WOW Review: Volume XVII, Issue 3 • Page 11 of 12 • Worlds of Words

With a Butterfly’s Wings
Written by Pilar López Ávila
Illustrated by Zuzanna Celej
Translated by Jon Brokenbrow
Cuento de Luz, 2021, 28 pages (unpaged)
ISBN: 978-8418302596

Conservationist John Muir once observed that “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” The impact of nature is captured in the essence of the plotline in Pilar López Ávila’s With a Butterfly’s Wings, a book originally published in Spain. This poignant story celebrates the relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter, built in nature as they seek to uncover nature’s secrets. They listen to the melodies that birds produce to fill the air with song. It’s not simply the specialness of the song the grandmother teaches her granddaughter. Instead, in the granddaughter’s eyes, the grandmother elevates the birds and their songs. The granddaughter is shown how birds occupy a place of importance and therefore occupy a place in their lives as well. Moreover, the splendor of the birds and flowers is appreciated. When the grandmother eventually passes on to her reward, her granddaughter continues this journey of exploration and discovery through the realm of nature. She has been captivated by the inspiration her grandmother cultivated in their souls and their mutual respect for nature’s essence.

The growth of the relationship of the granddaughter with her grandmother is surely meant to function at a variety of levels. First, the delicate balance of nature is nurtured mutually by the grandmother with her granddaughter. The respect that each individual has for the other is inspiring. The aging process along with the place of the child being taught by the experienced one is reflected in the passage of wisdom from the grandmother to her young mentee. The aging process is paralleled in the most positive sense with the grandmother’s life being eclipsed in the same manner as the passing of the seasons. Finally, the development of the granddaughter’s life after the passing of her grandmother demonstrates the importance of remaining connected with the passing of time and the inevitability of change.

Just as Pilar Avila has artfully incorporated rich descriptions to evoke and pay tribute to the color and life of the birds and butterflies that the grandmother and granddaughter use as the vehicle for their wonderment. In the same way, Zuzanna Celej’s illustrations deftly combine watercolors and sparse lines to create a delicate balance between the ethereal quality of butterfly wings and the movement of birds as they search for mates, food, and shelter.

When looking for books to pair with With a Butterfly’s Wings, remembering loved ones and connecting with nature comes to mind. Last Week by Bill Richardson and Émilie Leduc (2022) explores reactions and acceptance of a grandmother’s decision for an assisted death. Wildful by Kengo Kurimoto (2024) is a graphic novel that addresses the power of nature in urban settings as spaces for connection, friendship, and healing. When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek (2016) takes the reader on a journey of connection, similar to that taken in Avila’s book with its emphasis on the rhythm of nature and personal growth. Britta Teckentrup’s (2014) The Memory Tree recognizes life changes and connection to nature, when Fox dies and a tree begins to grow, becoming stronger as each memory passes.

Pilar López Ávila enjoyed reading children’s books at a very young age. Moreover, at age nine, she began to author her own stories. López Ávila is the winner of the 2023 Independent Publisher Books Award. In addition, she received a 2023 award from the Cuatro Gatos Foundation Awards. With a doctorate in veterinary medicine, Ávila teaches biology and geology in high school in Cáceres, Spain. She serves as the director of the Teatro Paraíso. She won the International Latino Book Award in 2018 for Ayobami and the Names of the Animals (with Mar Azabal, 2017). Readers can explore López Ávila’s work here.

Zuzanna Celej is an award-winning illustrator who also works as an artist and painter in Barcelona, Spain. She has illustrated more than 50 children’s books. Her illustrations have won various awards including the New York City Big Book Award for Fran Nuño’s The Map of Good Memories (2017) and the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award and the Living Now Book Award for Marta Ateaga’s Inside My Imagination (2013). Visit Celej’s Instagram to explore their exceptional illustrations and artistic creations.

Jon Brokenbrow is an experienced translator of more than 70 books from Spanish, Portuguese, and Gallego to English. Brokenbrow won the 2013-2014 International Latino Book Awards for Best Translator and the 2015 IPPY Award for Children’s Picture Books. He uses his skills to translate literary texts, academic articles, and doctoral theses. Brokenbrow demonstrates an extensive knowledge of archeological and heritage-related terms. He has edited books in collaboration with the University of Bergen, Norway and the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Visit Brokenbrow’s Instagram to learn more about his work.

Joseph S. Pizzo, Black River Middle School and Centenary University

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