The Girl Who Drew Butterflies (Maria Merian)

Ages 10 to 12, Grades 5 to 7

Robert F. Sibert Medal winner

Bugs, of all kinds, were considered to be “born of mud” and to be “beasts of the devil.”  Why would anyone, let alone a girl, want to study and observe them?

One of the first naturalists to observe live insects directly, Maria Sibylla Merian was also one of the first to document the metamorphosis of the butterfly. In this visual nonfiction biography, richly illustrated throughout with full-color original paintings by Merian herself, the Newbery Honor–winning author Joyce Sidman paints her own picture of one of the first female entomologists and a woman who flouted convention in the pursuit of knowledge and her passion for insects.

Booklist Editor’s Choice

Chicago Public Library Best of 2018

Kirkus Best book of 2018

2018 Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book

Junior Library Guild Selection

New York Public Library Top 10 Best Books of 2018