| Author/Contributor(s): | Genhart, Michael; Aponte, Carlos |
| Publisher: | Neal Porter Books |
| Date: | 5/18/2027 |
| Binding: | Hardcover |
| Condition: | NEW |
Querida Nana,
When I was born, squishy as a tiny caterpillar, you were there to hold me. You whispered, “Qué orgullosa estoy.”
And from that moment, I could feel your pride.
This is the beginning of Mateo’s letter to his beloved grandmother, and the beginning of a love that never wavers. When bullies shame Mateo with jeers of “Mariposa!”— the Spanish word for “butterfly” but also a homophobic put-down—Nana teaches him to hold his head high. The bond they share is a chrysalis, sheltering him as he grows the wings his Nana has always seen.
Mariposa is a tribute to author Michael Genhart’s own grandmother and a testament to the immeasurable difference one supportive adult can make in a child’s life. Brought to life in lively, magnetic color by illustrator Carlos Aponte, Genhart’s story is a shout of queer joy, reminding us that a loving voice can ring out over a roar of hateful noise; that even in fearful times, we are never alone.