Red Butterfly

Noyes Deborah. Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk Out of China. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2007.
A Chinese princess secretly takes along silkworm cocoons and mulberry seeds when she is sent to marry the king of Khotan. This exquisite picture book – illustrated by Sophie Blackall – includes a two-page explanation of the legends surrounding the history of silk-making. Highly recommended for readers 7 years old and up. 

The poetic description of everything the princess will miss when she has to leave her home is reminiscent of Shi-shi-etko by Nicola Campbell (Groundwood, 2005). Readers – and teachers – might like to compare the five senses details in the two stories.

Then, try writing your own descriptive sentences. Find techniques and examples HERE.

If you want to try writing a descriptive paragraph, see the writing at the end of a student’s literary analysis of The Colours of British Columbia by David Bouchard (Raincoast Books, 1994) HERE.

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