded readers will appreciate the clear presentation of the complexities of environmental protection in the modern world. An enthusiastic and information-packed narrative. (author's note, glossary, references, photo credits, index) (Nonfiction. 9-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

The plight of the monarch butterfly comes into focus through a variety of perspectives in Church's study of this insect. She begins with larvae munching on milkweed to absorb its toxic properties, which will eventually manifest in the monarch's signature black-and-orange wings--wings that have inspired cultures, scientists, and citizens to care for these charismatic creatures in different ways. The monarchs in question are the western hemisphere's migrating varieties, whose numbers have dramatically fallen in recent years. While pursuing the questions of how, why, and what can be done to help, Church introduces pioneers in monarch research, such as Dr. Lincoln Brower (a champion of conservation) and Dr. Fred and Norah Urquhart (vanguards of migration studies), in addition to important contributions from citizen scientists (e.g., Catalina Trail) and Indigenous communities in Mexico where the butterflies overwinter. In addition to fascinating scientific insights into monarch butterfly biology and behavior, Church puts forth considerable food for thought on best practices for protecting this beloved animal, encouraging a holistic approach that puts Indigenous knowledge on equal footing with Western science.

Prologue Rivers of Butterflies	1
Chapter 1 Baby Monarchs and Barfing Blue Jays	3
Chapter 2 Where Do They Go?	26
Chapter 3 More to the Story	43
Chapter 4 Squabbling Scientists	64
Chapter 5 Secrets of the Forest	76
Chapter 6 Tracking Migration	95
Chapter 7 Tracking More Than Migration	123
Chapter 8 Monarch "Smarts"	143
Chapter 9 Monarchs Around the World	168
Chapter 10 Monarch Emergencies	188
Chapter 11 Living Near the Monarchy	215
Conclusion More Than a Butterfly	252
Author's Note	259
Glossary	265
References	276
Photo Credits	292
Acknowledgments	293
Index	297
About the Author	309

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Bound With These Titles

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Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (3)

School Library Journal Review

Kirkus Review

Booklist Review

Table of Contents