Butterfly Meadow Books - Olivia Moss: A book review
I’m actually quite surprised that I enjoyed these books at all, considering they’re about butterflies (what I call ‘colourful moths’), because I absolutely hate them. All of them. Moths and butterflies alike are creepy and totally not to be trusted in my view.
So it wasn’t until I had already started book one Dazzle’s First Day that I realised they were about colourful moths (unwavering evidence that I don’t look at the cover of a book long enough to judge it before reading). So, while the characters are of a species I truly despise, I was still able to enjoy them and notice the way the author has cleverly made the butterflies situations and personalities relatable and likeable.
Definitely a series I would recommend to children, probably around the ages of 4 to 12, depending on reading ability and personality. a solid 4-Stars for these books.
My read copies are now available for purchase by clicking on the 'buy now' option. If the link doesn't work it will be because the book is no longer available, though there is always a chance I may find more in the series, or get more of the same books in future.
#1 - Dazzle's First Day
Dazzle has just come out of her cocoon. She is completely alone and has no worldly experience, which lands her in a dangerous situation very quickly. Thanks to a chance meeting with a kindly soul, Dazzle is able to learn about the world around her, as well as learning about herself, who she is and where she belongs. It is a very ‘new kid at school’ scenario that all children will be able to resonate with. After all, we were all ‘new’ to school at some stage, even if there are other children that are new, it doesn’t elevate the fear of being in a new place and not knowing anyone.
# 3 - Mallow's top team
It’s a big sports day and all the butterflies are practicing for the big day. Dazzle can’t decide on what event she is going to compete in. When her first try-out is a disaster and she doesn’t make the cut, she resigns herself to sitting on the sidelines. When her friend Mallow is injured, her team looks to Dazzle for help, but she’s worried she isn’t good enough and she’s afraid she will let her friends down. This is very relatable for most children who have at some stage been the last one picked for a team, or experience the feeling of not being good enough, especially for the non-sporty types.
# 5 - Dazzle's prickly problem
When Dazzle finds out there’s a young hedgehog who hasn’t come home one evening, her and her friends go on a hunt for him, but when they find him, they discover he is in a bit of a sticky situation that he can’t get out of by himself. But he’s so big and the butterflies are so small. What could they possibly do to help? A sweet little tale that highlights that you don’t have to be the biggest, strongest, fastest or smartest to make a difference.
# 6 - twinkle and the busy bee
This book is very similar to the previous one in the series Dazzle’s Prickly Problem, in that the butterflies find a lost animal in need of help, only this time it’s a small bumble bee who has gotten lost whilst out collecting pollen. I initially thought the author made the bee female in an attempt to portray her as being more vulnerable, because I always thought only male bees collect pollen, Luckily I looked it up before posting my original review, because it turns out that only female bees collect pollen, while male bees primarily forage for nectar - so that was a surprising learning curve for me. Fancy learning something from a kids story at the age of 41!