How far would you go to defend a cause you are passionate about? Follow a teenage girl's bold attempt to save the butterflies while going through a transformation of her own in The Metamorphosis of Emma Murry by Rebecca Laxton. Enter to win a beautiful butterfly themed prize pack including a signed copy of the book!
My Review:
Set in a small scenic town in North Carolina, The Metamorphosis of Emma Murry tells a magical and mesmerizing story about courage, friendship, human-nature relationship, and endangered species conservation. As members of the environmental club of their school, Emma and her BFF Sophie are committed to saving the monarchs from extinction. When some mystery guests arrive in town to plan for a new ski resort, the girls have to act fast to stop them from ruining the butterflies' habitat and threatening their survival. Emma's subtle feelings for her frienemy Jeb however, upset Sophie deeply.
Will Emma regain Sophie's trust? Will she convince Jeb to change their business plan? Will she clear dad's name after he becomes the primary suspect for a death threat to Jeb's dad? Will she overcome her fear for public speech at the zoning meeting? So many challenges and uncertainties are lying ahead!
Told from Emma's point of view, the story deftly combines elements of mystery, adventure, budding romance and paranormal fantasy. I'm particularly impressed with its poetic portraits of natural landscape, its creative use of color to characterize persons and objects, and the connection it makes between art and environmental protection.
While Emma charms the reader with her determination, dedication and leadership, the inner struggle she experiences as part of her growth feels so real and relatable to adolescent readers who might be undergoing their own metamorphoses. Moreover, the novel helps raise awareness of the environmental impacts of human activities and inspires young environmentalists to stand up for their cause despite all the obstacles to collective action.
Informative and thought-provoking, this book won't disappoint if you love butterflies, wildlife, painting, gardening, skateboarding, or ghost hunting.
About the Book:
Ages 10+ | 252 Pages
Publisher: Warren Publishing, Inc | ISBN-13: 9781960146236
Thirteen-year-old Emma Murry has three goals for summer vacation: finish her art terms project, land an ollie, and help the environmental club save the monarchs.
But then her Instagram crush Jeb Scott and his celebrity dad Chester make a surprise visit to Black Mountain. At first, Emma is thrilled, but then she overhears their plans to destroy the monarch butterfly garden to build a ski resort. She and her best friend Sophie add a new summer goal: STOP. THE. SCOTTS.
Emma ignores Sophie’s warnings and makes friends with Jeb, convinced she can change his mind. Then when Chester receives a mysterious death threat, Emma teams up with Jeb to investigate. She slowly discovers people are not what they seem as she attempts to untangle friendships, organize a protest, and uncover supernatural secrets hiding on the mountain.
Emma will have to go through her own metamorphosis by overcoming her fears and facing what she dreads. If she fails, she could jeopardize everything—butterflies, friendships, and her family.
Purchase links: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Barnes and Noble
About the Author:
Rebecca Laxton has served school communities as an afterschool program director, reading specialist, and school psychologist. While working for Boone County Schools, she was named the Kentucky School Psychologist of the Year for collaborating with teachers and administrators to write and evaluate an emotional intelligence curriculum.
Rebecca is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Charlotte Literary Arts, and the North Carolina Writers Association. Her short memoir, “Throw Like a Girl,” about playing on a mostly boys Little League team can be found in The Love of Baseball (McFarland 2017). Currently, she is a dyslexia practitioner and enjoys reading, writing and spending time in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband, four kids, and three dogs.
Rebecca invites you to visit her online at rebeccalaxton.com.
About the Illustrator:
Gracie Laxton is a freelance graphic designer and dance choreographer from North Carolina but is currently based in New York City. A 2021 graduate of Central Academy of Technology and Arts in Monroe, NC, she studied art as part of The Savannah College of Art and Design’s high school joint enrollment program. Currently, she attends Marymount Manhattan College, pursuing degrees in dance and art.
One grand prize winner will receive a swag bag!
It includes:
- A signed hardcover copy of The Metamorphosis of Emma Murry
- A tote, puzzle, word search, small skateboard sticker, small butterfly sticker, and large vinyl butterfly sticker made with the illustrator's graphics.
Five additional winners will each receive a signed paperback copy of The Metamorphosis of Emma Murry!
Giveaway ends 5/17. Open to US only. Please enter via the widget below. Good luck!
The Metamorphosis of Emma Murry Book GiveawayDisclosure: This post is sponsored by Rebecca Laxton. All views and opinions expressed are my own. icefairy's Treasure Chest is not responsible for winner selection or prize fulfillment.
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