"Perhaps the best way to excite young children about science, nature and conservation is to foster their personal connections with organisms in the natural world. This story follows a young girl as she gets to know a monarch during its amazing metamorphosis from caterpillar to adult butterfly. As she compares her own growth and activities to those of the monarch, she learns to love it and then let it go. The delightful illustrations and simple text will enchant young children and adults alike."

--Dr. Karen Oberhauser, Director
Monarchs in the Classroom Program

Monarch Come Play with Me was written and designed for children between the ages of 3 and 9. The text, written for early second grade readers, revolves around the similarities and differences between the development of monarchs and the development of children. An informational text at the end of the book introduces readers to the process of scientific discovery through the story of Dr. Fred and Norah Urquhart's search — with the help of many citizen scientists — for the eastern monarchs' overwintering home. This text, written at a fourth grade reading level, is intended expose readers to how science is used to answer questions.

Ba Rea's illustrations feature detailed images of monarch eggs, caterpillars, chrysalides and butterflies that will allow curious readers to discover for themselves fascinating details of the lives of monarchs beyond those directly addressed in the text.