The Monarchs of Winghaven

By Naila Moreira. Walker Books US, 2024. 320 pages. $18.99/hardcover or eBook; $9.99/paperback (available in August). Recommended for ages 8–12.

This heartfelt novel for middle-grade readers celebrates nature, science, land preservation, and friendship. Eleven-year-old, introverted Sammie is having a hard time adjusting to her new school in a New England suburb. A budding naturalist, she likes to spend time in “the Field,” a wooded area near her home where she records the flora and fauna she finds in a nature journal (some of her illustrations and handwritten notes are included in the book) and where she meets new friend Bram, who is a year older and an avid photographer. Sammie and Bram’s friendship develops as they bond over their shared fascination with and desire to document what they find in the Field, which they decide to nickname “Winghaven.” The two are particularly interested in the relationship between milkweed plants and monarch butterflies, especially after learning that monarch caterpillars eat only milkweed. They begin keeping track of the number of monarch eggs and caterpillars they see.

Sammie meets a graduate student named Pete while he is collecting data on insects and birds at Winghaven. He becomes a mentor of sorts to Sammie and Bram. Impressed with their research, he tells them about the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, which was started by professional scientists and relies on citizen-generated data. He also encourages them to participate in an Audubon Society science symposium.

Although it looks to be an empty lot, Winghaven is brimming with life and has become a sanctuary for Sammie and Bram, so when they learn the city might sell it to a developer, they embark on a mission to save it: tracking down records, writing to the local newspaper, and even speaking at a public hearing at city hall.

Author Naila Moreira is a science journalist who teaches science writing at the college level. At the end of the book, she shares “Notes for Young Naturalists,” encouraging readers to follow the examples of Sammie and Bram, such as keeping a nature journal and participating in citizen science. The Monarchs of Winghaven is an enjoyable read sure to educate and inspire readers interested in the life sciences.

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Anna Birch is a member of Santa Fe (N.M.) Meeting and is a retired librarian. Gail Whiffen, associate editor of Friends Journal, also contributed to this review.