My Fate According to the Butterfly

Gr 4-6—Sab's 11th birthday is approaching, but when she sees a black butterfly, she is afraid that she will die before then, since her father told her that the creature is a harbinger of death. She would like to spend her birthday with her father and Tito Wendell at the resort her grandmother ran before her death, but her sister Nadine has not spoken to her father in more than a year. Nadine is a journalism major in college and is working on a story about drug use in their neighborhood in Manila, the Philippines. Sab decides to investigate the cause of the rift and finds a friend of her father's from college. Sab begins reexamining things she already knew, which leads to the realization that her father was a drug addict. Sab is able to celebrate her birthday with the people she loves, and her awareness of her father's situation helps to bring the family back together. Told in simple, easily understood language, this novel combines elements of the mundane with a timely story about how drug use and other issues can affect families. VERDICT A gentle title that skillfully addresses difficult issues of drug addiction and family tension from the perspective of a young girl. For those who appreciated Marie Miranda Cruz's Everlasting Nora, Padma Venkatraman's The Bridge Home, or Erin Entrada Kelly's The Land of Forgotten Girls.—Karen Yingling, Blendon Middle School, Westerville, OH

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Superstitious Sab, a 10-year-old Filipina girl, has always believed her father's story that a visit from a black butterfly is a harbinger of personal or familial doom. And when the otherworldly butterfly lands on her prized locket one week before her birthday, she begins preparing for her inevitable death. With only a week left to live, Sab enlists the help of her American best friend to mend the rift between her father and her sister, Ate Nadine, who have been estranged since her father's mysterious stay in a hospital. Chaperoned by Nadine, Sab's quest for knowledge about her dad brings her deep into Manila, where she learns difficult truths about him and the world in which she lives, such as the government's brutal crackdown on drug dealers. Debut author Villanueva deftly incorporates a touch of the magical alongside vibrant details about contemporary Filipino life (jeepneys, cheese-flavored ice cream) and a universal story about growing up, reconciliation, and family. Ages 8-12. Agent: Alyssa Eisner Henkin, Trident Media Group. (July)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

An Amazon Best Book of the Month Editor's Pick

"Superstition, family, and friendship are the hallmarks of this remarkable debut. I adore Sab — and readers will, too." — Erin Entrada Kelly, Newbery Award-winning author of Hello, Universe

"Gail Villanueva's debut novel captures all the richness of the Philippines, the heart-pounding thrills of a great mystery, and the warmth and wonder of growing up." — Kate Messner, author of The Seventh Wish and Breakout

"At once rich in the vibrant culture of the Philippines and universal in its focus on family and forgiveness, My Fate According to the Butterfly is a soaring tale of hope that will be sure to touch the hearts of all young readers." — Ruth Behar, Pura Belpré Award-winning author of Lucky Broken Girl

* "Villanueva's debut is a beautiful #ownvoices middle-grade novel. Tough topics —the brutal war on drugs in the Philippines, family reconciliation, and recovery — are addressed, but warmth and humor... bring lightness to Sab's story. This immersive novel bursts with life." — Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review

"Debut author Villanueva deftly incorporates a touch of the magical alongside vibrant details about contemporary Filipino life and a universal story about growing up, reconciliation, and family." — Publishers Weekly

"A gentle title that skillfully addresses difficult issues of drug addiction and family tension from the perspective of a young girl." — School Library Journal