A Flicker of Hope: A Story of Migration

by Cynthia Harmony, Devon Holzwarth (Illustrator)

Overview

A heartwarming tale of a girl waiting for her beloved Papá to return when the monarchs fly south to their home in Mexico.

Lucía loves to watch the monarchs' migration from her home in Mexico with Papá. But this year, the monarchs' journey north holds extra weight; Papá is heading north, too, to look for work. He promises her that when "the weather turns cold and the monarcas return, our winged ancestors will guide me home." So while he spends the summer months harvesting produce on faraway farms, Lucía watches the skies for signs of the monarchs'—and her papá's—return. 

Told through the parallel stories of the butterflies’ journey and Lucía's migrant farmer father, Cynthia Harmony's A Flicker of Hope is a love letter to the power of families and nature, both of which know no borders.

National Council of Teachers of English - Charlotte Huck Outstanding Fiction for Children Honor Book Award 2025 National Science Teaching Association Outstanding Science Trade Book
American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2025
A Kirkus Best Picture Books of the Year 2024
New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2024
Chicago Public Library Best Books 2024

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593525784
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	02/27/2024
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Cynthia Harmony is an educational psychologist who has created exhibits and bilingual learning materials for children and science museums. Originally from Mexico City, Cynthia is a children's author and translator.

You can follow her at CynthiaHarmony.com.

Devon Holzwarth grew up in Panama with the jungle as her garden and parrots and iguanas as pets. Devon earned her BFA in 2000 from the Rhode Island School of Design, focusing on screen printing and painting. Childhood memories and her collection of vintage children's books strongly inspire her work. She currently lives in Aachen, Germany, with her husband, two kids, and beloved old hound dog.

You can follow her at DevonHolzwarth.com.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for A Flicker of Hope:

★ "A beautiful story about cycles and traditions that shines a light on migration."—Kirkus, starred review

★ "A Mexican girl waits for the return of her migrant farmworker father, whose departure parallels the migratory pattern of monarch butterflies, in this ecological tale of dual-species movement."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “Lyrical text and captivating illustrations create a truly compelling reading experience.... Magnificent and hopeful."—School Library Journal, starred review

★ “Rarely have the big ideas of family, tradition, labor, ecosystems, and interdependence been presented in such a loving and approachable way."—Booklist, starred review

"A treasure."—BCCB

From the Publisher

★ 2023-11-18
Like the monarch butterfly, Lucía’s father migrates according to the seasons, retracing the steps of his ancestors.

Springtime means a journey north for Papá and for the monarch butterflies that flit around their garden in Michoacán, Mexico. Soothing a tearful Lucía, Papá tells her he’ll return when the weather cools and their “winged ancestors” lead him home. This heartwarming story connects butterfly and human migration and shows how both are natural and part of deep-rooted life patterns. Monarch butterflies follow the same migratory route as previous generations; Lucía’s father, a migrant laborer, journeys north in search of work, following the harvests just as his ancestors did. Though Lucía stays behind, her life also follows the cycles of seasons. While her father is gone, she learns to weave ocoxal-leaf baskets from her mother and grandmother, using the same technique as previous generations. With autumn’s return comes Día de los Muertos, and Lucía welcomes back her father, along with the monarchs. The prose is simple yet elegant; the love between Lucía and her father reverberates deeply through subtle echoes such as the detail of the ocoxal hat Papá wears in the fields. The digitally finished watercolor, colored pencil, and crayon illustrations are richly textured and engrossing, with line- and brushstrokes enhancing the emotion. The characters have brown skin.

A beautiful story about cycles and traditions that shines a light on migration. (glossary, author’s note, how can we help?) (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews